[Gryphon Gazette] Friday August 30th, 2024

First breakfast at Brookes Westshore!

Dear Brookes Westshore families and friends,

We have been welcoming the new dorm students this week – a busy time for everyone, and lots of emotions as families drop off their loved ones (as you can see in the photos!) We are truly grateful that we are trusted to look after so many amazing young people, and we take our responsibilities very seriously. All our staff are working hard to ensure that all students feel warmly welcomed, are prepared to do their best work in the classroom and have the best experience possible in the coming months.

Royal Roads University Partnership

We are delighted to announce that students in the Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12) will be studying their English, Psychology, Physics, and Economics classes in Royal Roads University seminar rooms this year. This is an amazing opportunity for students to experience a little slice of life in a university setting, while being only 5 minutes from our school. Ms. Bayes (DP Coordinator and University Counsellor) will have office space at Royal Roads University as well. We believe this will be a great experience for the students and will help better prepare them for university. You can see some images of the rooms and of Hatley Castle below.

Cell Phone Policy

Please read the information below so you are ready for the new school year. In particular, we have updated the cell phone policy after our consultation with staff and families last term. Thank you all in advance for helping us to guide students to a more mindful approach to their phone use.

Project REFUEL

We are also introducing our new mental health and wellbeing programme this term - Project REFUEL. This new programme, coordinated by our school counsellor, will work with staff and students to build resilience, strengthen understanding, and reinforce wellbeing across our community (see below for further details).

With just a few more days to go to the start of term I wish you all a wonderful weekend,

With gratitude,

Dr. Rui Li

Principal

Royal Roads University seminar rooms - a new home for DP classes!

Hatley Castle - the centrepiece of the Royal Roads University campus

Welcome Back BBQ

We would like to invite all of our families to our annual Welcome Back BBQ on Thursday, September 5th at 3.30 pm. Please RSVP here - we hope to see you there!

Grades 4 and 5 Meet the Teachers

We would like to invite you along to the Grade 4 and 5 classrooms on Thursday September 12th from 3:45 - 4:30pm to meet the teachers and ask any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you there!

Martin Staffolani speaking to the new families.

Cell Phone Policy Summary

Students in Grades 4 to 7 are not allowed to use their cell phones during school.
Grades 8 to 12 students who choose to bring phones to school can only use phones during designated times and in designated places:
Designate times: Before 8:30am, 12.25 - 12.55pm, after school or after ASAs
Designated area: Outside in the lower courtyard
Strictly No Phones in classrooms, reception, gym, bathrooms, dining hall, or during off campus activities
If students use phones outside of the designated times or areas, the phones will be confiscated by a member of staff and stored at the front desk. Students can collect phones at the end of the day.
Should issues persist, a parent meeting will be called
If a parent wants to get in touch with their child, please call the front desk on 250 929 0506

Considerations

Students who need to call or receive calls from parents to arrange pick up can do so, but must wait in the outside lower courtyard
Phones are not allowed in ASA's (After School Activities) unless specifically requested by the ASA leader
Photos, videos, and audio recordings are not permitted during phone time (unless with express permission).
No alternative arrangements will be made due to inclement weather

Classroom

Students should put phones on silent when in their school bags
Phones can be permitted by the teacher if it aids a particular lesson or learning objective, however this will not be on a regular basis.

Teachers preparing for the new school year

Activities Fair

Students will have the opportunity to attend the Activities Fair on Thursday, September 5th (Block 5) and learn all about this year's sports teams, trips, intramural leagues and After School Activities.

This is a great opportunity for the students to learn about and get excited for all the non-curricular activities at Brookes Westshore.

On the same day, during the Welcome Back BBQ, parents will have access to the Fair and can ask their own questions about this year's opportunities!

Parents and students learning more about Brookes Westshore on their first day

School Trips 2024

We have organized some great trips for our students for the first few weeks of the school year. These are a Brookes Westshore tradition and a great way for students to build connections with their classmates, try new activities, and spend time enjoying the amazing natural wonders of Vancouver Island. See the links below for the details and cost of each trip. Students will be able to sign up in the first week of school.

Of course, there will be lots more school trips in the year ahead - we will let you know about them in the coming weeks!

Project REFUEL

Resilience, Emotions, Friendships, Unity, Empowerment, Lifestyle

Our school counsellor Ms. Kat will be working with students from grade 4 to 10 to support them as they navigate the challenges and changes of the pre-teen and teenage years. Ms. Kat will work alongside teachers to address some of the most common challenges that impact student wellbeing, and to encourage and support the students' abilities and skills in navigating these moments. Topics that will be covered include: Strong Emotions, What is Stress? Recognizing Bullying, How Emotions Affect Your Decisions, Considering Multiple Perspectives, Resolving Conflict and many more. Topics will be age appropriate and build on prior concepts and skills over the year. If you have any questions about the programme, please feel free to email Ms. Kat kouellette@westshore.brookes.org

2024 - 2025 Academic Timetable

Please note the slightly earlier start time for MYP3 - MYP5 students

Key dates of 2023 to 2025: Key Dates 2024 / 2025 - Brookes Westshore

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!

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
Linda Bayes - DP Coordinator
Melanie Moroz - MYP Coordinator
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.