Honouring Remembrance Day - poppies on the Grade 4 classroom

Remembrance Day community block

Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,

I would like to thank those parents who attended the MYP Assessment Parent Information Session on Monday afternoon, it was a very successful event and Melanie Moroz provided wonderful information to help parents better understand IB Assessment practices. Melanie has recorded this session - you can find it below.

On Wednesday afternoon we held a school wide fire drill, students and staff were able to exit the building and have everyone accounted for in under 6 minutes. I congratulate everyone on their efforts to keep our school community safe.

Students did an amazing job today conducting the Remembrance Day Service during our monthly community block. It was a very moving ceremony which gave us all the opportunity to reflect upon world conflicts from the past, and also the current conflicts happening today. The ceremony was led by the Grade 10 students who presented poems in different languages, and I felt a significant sense of pride in the community we have developed here at Brookes. Students from different countries are working together to promote a more peaceful and understanding world. This is an opportunity for me to share the IB Mission Statement and how these learning experiences contribute to our promotion of this mission statement.

“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

With kind regards,

Linda Bayes

Deputy Head of School

Grade 6 students honoured Remembrance Day with a moving series of tableaux. 

Student Wellbeing

The physical, emotional, and social development, health, and wellbeing of students is very important in nurturing their diverse talents and strengths at school.

All our staff support an emphasis on students’ wellbeing in school.

To gain a deeper understanding of the students’ social and emotional competence, mental and physical health, and well-being, our MYP3 (Grade 8) students will participate in the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) led by the UBC research team, and our MYP5-DP2 (Grade 10-12) students will participate in the Youth Development Instrument (YDI) led by the SFU research team for this academic year.

Both the MDI and the YDI are self-reported questionnaires that aim to identify individual and contextual resources, opportunities, and practices that foster or hinder positive youth development.

More information and the permission form will be shared with the parents of the participating grade levels early next year.

The data will be used by the school, families, and the students themselves to work collectively toward positive development in adolescence.

The first snow of the season fell this week - and was met with huge excitement by our students! With nearly half of our students coming from outside of Canada there are always a few who have never seen snow before. The brief flurry of flakes was enough to bring everyone out into the courtyard for a moment of pure joy!

Important Winter Break Information for dorm students and families

Please send all flight and ferry information for your students' winter break departure and January arrival to transportation before November 18th, 2022.

Transportation from the school will be provided only between Friday December 16th and Sunday December 18th.

If your student is leaving before the end of school, a taxi will be arranged to get your student to their destination safely, or private transport may be provided for $200 per student (one way)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the transportation coordinator - Brooklyn Mayoh transportation@westshore.brookes.org

Request from our Rowing Crew

 A call out to our community: if you have a rowing machine sitting unused and unloved - please consider lending it to our rowing team for winter training! 

Now that the winter season is on us our rowing crew are moving inside to train on 'ergs' (indoor rowing machines) and keep their skills honed ready for next spring. They are eager to work hard - they just need the machines!

If you have a rowing machine - please contact us here. We will arrange pick up and it will be put to good use!

Many thanks!

Brookes Westshore Crew

Updated

Things are getting very busy as we move towards the end of the year - please take note of the upcoming events so you don't miss out!

This year Brookes Westshore is putting in a float for the much-loved annual Victoria 39th Peninsula Co-op Santa Lights Parade on Saturday November26th at 5.30pm. 

Friday, December 2nd - Movie Night with fire pits in the courtyard and hot chocolate to keep us warm! Details to follow.

Thursday, December 8th - Winter Concert from 6.30 to 8 pm. Showcasing our talented students, we will open up various areas of our school for short performances by our students - individually and in groups. Grab a hot chocolate and spend time in each 'venue' supporting students and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

If you know a talented student - please encourage them to sign up!

If you would like to come and watch the students perform - please RSVP here. See you all there!

Saturday, December 17th - Brookes Westshore's first Pancake Breakfast. This will be a fundraiser for a local community group - everyone welcome!

Watch for updates in the Gryphon Gazette.

Thank you to the five Grade 12 students who took time out of the weekend schedules to volunteer for the BC Cross Country Provincials at Royal Roads Universtity all day Saturday! A great CAS service experience. 

Senior Boys Volleyball seeded #1 in South Island (single A)

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the Senior Boys Volleyball team who won their playoff matches last night here at Brookes.

The boys beat Victor Brodeur and St. Andrews in two straight sets for each match. The boys are seeded Number 1 for all single A schools in the South Island and finished 2^nd overall in their league amongst 18 teams in single A, AA and AAA.

The boys will complete in the Islands Championship on Tuesday November 15^th at St. Andrews School. Come out and support the boys if you’re able to!

Introducing Alexe Lodin

I was born and raised in Northern Ontario. I spent some time in Ottawa after that, where I got both of my degrees, Criminology first, then Education. To gain life experience and satisfy my itchy feet, I moved to China on a whim to teach at an international kindergarten for a year. Before I knew it, one year turned into four, with experience gained at multiple grade levels from K1 to Grade 4 in a few different international schools.

With the impossibility of coming home to visit during the pandemic, I started feeling a little too homesick and decided to take a hiatus from the expat life. I’ve found that Victoria was the perfect place for me to get re-acquainted with the Canadian lifestyle, as it allows me to easily and frequently play outside, and experience living right on the ocean for the first time!

At Brookes Westshore, I teach the Grade 5 class and run an Outdoor/Forest Games ASA. My love of the outdoors and being active pairs nicely with both of these. In the classroom, I focus on helping students develop transferable skills that they’ll use to continue being lifelong learners way beyond their time with me in this last year of the primary programme.

Powerful Youth is Back for 2023!

Powerful Youth seeks to build a global community of passionate young people who are equipped with the tools to create profoundly positive change within themselves and their communities.

Held during the summer months at Brookes Westshore and Brookes UK, the Global Leadership Academy is an award-winning leadership training program that brings together youth from around the world to build valuable leadership skills, self-confidence, and global perspective.

Using an experience-based learning approach, the two-week program includes hands-on activities, engaging projects, and community service to help youth create meaningful change in their lives and the lives of others. 

Brookes Westshore students are eligible for a 20% discount to attend GLA UK (ages 14-18) and a 50% discount to attend GLA Canada (ages 12-18). A scholarship program is available for students requiring additional financial aid. Visit www.powerfulyouth.com for more information about dates and prices, and to apply online.

Last weekend the dorm students watched the Camosun Chargers basketball team play and had their own 5-a-side soccer games at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre indoor pitch.

Dorm students also watched our local hockey team - The Grizzlies - play at the Q Centre Arena. A great weekend of activities and fun!

Premier’s Holiday Greeting Card

Mr. Dean's Grade 5 art class (and students across the province) received the following message from the Premier of BC:

Tis’ the season to get creative! The Premier invites Kindergarten to Grade 7 students to submit a design for a festive greeting card that he will send out this holiday season.

And they rose to the challenge - let's hope the Premier chooses one of our student's designs! 

Brookes Alumni in Japan

Ms. Sheri and Ms. Satsuki are in Tokyo this week, recruiting students for next year. They took time out from their busy schedule to meet with some of our amazing alumni and share stories and smiles. Keeping the connection with our former students is so important to building our global community! 

Dorm students can enjoy the following activities this weekend:

• Thursday 7:30 pm - Homemade Mexican Taco Night  
• Friday 10:00 am - Remembrance Day Ceremony at Royal Roads, starts at 10:20 am
• Friday 8:30 pm - Dodgeball in the gym with Isaac 
• Saturday 2:00 pm - Shadow and Light Art Exhibit
• Saturday 8:00 pm - Vision Boards/Painting night 
• Sunday 2:00p m - Bake Lemon Loaf with Ms. Billie 

Please sign up for all activities in activities book! 

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 Business Manager / Events
• Jacob Baumgartner - Community and Wellness Coordinator
• Melanie Moroz - MYP Coordinator