News Archive
Mrs. Rayna Hyde-Lay
"I was 14 years old when I first came to Shawnigan, joining 30 others to make up the first group of girls to attend what had until that point been an all-boys school. Most of us had brothers who were already at the School or came from the boarding school at Queen Margaret's School, so it wasn’t entirely new for us, and we embraced this unique opportunity head on. Made up of Grade 10 to 12 students, being a part of this pioneering group of girls was exciting. It was awesome being in the first year of girls, and we really bonded as a group.
The connections I made at the School started from the very beginning. The first year of girls was in School House with everyone on the same floor. I knew the Grade 12s as well as I knew the younger students, and being together really bonded us. It was a critical time for the School, and they were careful to make sure we understood the microscope we were under as the first group of girls. “All for one, one for all” was a motto we lived by in those early years, and it was in those years we got to know everyone. When Kaye’s House opened up the following year, and the girls were divided into two Houses, we remained very connected as a group.
The connections I made at the School started from the very beginning. The first year of girls was in School House with everyone on the same floor. I knew the Grade 12s as well as I knew the younger students, and being together really bonded us. It was a critical time for the School, and they were careful to make sure we understood the microscope we were under as the first group of girls. “All for one, one for all” was a motto we lived by in those early years, and it was in those years we got to know everyone. When Kaye’s House opened up the following year, and the girls were divided into two Houses, we remained very connected as a group.
When I reflect on my experience in those early years, many people had an impact on me. To say one person had an impact on me wouldn’t be right. Everyone had a role in it; if I wasn’t connected with my advisor, I was more connected with my House Director. I had three different House Directors and three different Headmasters, and when I look back, I realize now that I was part of a transitional period in the School’s restructuring. The benefit of this was that I had different influences on me each year, all playing a role in shaping me into the person I am today.
The connections I made at the School back then still hold strong. After graduation, I went abroad for a year on an exchange, then completed four years of university, studying English Literature and Spanish. When I finished my studies, I found myself right back on campus when a maternity leave position became available. I started working in the Admissions Office with Judy Detchon, a fantastic human being who was a mentor and taught me about being a young professional. I also began teaching as an intern and was an Assistant House Director. I taught Grade 9 English and dance and worked in the musical that year; it was a fun year as all of the interns and Assistant House Directors were all alumni! During this time, I met my now-husband, David Hyde-Lay, who was also working at the School, resulting in me changing course and staying to work in Admissions for another four years before we decided to start a family.
In those early years – and still hold close – I learned that at Shawnigan, you don’t always know what to expect! I’ve almost lost track of all the roles I’ve assumed here at the School – it’s been a long time. After staying at home to raise our family and supporting David as he ran Copeman’s House, I was ready to return to my professional career. At this point, I didn’t know where my path would lead me, and I felt so fortunate to be able to decide and reinvent my world and started working in the library after obtaining my library technician diploma.
My Shawnigan journey has ended up being longer than I ever anticipated, and the opportunity to raise our family here has been life-changing. With my husband David living on campus since he was a little boy, the experience was nothing new to him. He is the House Director of Copeman's, and each year we have had the honour and privilege of watching 60 boys in their best years growing up and share that with their parents. Having our children share in these experiences and meeting so many people along the way has given them a unique upbringing as well. I did make sure they experienced life outside campus by attending nearby elementary schools and participating in activities that little kids do. As a parent, I enjoyed taking them to on-campus family events such as Sunday squash, weekend brunch, or the much-loved Christmas Chapel service. The strong sense of community they have been surrounded by since birth will undoubtedly be something they take with them wherever they go when their Shawnigan journey comes to an end.
We have been a part of Copeman’s House since our oldest daughter, who is now 22, was a year old. Being a part of the community in such an impactful way has been life-changing. I can confidently say I am a better person because of Shawnigan. Comparing being here now to when I was a student, I have definitely mellowed. Being in an environment where everyone comes from different places and walks of life and has different viewpoints, you learn to take a step back and acknowledge that.
Along with that is what I consider to be my greatest strength: my sense of calm. The space I have created in the library has made it so that people can come in and have that “you can do it” attitude, whether I help them find a book that is within their comfort level or teach them a skill that they can take with them beyond Shawnigan. If I can provide a quiet, calm space for someone who needs it, then I have succeeded, as that is what the library is for. It’s about community, family, bringing everyone in and not allowing anyone to feel isolated. A line from an Emily Dickinson poem I had on my wall growing up is something I have carried with me throughout my career: “If I can ease one life the aching… I shall not live in vain.”
Life at Shawnigan has been a gift to me. The students are funny; they make me laugh; they are bold, nervous, happy, and sad, making every day different. The staff are so supportive; they celebrate life events with you, such as the birth of your children, or throw surprise birthday parties, creating an incredible community. I consider this community to be the “secret ingredient” that makes Shawnigan what it is. The School is small enough that you get to know everyone on campus, and always looking each other in the eye and smiling in greeting is part of the welcoming culture. Unlike other bigger schools I have visited, where people have more anonymity, Shawnigan is a tight-knit community where the connection is “the Shawnigan family.”
Working here has been a pleasure. I love what I do and what keeps me going year after year is that it's not a chore to be here. There is no motivating factor. I just know how lucky and privileged we are. Our family has had such a great experience on campus – so much so that it feels like it's been four years, not 24 or 25! If I can give back in little ways, I will; I am not going to start a big charity and make tons of money that I can give, but if the ways I can give back are through the people I connect with, then I’m content. If I’m reluctant to talk about life here at Shawnigan Lake School, it’s not about me but the bigger picture. It involves all the things that encompass this world that I work in and all the people who have crossed my path since I was a young adult and helped me be the person I am, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. "
- From an Interview with Mrs. Rayna Hyde-Lay
Back
The connections I made at the School back then still hold strong. After graduation, I went abroad for a year on an exchange, then completed four years of university, studying English Literature and Spanish. When I finished my studies, I found myself right back on campus when a maternity leave position became available. I started working in the Admissions Office with Judy Detchon, a fantastic human being who was a mentor and taught me about being a young professional. I also began teaching as an intern and was an Assistant House Director. I taught Grade 9 English and dance and worked in the musical that year; it was a fun year as all of the interns and Assistant House Directors were all alumni! During this time, I met my now-husband, David Hyde-Lay, who was also working at the School, resulting in me changing course and staying to work in Admissions for another four years before we decided to start a family.
In those early years – and still hold close – I learned that at Shawnigan, you don’t always know what to expect! I’ve almost lost track of all the roles I’ve assumed here at the School – it’s been a long time. After staying at home to raise our family and supporting David as he ran Copeman’s House, I was ready to return to my professional career. At this point, I didn’t know where my path would lead me, and I felt so fortunate to be able to decide and reinvent my world and started working in the library after obtaining my library technician diploma.
My Shawnigan journey has ended up being longer than I ever anticipated, and the opportunity to raise our family here has been life-changing. With my husband David living on campus since he was a little boy, the experience was nothing new to him. He is the House Director of Copeman's, and each year we have had the honour and privilege of watching 60 boys in their best years growing up and share that with their parents. Having our children share in these experiences and meeting so many people along the way has given them a unique upbringing as well. I did make sure they experienced life outside campus by attending nearby elementary schools and participating in activities that little kids do. As a parent, I enjoyed taking them to on-campus family events such as Sunday squash, weekend brunch, or the much-loved Christmas Chapel service. The strong sense of community they have been surrounded by since birth will undoubtedly be something they take with them wherever they go when their Shawnigan journey comes to an end.
We have been a part of Copeman’s House since our oldest daughter, who is now 22, was a year old. Being a part of the community in such an impactful way has been life-changing. I can confidently say I am a better person because of Shawnigan. Comparing being here now to when I was a student, I have definitely mellowed. Being in an environment where everyone comes from different places and walks of life and has different viewpoints, you learn to take a step back and acknowledge that.
Along with that is what I consider to be my greatest strength: my sense of calm. The space I have created in the library has made it so that people can come in and have that “you can do it” attitude, whether I help them find a book that is within their comfort level or teach them a skill that they can take with them beyond Shawnigan. If I can provide a quiet, calm space for someone who needs it, then I have succeeded, as that is what the library is for. It’s about community, family, bringing everyone in and not allowing anyone to feel isolated. A line from an Emily Dickinson poem I had on my wall growing up is something I have carried with me throughout my career: “If I can ease one life the aching… I shall not live in vain.”
Life at Shawnigan has been a gift to me. The students are funny; they make me laugh; they are bold, nervous, happy, and sad, making every day different. The staff are so supportive; they celebrate life events with you, such as the birth of your children, or throw surprise birthday parties, creating an incredible community. I consider this community to be the “secret ingredient” that makes Shawnigan what it is. The School is small enough that you get to know everyone on campus, and always looking each other in the eye and smiling in greeting is part of the welcoming culture. Unlike other bigger schools I have visited, where people have more anonymity, Shawnigan is a tight-knit community where the connection is “the Shawnigan family.”
Working here has been a pleasure. I love what I do and what keeps me going year after year is that it's not a chore to be here. There is no motivating factor. I just know how lucky and privileged we are. Our family has had such a great experience on campus – so much so that it feels like it's been four years, not 24 or 25! If I can give back in little ways, I will; I am not going to start a big charity and make tons of money that I can give, but if the ways I can give back are through the people I connect with, then I’m content. If I’m reluctant to talk about life here at Shawnigan Lake School, it’s not about me but the bigger picture. It involves all the things that encompass this world that I work in and all the people who have crossed my path since I was a young adult and helped me be the person I am, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. "
- From an Interview with Mrs. Rayna Hyde-Lay
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.
