Dear Brookes Westshore families and friends,
This week, we welcome an inspiring guest speaker, Bryan Saint-Louis (above), who shared thoughtful insights on radical empathy. Our staff also spent the Pro-D Day deepening our learning on radical empathy and exploring ways to better support our students. His presentations encouraged all of us, students, parents and staff, to listen more deeply, understand with openness, and lead with compassion.
Next week, our Senior Girls’ Volleyball team heads to the Provincials! We are incredibly proud of their hard work and team spirit. Please join me in wishing them the very best of luck! Go Gryphons!
With gratitude,
Dr. Rui Li
Principal
Pancake Breakfast in support of the Goldstream Food Bank
Join us with your family and friends on Saturday, December 6th for a delicious pancake breakfast.
Our students will serve you, Santa will be with us, and there will be live acoustic music to set the mood!
100% of proceeds go to support the Goldstream Food Bank!
Two sittings are available: 9.00 am to 10.00 am and 10.30 am to 11.30 am.
Tickets are $ 20 ($15 for children under 10) and are on sale now - click here!
Bring your friends and family! Celebrate the festive season together and support your local food bank.
There is limited seating so get your tickets soon! please click here.
"It was the best breakfast of the year! My kids loved the atmosphere, and everyone was so happy and welcoming. Thank you!"
Volunteers Needed!
If you would like to volunteer to help at the Pancake Breakfast or at the Winter Market, please click here to sign up.
Pancake Breakfast and Winter Market Volunteer sign up – Fill out form
- Thursday, December 4th - Winter Concert: please email events@westshore.brookes.org to let us know you are coming. Due to limited space, we ask that you restrict yourselves to around 4 guests. Thank you.
- Saturday, December 6th - Pancake Breakfast and Christmas Market (see above).
- Friday, December 12th - Last Day of School (noon dismissal)
Ski Trip 2026 - Registration is now OPEN!
We are excited to announce that our Mount Washington Ski Trips are happening in January, and registration opens today! This is a wonderful opportunity for students to enjoy a day on the slopes, develop new skills, and make lasting memories in the beautiful winter setting of Mount Washington.
Trip Dates:
- Grades 4–8 Ski Trip - Friday, January 9th, 2026
- Grades 9–12 Ski Trip - Thursday, January 15th, 2026
To register: log in to your SchoolsBuddy account and find the ski trip under Available Signups.
These trips are open to all skiing and snowboarding levels. Space is limited, and spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will close on Friday, December 5th. Sign up now!
If you need any assistance registering or have any questions, please contact Ms. Rachel at rnonni@westshore.brookes.org.
Radical Empathy Presentation
Our students were excited and engaged by our guest speaker, Bryan Saint-Louis, yesterday. Bryan offered a mix of inspiring stories and interactive activities to highlight the importance of empathy in our lives. He encouraged students to use their imagination to see the world from others’ perspectives and to always act with kindness and empathy. This experience connected beautifully with the IB Learner Profile, as students demonstrated qualities of being caring and open-minded, reflecting on how their actions impact others. Bryan’s message also inspired them to be communicators by sharing their thoughts and listening actively, and to be reflective as they considered how empathy shapes their relationships and communities. It was a powerful reminder that developing these attributes helps us grow as principled, compassionate global citizens.
As you know, Brookes and the school community have been sponsoring seven Ukrainian students for the past two and a half years. The students are now in grade 12 and preparing to graduate in May. Their progress and success has been remarkable, and this is in great part due to the support our community provides.
Some of these students will be staying with us over the Winter Break as they do not have the opportunity to be with their families over the holiday season. We are looking for homestays for four students over the winter break, and we are looking to our community members to help us. If you and your family are willing to take in a student over the break it would be greatly appreciated. If you are not able to commit to the whole break, we welcome shorter stays as well. We understand there are monetary demands of a home stay and we are prepared to offer a stipend if desired to help alleviate the financial burden. There are 2 boys and 2 girls, and they are all Grade 12 students. Please email lbayes@westshore.brookes.org if you have questions or
are interested in helping.
We have been delighted this week to welcome five new students to our DP2 class this week. They have all transferred from our sister school in Moscow to complete their IB DP Programme with us here in Canada. They are quickly settling into life at Brookes Westshore and making the most of the opportunity as they prepare for graduation.
Halloween Story
In English, our Grade 6 students were challenged to write their own original spooky stories for Halloween. As part of this unit, teachers introduced a local writing competition hosted by Story Studio and encouraged any interested students to submit their work.
We are excited to share that Freya took on this challenge and submitted her story. An act that beautifully demonstrates the IB Learner Profile attribute of being a risk-taker.
Her piece, “The Ghost of King Corner,” was selected for publication in Story Studio’s monthly anthology and can be found on page 39, here.
We are incredibly proud of Freya’s achievement and of all students for their creativity and effort during this writing assignment.
Senior Boys' Volleyball
Our Senior Boys' Team dug deep at the Island Championships last week and came away with some solid wins and a real sense of achievement. Congratulations to all the players for coming together over the last few months and working hard to improve their game!
Brookes Girls 6–8 Basketball Season Wrap Up
The Brookes Girls 6–8 basketball team finished an outstanding season, showing tremendous growth and confidence. They ended on a high note with two strong wins, an 8-point victory over Rock Heights and a 10-point win against John Stubbs, demonstrating smart team play and disciplined defense. Miller and Sara led the offence with excellent pick and roll execution, while Lina, Eliana, and Regina set the tone defensively. Montserrat “El Café”, Sophie, and Ellison provided key contributions in the paint.
Our Grade 6 players, Orla and Londyn, continued to develop into confident, reliable, and energetic players. Yasmeen, Ivy, and Julieta emerged as impactful forces on the court, making decisive plays and consistently showing skill. Although Inuuja couldn’t attend the final games, her competitiveness throughout the season was invaluable. We were also thrilled to have Scotty return for the last games and contribute immediately.
It was a pleasure coaching this hardworking and positive group of athletes.
Coach Paul
Grade 6/7 Boys Basketball Season Wrap Up
Our Grade 6/7 basketball boys wrapped up their season on a high note with two strong wins. They faced their toughest opponent yet, Westmont, in a nail-biting game that came down to the final twenty seconds. Theo led the court with excellent vision, assists, and scoring, while Gage played strong in the post with big finishes. Chris and Naysen hit key shots at crucial moments, and Michael came up with a huge steal and game winning basket in the final seconds to put Brookes ahead 22–20.
The team also secured a solid win in their final game against PCS, 20–8. Waishe, Caeleb, Jasraj, and Abtin brought relentless energy and intensity to every game, driving fast breaks, hitting shots, and keeping the team motivated. The entire team showed growth, commitment, and teamwork throughout the season. Each player stepped up, made key contributions, and played an essential role in the team’s success!
We are looking forward to the next season already!
Coach Aija
University of Alberta recruiter Nathalie presenting to our DP2 students on Thursday.
Upcoming University visits to Brookes:
- November 27th – McMaster University
Lost and Found
Lost and found bins are located in the corner of the dining hall (near the ping pong table) and in the gym lobby.
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; Grade 4 to MYP2 Coordinator
- Kate Barton - MYP 3-5 and Personal Project Coordinator
- Linda Bayes - DP Coordinator & University Counsellor
- Martin Staffolani - Executive Director of Recruitment
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.
