Alumni
Project Future Update
Project Future, Shawnigan's new strategic plan, is energizing our School community and building momentum around our key strategic pillars of Academic Excellence, Co-Curricular Distinction, and Student Life Unparalleled. This is a brief progress report on our current initiatives, which we will develop in future editions of Community News. If you have an interest in any of the initiatives, please reach out to us at advancement@shawnigan.ca or 250-743-6235.
- Academic Excellence
- The Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship for Academic Excellence will be launched in September with the English Department welcoming our first Fellow: Lisa Jokivirta. Click here for more.
- Building on the success of C.A.S.E. and our thriving Applied Arts programs, early plans for an Innovation and Creativity Lab are in development with a working group involving students, staff, Board members and industry experts.
- Through the support of several current parents, the Learning Centre received a major upgrade this spring, including new furniture, learning resources, a lounge/kitchen area, a “zen den” and infrastructure updates to allow for a better specialized testing environment.
- Co-Curricular Distinction
- The Beyond the Gates experiential outdoor education program will launch as a pilot project in September 2021 for 20-25 Grade 9 students who will take their learning to the great outdoors throughout the school year. More info coming soon.
- A new Sport Village will be constructed in between the Charlie Purdey Arena and the Sportsplex through Fall 2021, featuring outdoor basketball, hockey, foursquare, pickleball, and lots of open-access recreational options.
- On the edge of Lake Omar, the Growing Dome, kindly donated by the Brew Creek Centre in Whistler, has already become an iconic part of the Shawnigan landscape. This geodesic dome strengthens the connection between our students and the environment while educating them about food sustainability and security as well as their own health. Click here for more.
- Student Life Unparalleled
- Garth Friesen '87 (Ripley's) helped us breathe new life into the Ritz and raise student spirits at the turn of the year through the introduction of Duke’s Café and other significant Friesen Centre upgrades, including new furniture and lighting, student artwork, gourmet coffees, baked goods and healthy snacks, all enhancing student life. Click here for more.
- Building upon the development of Stanton and Levien Houses, providing a caring and nurturing landing pad for our youngest and most vulnerable students, plans are proceeding to construct a new Grade 8 co-educational boarding house to be opened 2023/24. More details coming soon!
- With the support of current parents, upgrades in our existing boarding houses are being completed this summer, including infrastructure upgrades, common room furniture, and outdoor gathering spaces such as barbeques, fire pits, and gardens.
Underpinning these pillars of Project Future is our commitment as an institution to Financial Resilience. This has most recently been realized through the Founder’s Fund, which is providing much-needed support for families heavily impacted by COVID-19 and ensuring that all students are able to return home to Shawnigan regardless of financial circumstance. This new fund was supported by 100% of Shawnigan’s Board and Foundation Members and many generous parents and staff. In addition, our broader Financial Aid and Scholarship funds are overseen by the Financial Aid Committee, who manage and allocate funds responsibly and according to financial need, ensuring that donors' contributions are helping families most needing assistance to access Shawnigan. Looking ahead, discussions are underway with multiple donors to establish new major scholarships, particularly with a focus on families that need the most support, building the socioeconomic, cultural, and general diversity that is so valued at Shawnigan.
Again, if you are excited to hear more about any of the preceding projects please reach out to the Advancement & Community Engagement team. We will continue to report on our progress on these inspiring projects and the future of the Shawnigan experience in upcoming issues of Community News.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
