Tom Lupton - Incoming Duxbury House Director

I still remember the night before Closing Day at the end of my first year of being in a House. We were in the Lake’s common room, surrounded by fifty teenagers all hugging and in tears, saying goodbye. It really moved me seeing these boys expressing their emotions in such an authentic and heartfelt way. It is truly a family dynamic at Shawnigan, and you don’t get that feeling unless you are working at a boarding school. That feeling is a huge driving force for why I want to be involved in a House.

I have always prided myself on being adaptable in my life and career. Throughout my career in teaching, I have had many different roles. I started at Shawnigan as a social studies teacher and Assistant House Diretor in Lake’s. What an experience that was! I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I adapted and quickly learned, and really grew to love it. My roles have changed over the years, and now I am now the Director of Teaching and Learning, which I find invigorating – especially now as we navigate this new curriculum. I also still teach social studies and now I am starting my newest role as House Director of Duxbury House.

I am very excited to have this opportunity to run a boarding house. We only get these teenagers for a short amount of time, but they are here for some of the most important years of their lives. What a privilege and a gift it is for me to be able to help guide and shape these boys, alongside their parents – and to provide opportunities for them to shape themselves over those five years.

I am very much looking forward to building bonds with the boys in the House. The most important aspect of any school is the relationships students have with each other and also with the people who are in the position to guide them, so building and fostering those relationships will be something I will be focused on.

My hope is to continue to build on the legacy that Paul Doig has left behind. I hope that the boys that graduate from our House years from now continue to say that they were proud to be a part of Duxbury and that we were a House that took care of its people in every way. I hope to continue developing a safe and happy place that will always feel like home.

As a big Liverpool soccer supporter, I think of the expression used for people that have been a part of that club: “You never walk alone.” I think that’s such a beautiful phrase because what it means is that in the darkest moments in life, when you are struggling, you are not alone. There’s a family to look after you during and after your time here in the House. What I hope for is that every student that leaves Duxbury House knows that they are never walking alone, that they are always a part of this family.

I am stepping into a House with such an incredible support system. The duty team is phenomenal and I am very excited to work with them. I feel very fortunate to have Jeff Williams as my Assistant, as he has been in the House for a very long time. Having him by my side is such a huge boost for me.

I can summarize my leadership philosophy in three words: mastery, autonomy, and purpose. I always remember that I am part of a team. My goal is to provide my team, which is my duty staff and students, with the proper resources so that they can develop mastery over whatever skill they are working on, to feel like they have autonomy to lead in their own way, and to provide a purpose for why they are doing the things they are doing. I want to help the Grade 12s in the House develop their individual leadership styles because we are all different. One of my favorite leadership images actually involves wolves (the Duxbury symbol): in a line of wolves, the most important wolf is at the back of the pack, and to me, that is what leadership should be.

I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing without my wife, Kirsi. Having her by my side is just such a blessing. She is so supportive of me and the boys, and I have no doubts that she will also be very involved in the House, especially since she will be doing duty. She’s going to be able to provide tremendous insights and levels of support to the boys. It helps that she’s also much smarter than me. She is thrilled and very excited to be involved in this exciting opportunity.

I feel it is just such a gift to have this opportunity, and I feel very lucky to be here. I am excited for the year to start, and can’t wait to get to know the boys in the House. Together, we are going to build upon the foundations that have already been laid, and we are going to continue to build a House that they are proud of, and where they feel like they have a family for life."

- From an interview with Tom Lupton - Incoming Duxbury House Director