A Message from Jerry Salvador - Head of School

Dear Brookes Westshore families,

I hope this letter finds you safe and well. I am sure you, like us, are eager for the new school year to begin and for students to reconnect with their friends and get back to their education at Brookes.

We have been delighted to welcome back to campus some of our international students over the last couple of weeks. Our first arrivals have nearly completed their quarantine period and are definitely looking forward to being able to get out and about.

Our remaining students will be flying into Canada before the start of term, and we can’t wait to see them. The process of arrival has been remarkably smooth – being able to offer quarantine on campus and having key dorm staff and our nurse on site has ensured that Canada Border Services are fully informed and satisfied with our protocols.

We have continued to prepare the school for the new academic year. You can see our COVID-19 Restart Plan and Protocols here. The plan is awaiting Ministry approval, but we are confident that it meets and even exceeds the required standards. You will also see (here) that SAGE, our catering service, has also been working hard to put in place specific protocols for student dining and food preparation.

For the last two weeks our teachers have been back on campus and preparing for the new year. You can see how the classrooms have been set up in the pictures below. We are just waiting for our students to arrive and fill them with energy and life!

With kind regards,

Jerry Salvador

Head of School

Grades 4 and 5 Homeroom

A Message from Linda Bayes - Deputy Head of School

We are so excited to welcome students back to school and I would like to share an overview of some of the new procedures in place to protect our community from COVID-19. 

On August 25, 26, and September 1 and 2 we are offering an early return to school for returning students and we have 30 students signed up to be at school on these days. This is an optional opportunity for students to review learning from last year and work on Approaches to Learning Skills. 

Please note the following information for these 4 days of school.

• The dining hall will provide lunches on these days.
• Students should bring their own supplies which include a pen, pencil, eraser, paper, calculator, colored pencils, small bottle of hand sanitizer and notebook.  
• Students are not required to wear their uniform.
• Use start times according to the new schedule (see below).
• Learning groups 2-4 must bring their own masks.

The official start of the curriculum for the 2020-21 Academic Year begins on Tuesday, September 8.

We expect to welcome all students on September 8.

All new procedures that have been developed to comply with Ministry regulations for COVID-19 safety will be initiated for the early return as well.  This means students will be following a new schedule. We have divided students into 4 Learning Groups.

Learning Group 1: Grades 4 and 5

learning Group 2: MYP Years 1 - 3 (Grades 6 - 8)

Learning Group 3: MYP Years 4 and 5 (Grades 9 and 10)

Learning Group 4: DP Years 1 and 2 (Grades 11 and 12)

Grade 6 Homeroom

New Academic Schedule for 2020 - 2021

Learning Group 1

Homeroom: 08.30 - 08.40

Block 1: 08.40 - 10.00

Break: 10.00 - 10.15

Block 2: 10.15 - 11.35

Lunch: 11.35 - 12.00 - Dining / 12.00 - 12.25 - Activity

Block 3: 12.25 - 13.45

Block 4: 13.50 - 15.10

Learning Group 2

Homeroom: 08.30 - 08.40

Block 1: 08.40 - 10.00

Break: 10.00 - 10.15

Block 2: 10.15 - 11.35

Lunch: 11.35 - 12.00 - Dining / 12.00-12.25 - Activity

Block 3: 12.25 - 13.45

Block 4: 13.50 - 15.10

Learning Group 3

Homeroom: 09.00 - 09.10

Block 1: 09.10 - 10.30

Break: 10.30 - 10.45

Block 2: 10.45 - 12.05

Lunch: 12.05 - 12.30 Dining / 12.30 - 12.55 Activity

Block 3: 12.55 - 14.15

Block 4: 14.20 - 15.40

Learning Group 4

Homeroom: 09.30 - 0940

Block 1: 09.40 - 11.00

Break: 11.00 - 11.15

Block 2: 11.15 - 12.35

Lunch: 12.35 - 13.00 Dining / 13.00 - 13.25 Activity

Block 3: 13.25 - 14.45

Block 4: 14.50 - 16.10

Grades 8 and 9 Homeroom

School Arrival and Departure

To avoid congestion and mixing of the learning groups, students will be required to enter and leave the school at designated locations. Staff monitors will be in place at the beginning and end of the school day to support students. 

All students will be required to sanitize their hands and report to their classroom once they enter the building. If your family is composed of children in different learning groups there will be a designated space for the older students while they wait for their classes to begin.

Parents are not allowed to come into the school building without an appointment.

Learning Group 1 and 2 will use the bridge to enter the school through the front entrance.

Learning Group 3 and 4 will use the back entrance beside the gym.   

COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Procedures

The safety protocols have been updated to include the wearing of masks by all staff, middle and secondary students in public areas. This will take effect immediately and if your child is coming to school for the early return, they should bring their own mask.

These COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Procedures will be sent to the Ministry of Education later today and we should receive approval next week. I will share with you the finalized version once we receive approval.

All staff have received COVID-19 safety training and are ready to meet students next week. All students will receive guidance from their teachers on the first day of school. Students will be provided the opportunity to learn about the procedures in a variety of ways.

A daily health check must be completed everyday before students come to school. No student is allowed to come to school if they are sick.

Grade 10 and 12 Homeroom

School Supplies

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, students are asked to provide the following supplies for themselves:

Grades 4 and 5

• pencils
• erasers
• sketchbook
• pencil crayons
• coloured sharpies
• black sharpie fine tip
• black sharpie regular tip

Middle Years Programme (Grades 6 to 10)

• 2 x 2” binders
• 8 x Subject dividers for binders
• Loose-leaf – 300-page pack per binder or 8 x Hilroy Exercise Books, 3 Hole, 10-7/8″ x 8-3/8″, 40 Pages
• 1 graph paper notebook or loose leaf
• Scissors
• 10 pencils
• 5 blue pens
• 5 black pens
• 2 red pens
• 1 eraser
• 3 different colored highlighter pens
• 1 pencil case
• 1 complete geometry set 1
• 1 30cm ruler
• 1 glue stick
• 1 set pencil crayons or markers
• 1 scientific calculator (Sharp EL501X or similar recommended)
• Laptop (Grades 9 and 10 only) - recommended Windows 10 or Mac OS 10.14

Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12)

• Laptop (recommended Windows 10 or Mac OS 10.14)
• Pens
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Coloured pencils/markers
• Calculator
• Ruler
• Protractor
• Paper for notes and assignments
• Translators
  • Electronic
  • Paper

Due to a change in BC Provincial Exams, please find our updated Academic Calendar on our website.