Students are back in classes - focused and working hard!
Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,
Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, rest, and time with loved ones. It has been so nice to see all the smiling faces around the school again this week. As we begin this new year, it is a great time to set fresh goals, take on new challenges, and support one another along the way. Through inquiry, reflection, and action, we will continue to embody the values of the IB learner profile, striving to make a positive impact on the world around us. I am excited for all the amazing things we will achieve together this term!
We are all looking forward to the ski trips - for those students who are not going skiing, we understand some may be staying home on this day, although there will be classes for those attending school.
Also, a gentle reminder to please wear your uniforms to school every day.
With gratitude,
Dr. Rui Li
Principal
Spring Break Trips
Deadline to express interest is January 17th
Every year students from Brookes Westshore travel either to our sister school in the UK, or around our home province of beautiful British Columbia.
Both trips are full of adventure, fun, and learning opportunities!
The two trips available to students for Spring Break 2025 are:
UK Spring Break Tour (March 16th - 28th)
Grades: 6-9
$4200
Based at our sister school in the historic town of Bury St Edmunds, students are a short trip from world renowned Cambridge University, and just a couple of hours from London. Students will get to visit Shakespeare's birthplace at Stratford, visit the famous London Dungeons and much more!
BC Winter Tour / skiing trip (March 17th - 28th)
Grades: 8-12
$3900 (not including ski rentals/lift passes/lessons)
Traveling around our stunning home province, students will have the chance to ski at Mt Washington and Whistler, visit Vancouver for shopping and a Canucks game, as well as relaxing at the Harrison Hot Springs.
Full details of the trips can be found here!
Please register your interest by Friday, January 17th, 2025, by emailing Stephanie (sbloor@westshore.brookes.org).
Dear Brookes students and families,
My name is Eliana, and I am a grade 12/DP2 student.
As part of my CAS project, with the support of the Student Leadership Committee, I am organizing for the school to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year Walk to raise awareness and support for those in need during the harshest months.
The Walk is an amazing opportunity to come together and create meaningful change in our community as a school and support Our Place, a local community centre for people struggling with homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use issues, the working poor, LGBTQ+, and impoverished elderly.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Walk with Us!
Join and participate in the walk to help shine a light on the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness.
To sign up to walk with the Brookes Westshore group click here (Free to register!)
Donate!
Make a donation on behalf of the Brookes Westshore team to support OurPlace. To donate click here.
Bake Sale and Care Packages
As a second part of this project, I will be putting together care packages to give to OurPlace to distribute to those in need.
Support Our Cookie Bake Sale!
We will be baking and selling delicious cookies to raise funds for the cause. Every cookie you buy will go towards a five-dollar gift card to Tim Hortons that will be included in a care package that will be distributed to people in need.
The bake sale will take place on January 24th at 3:20 pm on the Brookes bridge.
Donate Toiletries & Warm Socks!
We’re collecting small toiletries and warm socks to distribute in care packages to homeless individuals in need. There will be a bin in the front lobby to collect any donations. Please drop off anytime.
Thank you!
Images courtesy of Coldest Night
Our grade 10 students enjoyed learning how to set up a tarp to protect them from the rain this week in Outdoor Education.
Maintaining Healthy Habits
By Armando, DP2
After school, heading to the gym has become a part of my daily routine that I truly value. Seeing a lot of faces from school there creates an energizing atmosphere where I can push my limits, let go of the day’s stress, and focus entirely on myself. I go to the gym 5 times a week between Monday and Friday, then rest on the weekends. This routine has helped me become more disciplined and focused. The gym is a place where I can be truly focused on myself and my self-improvement. It’s where I can gain confidence knowing that I'm investing in myself and my well-being.
Congratulations to Kylee, Anya and Jaanvi who, at the end of last term, hosted a bake sale and raised $130.00 for the Goldstream Food Bank!
Lunch Menu
If you would like to know what is on the menu next week for our delicious lunches, please click here.
Follow our dining team on @brookesdiningwestshore for mouthwatering images of our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners!
Term Two Events and Activities
- International Fair (community block) - Thursday, 23rd January
- Lunar New Year Dance - Friday, 31st January
- Saku Chosei School (Japan) visit - Thursday, 13th February
- Inclusion Assembly - Thursday, February 20th
- Pink Shirt Day - Wednesday, February 26th
Key dates of 2023 to 2025: Key Dates 2024 / 2026 - Brookes Westshore
Please find our School Accessibility questionnaire here.
Safer Schools information: erase Family Sessions (saferschoolstogether.com)
Your comments and feedback are welcome! Please click here to leave a comment, ask a question, or raise an issue. Thank you!
Do you have questions or concerns?
If you have a question about the school or just something on your mind, please feel free to contact our leadership team:
- Rui Li - Principal
- Andrea Salvador - School Manager
- Jacob Baumgartner - School Culture Director
- Melanie Moroz - Academic Director
- Linda Bayes - DP Coordinator & University Counsellor
- Martin Staffolani - Executive Director of Recruitment
Please consider posting a review
If you have a minute, it will really help us to reach new families if you could consider posting a positive review online on Google or here (you will need to log in to the OurKids website to leave a review here). Prospective families love to hear from current parents about your real experiences here!
Brookes Westshore acknowledges that our school is on the traditional lands of the Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) and Lekwungen (Songhees) ancestors and families.
With gratitude, we live, work and learn here where the past, present, and future of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, faculty and staff come together.
