Spectacular Mt. Washington views (photos by Raymond)

Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,

It was a wonderful week at Brookes Westshore - students thoroughly enjoyed the ski trip. ASA’s also began this week and I am very impressed with the variety of ASA’s that Aija has been able to arrange.  Thank you!

Please note that January 27th is a Professional Development Day for teachers - students have the day off.  Teachers will be busy working on preparing for the IB Evaluation which is scheduled for Feb. 15th to 17th. Part of delivering an IB Programme entails undergoing a comprehensive review of our curriculum and practices and how we meet the requirements of the IB Organization. We will be meeting with IB evaluators virtually to review our practice and develop a programme development plan for the next 5 years.

Grade 12 students will write Mock Exams in February. These exams will help prepare students for the final exams in May but also provide teachers with data to better predict their IB scores.

I would like to send a warm welcome to Catherine Marchand who has been covering the DP and Grade 9 French classes in Madame Tremblay’s absence.

With kind regards,

Linda Bayes

Deputy Head of School

One of our best days ever at Mt. Washington

Some people say that January is the “Monday” of months, as it can be difficult to adjust to the shift from relaxation and leisure time to a structured learning environment after the winter break. To facilitate the transition and in recognition of the significance of mental health, our school has taken proactive measures to promote mental health awareness and support for our students. A big thank you to our activities and events committee, who have planned various activities to elevate the school spirit during the past two weeks.

At school, we encourage open communication with the students regarding mental health and well-being. Let them know that it is okay to talk about their feelings and that they can come to a trusted adult for support. One of the most important things a parent or guardian can do to support your child’s well-being is to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. These can include changes in mood, behavior, or academic performance. If you notice any of these signs in your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to the teachers and/or our Community and Wellness Coordinator. You can also check this IB website to learn more about how to talk to your child about coping with mental health related concerns.

Working together, our students can effectively return to the learning status and make the most of their educational experience.

With warm regards,

Rui Li 

Vice Principal of Academics

Sound Equipment Donations - last call

Thanks to everyone who has helped us with a donation for sound equipment. We are very close to getting a new high quality wireless microphone that will see a lot of use in the coming years! There is still time to contribute - please email James if you are in a position to help build our capacity for concerts, community blocks and performances!  Thank you!

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found bin in the Dining Hall is overflowing! Please check if you have items in there as soon as possible - they will be donated if they are still there next week!

School Social Media Channels

Thanks to everyone who follows us on our social media channels - it is a great way for us to let you know what is happening and to share our school's activities and adventures with the widest possible audience. Your likes and follows help us reach new families and build our community across the globe.

If you'd like to help us reach further, and haven't yet followed us, please connect with us on Instagram @brookeswesthore, or on our Facebook page.

To keep up to date with our sister schools around the world, and see the work of the Brookes Education Group, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @brookeseducationgroup.

Host Families for Japanese Students

We have been asked by one of our Japanese agencies to see if any of our families would be interested in hosting two Grade 9 Japanese students for 8 days in February (15th - 23rd) while they are visiting Victoria.

The students will be doing a variety of activities and ESL classes while they are in Victoria (ESL classes are at Lambrick Church). 

Here is a draft schedule of the program including pick up/drop off times, and also a document to describe requirements for host families.

If we have at least 3-4 families interested, we have negotiated a pick-up/drop-off at our school to reduce driving times.

Remuneration to host two students for eight nights is $920.

Please respond to Sheri and include toa@normantours.com if you have an interest in welcoming Japanese students to your home for this short-term group.

Blue Monday

Monday was blue Monday - supposedly the most miserable day of the year. Not at Brookes Westshore! we set up some fire pits in the courtyard, sent out the hot chocolate, and invited some friendly pets to the school for some love. A break from the blue and a chance to connect and relax at the start of the week.

Mount Washington Ski Trip

On Wednesday, our school headed up to Mt. Washington for our annual ski trip! This is one of the most exciting days of the year for many of our students. When we arrived to the mountain, the conditions were incredible, with a foot and a half of fresh powder and clear blue skies. The Mt Washington staff told the group that we were very lucky, as these were the nicest conditions of the year!

Students had a blast skiing and snowboarding with their friends, and we all enjoyed the beautiful day.

This was our biggest ski trip yet, with over 150 students in attendance. For many students, it was their first ski/snowboard experience, and we were thrilled to hear that they had fallen in love with the new sport.

Our students came back exhausted but with exciting stories, memories and big smiles on their faces!

Lunar New Year

Our community came together today to celebrate the Lunar New Year - the traditional end of winter and beginning of spring in the Chinese lunar calendar. This is a particularly important festival for our students from across Asia and they were happy to coordinate some fun activities to introduce Spring Festival to our school community. Students tried their hands at the traditional art of paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy with brush and ink, and using chopsticks to pick up marbles. Sage Dining will be preparing a delicious Chinese meal for lunch on Monday to continue the theme of global awareness and connection with other cultures. 

Visual Art

Grade 6 visual art is exploring the foundation of all art: the elements of art. Here are examples of our Dragon Eye colour wheels and monotone cardboard Geometric vs Organic shapes now on display in room 122. 

Senior Boys' Basketball

Last night, the Senior Boys' Basketball team played Oak Bay, our toughest league opponent. Both teams started out hot, with multiple 3s in the first quarter. Baskets went back and forth in the first half, but Brookes pulled ahead going into the half with a lead of 47-45. In the third quarter Brookes offence was outstanding, and outscored Oak Bay 25-12 in the quarter. In the fourth quarter, Brookes continued to play at a high level, holding onto a solid win of 90-74. 

Alex led the team for the second week in a row with a total of 32 points which included a remarkable seven three pointers in the game. Coen scored in all four quarters, adding 19 solid points and Hassan played crafty adding 15 points to the mix.

Go Gryphons!

Do you have questions?

If you have a question about the school or just something on your mind, please feel free to contact our leadership team:

• Rui Li - Vice Principal and DP Coordinator
• Andrea Salvador - School Manager / Events
• Jacob Baumgartner - Community and Wellness Coordinator
• Melanie Moroz - MYP Coordinator