A Message from our Vice Principal of Academics - Linda BayesThe academic school year is off to a great start with students who are engaged in learning and motivated to be successful. Teachers in both the Middle Years and Diploma Programmes are very excited about the enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge students have been displaying in the first weeks of school. There are have been two very successful fire drills in the past two weeks and students and staff were able to exit the building and have attendance reported in under 7 minutes. Students showed exemplary behavior in exiting the building. Upcoming Events and ActivitiesCommunity Block
One of our key goals this year is to promote the development of a school community where everyone feels welcome and is an active participant. We will be providing Community Blocks on Thursdays during the lunch break to hold events in support of this goal. After School Activities
After school activities will begin on Monday, Sept 16th. Students are very excited for activities to begin and there are some wonderful learning opportunities available. Keep your eye open for further updates. Picture Day
Friday Sept 20th is Picture Day. All students will have their photo taken. Photos will be used for the yearbook and on ManageBac. Picture Day will be a formal uniform day. Students may wear their regular school uniform on Thursday 19th September. Hornby Island Trip
Grade 12 students will be travelling to Hornby Island on Sept 27th for the weekend to celebrate and plan for their final year of secondary education. We haven’t held a senior trip in the past and students are very excited about the activities and learning this trip will provide. Permission forms for this trip can be found on ManageBac through the IB Parents Association Tab. Please contact Aija Salvador if you have any questions. asalvador@westshore.brookes.org Academic Report Cards
Parents will receive an academic report card at the end of each of the three terms. In addition, there are two interim reports which offer a very brief report on the work habits and general achievement of students. The first interim report will be available on ManageBac in the first week of November. ManageBac Reminder
All units of study can be found on ManageBac, and as the weeks progress parents will also be able to follow the assignments and assessment tasks. All parents have a ManageBac account which needs to be activated. You will have received a welcome email from ManageBac which guides you through the process of activating your account. If you haven’t received the email and/or have not activated your ManageBac account, please contact the Front Desk and they will provide you with assistance.
Introducing our new Activities Coordinator: Brad Rudner
Brad has been working in education and recreation for 30 years. He has been a wilderness guide, classroom teacher, and outdoor educator. Brad has also worked in the healthcare sector as a clinical trainer and national manager. He has degrees in philosophy and education and is currently completing a Master’s degree in human and social development. In his position as Activities Coordinator, he brings together all his experience and skills. His new role aligns with his personal commitment to supporting
the development of well-rounded human beings. Brad is committed to complimenting the exemplary Brookes IB academic education with activities that enhance the growth of every aspect of a student – mental, emotional, physical and social.
Welcome Mr. Rudner.
Vice Principal of Student Life - Cathy Mingo
Life in the Dorms Has Begun!
The dorm staff had been anxiously waiting for September to arrive as it meant that our students would soon be arriving. Our Brookes Dorm staff are highly trained and dedicated individuals who bring with them years of experience and a love for working with youth. Some of the training the dorm staff did in August were Mental Health First Aid, Critical Incident, Anaphylaxis, and First Aid training. It was great to come together as a staff team and learn together. Some of us enjoyed the training so much that they couldn’t give up the training dolls at our First Aid class!
After all of our training, planning and waiting, it is hard to believe that school has been in session for
almost two weeks already. Our boarding students are slowly getting use to being in the dorms - having to share a room for the first time for many of them, as well as learning to navigate a new international environment. It is so nice to hear multiple languages and bursts of laughter on the dorm floors. The dorms are slowly becoming a community. We have had many activities for the students including evening dance parties regularly, with students from all cultures participating, as well as cooking on the main floor common room. Last night students from five different countries cooked spaghetti together and tried eating it with chop sticks! It was a
very messy and fun dinner! Some new roommates are bonding in different ways as they find similarities and things in common. These two have found that they both like to hang out in boxes.
Dorm Student Activities Are Up and Running
- Aija Salvador
We have been busy in the dorms with lots of activities going on. On the August long weekend we took the dorm students on a Victoria Downtown tour - Butchart Gardens (with their famous evening fireworks display) and the Saanich Fair being highlights. We made pancakes one night and the students tried maple syrup for the first time. Last weekend we took all of the dorm students to the beach at Witty's Lagoon. We played several team games including: volleyball, baseball, badminton, spikeball and football. The students were very active and having fun together. It was a great opportunity for our students to get to know each other, to bond, and start to make friendships that will last a lifetime. Last night we took the students to a Pacific FC soccer game. The students cheered on Victoria's newest professional soccer team
in the Fan Zone. The year has got off to a great start!
University Counsellor’s Corner with Ibi Venczel
Grade 11 News: Career AdvisementCareer advisement is an important part of the Brookes Westshore career and university planning model. This week the grade 11s began to actively engage in their career planning using the MyBlueprint.ca assessment tests and guidance from Ms. Ibi, the university and career counsellor and Mr. Cameron, the career education teacher.
At home, parents can follow up with their child by asking them about the skills and strengths they discovered through the multiple assessments. Why not check in with your child about areas of perceived weakness or skills gap and their plans to improve these? Grade 12 News: University Applications The
university application process is well on its way. Our grade 12 students are applying to universities all around the world. Here are some of the major university deadlines you should be aware of: October 1st, 2019
Canadian University Fair at Oak Bay High School, 8.30 am to 11.30 am. Over 40 Canadian Universities attending. October 15th, 2019
Deadline for Oxbridge, and medical / veterinary / dentistry applications to the UK. November 1st and November 15th, 2019
Popular Early Decision application deadline for some US institutions. Also Canadian university application deadline for scholarship pool. November 30, 2019
University of California application deadline (USA) December 1, 2019
Mandatory Brookes deadline for students regarding: - Regular Decision application – for some US Universities
- All Canadian university applications
- All University applications to UK, Germany and Sweden
Life in the MYP - Melanie Moroz
...And we are off and running! The first week of school saw us welcome many new classmates into Brookes. Our classes in grades 6 - 10 have all grown over the summer, and after only a few busy days, it is like our new Brookes students had always been part of our community. Everyone is settling in nicely, making new friends and transitioning into the exciting life of being a Brookes student. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead, filled with activities, events and lots of learning. All the best for a great school year! The Great Chain Race (Grade 8 Math) What is better, a long chain with weak links, or a shorter chain with stronger links? Students in the grade 8 math class were challenged to make the longest paper chain using two pieces of construction paper and tape. They brainstormed their ideas for what would make the best chain, and then got right to work. Afterwards, we measured our chains to discover which group built the longest chain. We combined our measurements and organized our class data in a
stem and leaf plot. Students appreciated the hands-on-activity, and are ready to explore more ways that math can be fun and relevant at the same time!
Student Health and Wellness -
Sandra McManus, School Nurse
Immunizations for Grade 6 and 9 students will take place at the school on Friday, November 15. The Health Centre will be sending out immunization consent packages for these students in early fall. Students in grade 6 will be offered immunizations with the consent of a parent(s), guardian or representative. For students in grade 9, please discuss the information in the consent package
and involve your child in the decision to provide consent to immunization. This is a great opportunity for adolescents to start making decisions about their own health. Although a child may be immunized with the consent of a parent/guardian or representative, a grade 9 student can make an informed decision regarding immunization regardless of parental consent or refusal. This is referred to as “mature minor consent.” The Public Health Unit has provided me with a link for a short video presentation on mature minor for Grade 9 students. It is available at: https://vimeo.com/231149258 or by going to www.islandhealth.ca/immunization-info. We will send out an email to all Grade 6 and 9 parents when the immunization consent packages are ready to be picked up and taken home.
Message from Brookes Communications
There are so many amazing stories to tell about Brookes Westshore - sometimes we can't keep up! We have been looking at ways to improve our communications so that you, our students and families, feel deeply connected and fully involved with all that happens here. With this in mind, and as a first step, the Gryphon Gazette will now be sent out every Friday. We hope that this will help to
keep you up to speed on all that is happening at Brookes and to give you plenty of notice for any and all important upcoming dates. We will be introducing new staff in the Gazette (and re-introducing returning staff!), offering more in-depth information on the IB programmes, and we are also exploring ways to include more student voices and perspectives. We hope you like it! If you have any questions, ideas or feedback please don't hesitate to contact me, James Boxshall at jboxshall@westshore.brookes.org.
Thank you!
Due to a change in BC Provincial Exams, please find our updated Academic Calendar on our website.
October 14
Thanksgiving holiday (Offices closed) October 17
School Photos October 25
Professional Development Day (School Open, No Classes)
#BeBrookes on Social Media
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