Tofino trip 2023 - more photos, videos and details of the DP1 trip below!

Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,

Ukrainian student update:

The eight Ukrainian students who will be joining MYP4 this year have completed their study permit applications and we are just waiting for Immigration Canada’s approval.  We keep our fingers crossed that the study permits will come through any day, and we have been in contact with Randall Garrison’s office who have offered to connect with Immigration Canada and provide us with any information or support that is possible. 

Our upcoming Silent Auction on April 28th will be a great opportunity for our community to come together in support of the students. Details of tickets and how you can contribute can be found below. We'd love to see you there! 

Parent Teacher Conferences:

Thank you to all parents and teachers who participated in the parent teacher conferences.  The education of our children is a collaborative process and working together in the best interests of their learning is always a positive experience. As a teacher, I have always found the time spent with parents to discuss successes and struggles to be a very worthwhile endeavour.

Community BBQ:

I am very proud of our MYP4 (Grade 9) students this week who have organized and prepared the games/activities for this afternoon Community BBQ.  Their creative skills are far beyond my expectations, and they have put those skills to good use this week. This was an opportunity for them to work together to raise funds for the new classmates from Ukraine who are waiting for their study permits.  All funds raised today will be placed in the Brookes Scholarship Fund to be used for students. Well Done MYP4!!  Expect to see lots of pictures next week.

Beautiful BC:

Term 3 is a busy time for students and as the weather becomes sunnier and warmer, we will be trying to get students into the outdoors on a more frequent basis. We live in such a beautiful part of the world, and we like to maximize learning opportunities in the special environment that is Vancouver Island.

With kind regards,

Linda Bayes

Deputy Head of School

Silent Auction in support of the Ukrainian Students Scholarship Fund

Friday April 28th from 7 to 9 pm

Join us and enjoy delicious appetizers and desserts, with a glass of wine in hand! 

We have received some amazing donations from local businesses - and more are coming in every day!

On the night you will be able to bid on hotel stays at the Magnolia Hotel Resort and Spa, The Inn at Laurel Point, and the Sidney Pier Hotel. You could be eating out at the Noodle Box, Milestones, Big Wheel Burger, Jack’s Place, Romeos, Fiamo, Floyd’s Diner, 900 Degrees, Original Joe’s, or Wild Mountain.

We have some unique items too - for example a stunning ring from Paul Mara Jewelry.  And of course, we will have the grade level baskets to bid on as well (see below for details)!

For the family you can bid on a Dakini Tidal Winds - Seaweed Foraging Excursion for 2, or even "Bread for a Year" from Cobb's Bakery (52 loaves) - for those with hungry teens! For the art lovers there are options from the Victoria Ballet, Sooke Philharmonic, and the Victoria Symphony. 

There are items for everyone! Please join us for the evening of the 28th and help us support the Ukraine Students Scholarship Fund!

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has sourced donations, and to the local businesses and organizations who have contributed so generously!

Tickets are on sale now!

Remember - donations are still open!

If you can't make it to the auction, please consider a donation - click here for our fundraising page.

Thanks to everyone who has already donated - we have raised over $13,000 already - let's keep it going!

Grade level theme baskets

If you would like to contribute to the auction but are unsure what to bring, parent volunteers have come up with these great theme basket ideas so each grade can help put together a unique, theme-based basket.  We hope that parents will donate an item to help make up these great baskets.  Boxes will be located in the front foyer for students to drop off items to contribute to these baskets. If you have an item you would like to donate that does not fit the theme, of the basket, do not worry, we will find a place for it!  If you would like to contribute to another grade’s basket theme as well, please do!  Please note, any donations of gift cards or alcohol needs to be dropped off with reception instead of being placed in the donation boxes.  Please make sure to drop off any donation by Wednesday, April 26 to ensure enough time to assemble the baskets. Thank you for supporting this great cause!  

Basket Themes:

Grade 4 - Summer/Beach Basket- (cooler/ cold bags umbrella, blanket, beach toys, blow up toys, paddle ball, etc)

Grade 5 - Family Night Basket - (movie tickets, board games, popcorn, pizza GC treats, board game cafe GC, etc.)

Grade 6 – Chocolate/ Fancy Snacks/ Wine- Please note, Parents can drop off wine at the front desk reception, for safe keeping.  Do not leave wine in the donation box.  

Grade 7- Health & Wellness/ Fitness: (yoga, vitamins/ supplements, gym passes, punch cards, wild play GC, outdoors, MEC, camping items, skipping ropes)

Grade 8 - Spa/ Beauty - (bath, candles, spa treatments, Sephora GC, shopper’s GC, cream/lotions)

Grade 9 - Charcuterie/ Fancy Snacks: (cured meats/ cheeses, pickled anything, Jams/jellies/chutney, crackers, smoked fish, Nuts, chocolate, dried fruits, cutting boards, dishes, fancy cheese knives)

Grade 10 - Weekend Getaway/ Road Trip: (gas cards, magazines, accommodations, drinks/ snacks, indigo GC)

Grade 11 - Date Night (hotel, accommodation, cottage, restaurant/dinner GC, floral GC, taxi vouchers, champagne)

Grade 12 - BBQ and Beer (apron, BBQ tools, craft beers, cedar planks, etc)

Sincerely,

The Silent Auction Committee

Assessment

Assessment is a key component of teaching and learning. In the IB Diploma Programme, students are assessed both externally and internally. IB examiners mark the external assessments students write in their IB May exams. Our teachers mark the internal assessment (IAs) which are externally moderated by the IB.

Lately, our DP teachers have been very busy with finalizing DP2 students’ IAs for IB moderation. The IAs are an integral part of the Diploma Programme, providing students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and skills in various subjects. They also allow students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations, fostering critical thinking, research skills, and independent thinking.

Through completing the IAs, our students reflect on their learning process and showcase their ability to meet the rigorous standards of the Diploma Programme. It also helps them develop a deep understanding of the subject matter and prepare for their upcoming final IB May exams.

With gratitude,

Rui Li

Vice Principal of Academics / DP Coordinator

Immunization Clinic

Tuesday April 18th will be a follow up Immunization Clinic at Brookes school. The Public Health Nurses will come to the school for any immunizations that are due for all grade 6 and grade 9. Most students had their initial immunizations at the beginning of the school year but if they were missed or need a second dose, they will be able to get these at this time. Any international students from those grades are welcome to receive any of the vaccines that are part of the Canadian schedule after a review of their records. For information on the typical schedule, please follow the link:  https://immunizebc.ca/children/immunization-schedules/school-age-children-teens - Schedule%20for%20school-age%20children%20and%20teens

Contact Nurse Melanie from the Health Centre is you have any questions at mpenn@westshore.brookes.org

Visual Arts and First Nations

Grade 10 Visual Arts and First Nations class have been experiencing and reflecting on the current exhibition: Woven In at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria .

Students were given a guided tour of the exhibition which explores the art and activism of female indigenous peoples of Canada. This exhibition sees many of the voices of these female artists, curators and activists curated and catalogued in archives for the first time in Canada's history. 

Students were also able to explore the rest of the gallery space with three other exhibitions to inspire and engage them.

Experiences such as these support a deeper understanding of the contribution of visual arts to the fabric of our societies and cultures. In response to the field trip students will create a "zine" to spread awareness of an issue which they feel passionate about and also write a written reflection on the visit to support their criterion A: investigating grade for visual Arts. 

DP1 Tofino Trip 2023

Our DP1 students had a wonderful trip to Tofino this past weekend. We bonded and surfed for two days with professional instructors from Pacific Surf Company. Many students had never surfed before, and this made for a special experience! They were also surprised at how warm they were in their wetsuits and enjoyed the waves together. You can see them in the water here.

We shared stories and laughs around our beach fires during the evening, where we roasted smore's and hot dogs on the fire. On Saturday and Sunday, we explored the town of Tofino, including the Roy Henry Vickers Art Gallery and local surf shops, bakeries, cafes and trails. 

Students loved that the resort was steps away from Mackenzie beach (see the view from the fireside here) which made it easy to watch the sunset and enjoy beach walks together. They also loved jumping into the hot tub and pool right after our surf lessons. On our final day, we visited the town of Ucluelet and the Pacific West Coast Trail. What a view from the look out! We can't wait for the upcoming MYP4 and MYP5 trips soon! 

The Great West Coast Adventure - Spring Break 2023

See this video from the West Coast Adventure trip during Spring Break!

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