Dear Brookes Westshore families and friends,

I hope you all had a rejuvenating summer break filled with exploration and relaxation. As we bid farewell to the leisurely days of summer, it brings me immense joy to welcome each one of you to the 2023-24 academic year at Brookes Westshore. 

Our first day of school is Tuesday, September 5^th.

The school will be open for students at 0800 every morning. All classes start at 0840 and end at 1520. You can find the daily class schedule for each grade below.

For the first two weeks of school, please plan to pick up your child/children after classes end at 1520. We have limited parking at the school, and we ask you to be patient and to keep our neighbours' driveways clear. 

After school activities (ASAs) will begin in the third week of term (Monday, September 19th).

Our teachers and staff are eager to be back next week to plan for the first week of school activities which focus on building our school community and preparing students for the new academic year. 

We look forward to meeting with new day student parents on Wednesday, August 30^th for new parent orientation.

• Grade 4/5: 1300-1400
• Grade 6-12: 1430-1530

See below for further details.

We would also like to invite you all to our Welcome Back BBQ on Thursday, September 7^th, from 1530 to 1730 at the school. It will be a great opportunity to meet with new families and teachers while enjoying some food and refreshments. Please RSVP here.

The corridors have been waiting to echo with our students’ laughter, ideas, and dreams. With renewed energy and determination, we are all excited to make this school year memorable and productive. Welcome back!

With gratitude,

Rui Li

School Principal

While you were away - our friendly neighbourhood peacock came by to check on preparations for the new school year!

2023 - 2024 School Timetable:

New Day Student Parents and Guardians

We would like to invite all new day student parents to the school for a 1-hour orientation session prior to school starting. These sessions will provide parents with an opportunity to meet the teachers, learn about the software programs used for reporting and communication and find out more about daily life at Brookes Westshore. 

This session will be a great chance to ask questions and meet other parents and guardians who are new to our school community.

Wednesday, August 30th

Grades 4-5: 1:00-2:00pm

Grades 6-12: 2:30-3:30pm

You will be directed to the meeting location upon arrival at the school.

Parents - please RSVP to sonushko@westshore.brookes.org

Paddleboarding on Hornby Island - from the 2022 school trip.

School Trips

Our annual camping trips are coming up in September - please mark your calendars! We will send out more details and sign-up information in the first week of term.

MYP 3 - Hornby Island Camping Trip: Wednesday, September 13th to Friday, September 15th.

MYP5 - East Sooke Camping Trip: Friday, September 15th to Sunday, September 17th.

DP 1 and 2 - Rathtrevor Camping Trip: Friday, September 22nd to Sunday, September 24th.

MYP 4 - Hornby Island Camping Trip: Wednesday, September 27th to Friday, September 29th

Uniforms

Many students will not yet have their full uniform. We ask that everyone dress as close as possible to comply with our school uniform policy.

The school uniform policy is here. If you need to be fitted for a new uniform, please make an appointment with our Uniform Team here. 

Teachers will review the uniform policy with students in the first week of school. If students have their uniform pieces, they should be wearing them on the first day of school.

If you are interested in getting any used uniform pieces, please email a list of items and sizes to our Uniform Coordinator, Brooklyn: bmayoh@westshore.brookes.org.

School Supplies

We supply basic stationery needs for students, but they are welcome to bring notebooks, binders or loose-leaf folders – whichever works best for them is acceptable. We are trying to avoid sharing many items like pens, pencils, rulers, and calculators and encourage students to bring their own.

A scientific calculator is required for MYP4-5 (Grade 9-10). In the Diploma Programme (Grade 11-12), a graphing calculator is required, and these can be purchased from the school.

Laptops

Students in Grade 4-6 will be provided with Chromebooks during class time and won't need to bring a device to school. 

For students in MYP2 (Grade 7) and higher grades, it is expected that they bring a Windows or Mac laptop to school with enough battery life to last through the day. Please remember to bring a charger if necessary. Microsoft Office 365 is provided by the school and does not need to be purchased. Limited IT support, including troubleshooting and basic repairs, is available for student-owned devices.

Please note that Chromebooks and iPads are not recommended for Grade 7 and above, as some lessons may require the use of software that is not compatible with these devices (e.g., Logger Pro, Inkscape). 

See here for the key dates of 2023/2024:

Key Dates 2023 / 2024 - Brookes Westshore

A pair of young raccoons taking advantage of the quieter campus this summer!

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.