Hoop Dancer Jarred Genaille
Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,
This week, we hosted a community block dedicated to Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the Indigenous peoples of Canada, their histories, cultures, and the ongoing journey toward healing.
We were honoured to welcome Jarred Genaille, a talented and inspiring hoop dancer, as our guest speaker. His performance and words left a lasting impact on all who attended. Through his artistry, Jarred shared stories of resilience, identity, and the deep connections Indigenous peoples hold with the land and their cultural heritage. It was a powerful reminder that Truth and Reconciliation is not just about acknowledging the past but also about celebrating the vibrancy of Indigenous cultures today and understanding the path toward healing and unity.
As a school, we are committed to fostering an environment where learning about reconciliation goes beyond a single day – it is a continuous effort to learn and grow together. I encourage you to continue conversations at home about how we can each contribute to reconciliation in our own ways. Whether through education, empathy, or advocacy, every step forward brings us closer to building a better, more inclusive society.
For more on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation please click here. And a reminder that there are no classes on Monday, 30th September.
With gratitude,
Dr. Rui Li
Principal
100km Challenge for Epilepsy Research
For the month of October, Susie (DP2) and Sara (MYP2) will be doing a 100KM challenge to raise money for Epilepsy research. Please consider supporting them with a donation!
We will bike, run, hike, and walk a combined total of 100km this month to bring awareness to, and fundraise for, a cause close to our hearts, affecting 1 in every 100 Canadians; approximately 360,000 people in Canada. If you are willing to donate to our cause and support us in our 100km journey, please scan the QR code below or click here. When donating, please select the donation recipient "Movement for a Smile" (our team). Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you!
Susie and Sara
DP1 Coffee Morning - Wednesday, October 2nd
We will be hosting a coffee morning on October 2nd for DP1 (Grade 11) parents at 9 am in the dining hall. This session will give parents the opportunity to learn more about the academic programme and ask any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you there! Please RSVP to events@westshore.brookes.org.
Grade 6 and 9 - Immunization: forms were given to students today (see below for further details). Please complete and return to us on Tuesday. Thank you.
School pictures are ready!
To order your school photos please log in to your account on mylifetouch.ca or create an account using your student's student ID number.
To find your student ID number, you will need to log into ManageBac and click on the Student Profile Icon. Your student ID will be listed there.
Paper proofs will also be sent to your home in the near future.
All families can also log on and order a FREE digital Pictures2Protect Card.
More about the Pictures2Protect program here.
ASA Snacks
Please remember that our Grade 4 and 5 students may get hungry if they stay for an ASA, so please pack a snack.
House Shirts
Your house shirts have been ordered! Please e-transfer $20 for each shirt you have ordered to finance@westshore.brookes.org. We should have the shirts in about two weeks! Thank you.
Please remember to put names in uniform items - we have a large bin of misplaced and unnamed items!
Another fun week of activities for our dorm students! Getting out into the forest the students had a lot of fun at our local Wildplay adventure park. Back at the dorms there was an evening of Mexican cookery, making cookies together, and some artistic creativity with a paint night.
Hosting a dorm student
The connections between local and international students are at the heart of a Brookes education. We love to see friendships blossoming between students from different countries! With Thanksgiving coming up we thought we would remind families of the process for hosting a dorm student in your home. We take our responsibility to our international families very seriously - please help us by following this process:
Instructions for Day Student Families to Host a Dorm Student
- Communicate with Dorm Students
Speak with a dorm student to see if they would like to visit your family home as your guest. - Provide the Dorm Student with the Following Information:
a) Host adult's full name, phone number, email address, and home address.
b) Date of invitation and location of the hosting.
c) Transportation arrangements, specifying how the dorm student will get to and from your home. - Check Your Email for a Permission Request
You will receive a permission request email from REACH. Please check your inbox and remember to also check your junk/spam folder in case it is filtered there. - Approve the Permission Email from REACH
Once you have reviewed the email, approve the request to host the dorm student. - Host the Dorm Student
Enjoy your time hosting the dorm student at your home!
One more note, these requests need to be made no fewer than 3 days in advance, and best to take place on non-school evenings. Also, dorm students are not allowed to drive in vehicles or visit the homes of non-family members without prior written permission from their parents and the Brookes Westshore Dorms.
The DP2 Chemistry students have been learning about collision theory and factors that affect rate of reactions. They conducted an experiment that consisted of two independent variables. The first day they examined the effect of concentration of reactants on the rate of reaction between sodium thiosulfate solution and hydrochloride acid, and on the second day they focused on changing the temperature of the solution. Students are then required to plot the data they collected and interpret if the data agrees with what is expected.
MYP1 Art students are learning about 2D shapes and 3D forms. There were some very creative interpretations of the topic using pipe cleaners.
Pop Up Art Exhibitions
DP2 Art students are starting to put together their portfolios and are utilizing spaces around the school to showcase their talents, and gather feedback from students and staff, before the final exhibition later in the year. Eva was the first to take the plunge and exhibit her striking and beguiling work in the dining hall this week.
Psychedelic Jellyfish
Let them speak (an accompaniment to a larger piece - Listen to the Lillies)
Just Words
Grade 9 Horne Lake Trip and Horne Lake Caves
Slideshow of images from the Terry Fox Run last Friday - together we raised $885.20 for the Terry Fox Foundation! Thanks to everyone who made this such a successful event and a special shout out to the SLC Service Committee and the House Captains for facilitating the run!
Our first Student Voice submission:
Combatting Ageism
Finnegan and Logan, Student Voice Co-Editors
Have you ever been subjected to policies that make unfair assumptions about you based on your youth? Have you experienced offensive generalizations about the generation that you are a part of? Has an adult ever directed a comment at you that you are certain they would never make to their peer?
Ageism is discrimination against people based on their age. Though it typically applies to older people, it can also affect people who are young. A teenager experiencing ageism might be stereotypically viewed as uncooperative, irresponsible, or untrustworthy. Young adults might be made to feel as though their concerns are insignificant and not worth taking seriously. As 16 -17-year-olds, we have experienced ageist discrimination and witnessed it happen to our friends. On the positive side, we hope these experiences make us more compassionate and even help us to develop intergenerational understanding to advocate for older adults, like our grandparents. At any stage of life, a person’s age is no justification for disrespect.
Being aware and speaking out against ageist discrimination takes courage. Challenging ageist stereotypes and advocating for yourself and others is not always welcomed. Nonetheless, ageism is a form of inequity that negatively affects us all. Open discussion can dispel negative myths and ideally, reduce this type of prejudice. Allies against ageism are all around you! They recognize the value of your views and support your right to be heard.
The senior girls’ volleyball team played three games on Tuesday at St. Andrew’s School. The first game was against the host school, St. Andrew’s, a 2A (mid-size) school. The team got off to a good start, with strong serving, allowing them to win both sets (25-7; 25-9). The second game was against St. Margaret’s School, a fellow 1A (small) school. The team continued its fine form by winning both sets (25-14; 25-13). The third game was against Edward Milne, a 3A (large) school. The first set against them was the most exciting of the night. We got off to a slow start, allowing Edward Milne to go up 8-0. Our players were determined, though, and began to slowly close the score. In a heart stopping finish, our team managed to narrowly win the first set 25-23. And this was just the first set! The team started very strongly in the second set with some particularly devastating serving delivered by Eliana. In the end, the girls won the set quite handily 25-13. It was a good night for the team. Their coaches, Mr. Turkington and Mr. Thom were very proud of them.
The junior girls’ volleyball team had their first pair of games yesterday at Belmont School. Their first game was against the host school. The team began well, with some excellent serving to win the first set. A resurgent Belmont was able to win the second set, so the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Their second game was against St. Andrew’s School. St. Andrew’s first server gave her team a commanding lead, but in a very exciting set, our team battled back to secure a wonderful come from behind win in the first set. St. Andrew’s managed to bounce back to win the second set, though, leading to a second 1-1 draw.
It was an exciting afternoon of volleyball all around. The team’s coaches, Mr. Thom and Mr. Turkington, were very pleased with the team’s play and especially their positive attitude and sportsmanship.
The junior cross-country team attended a meet at Cedar Hill on Thursday. It was rainy and the conditions were challenging, but the students persevered and completed the race. Kobe in MYP3 earned a ribbon for the second race in a row (14th place). Congratulations!
Golf Academy at Olympic View Golf Club
Our partnership with Olympic View Golf Club goes from strength to strength as students learn the fundamentals of golf and hone their skills with expert guidance.
University Visits
We had a great session with Queen’s University on Tuesday. Students were eager to learn about what university life is like in Kingston, Ontario and what courses are on offer at Queen’s. Choosing the right universities to apply to is an important moment for our Diploma Programme students. They are busy researching their options - they know it is a competitive world and understanding what each university offers is vital to making good decisions.
There are more universities coming to Brookes in the coming weeks: The University of Victoria on October 10th, the Engineering and Computer Science team of UVic on November 14th, and the University of Alberta on November 27th.
Grade 6 and 9 Immunizations
Immunization forms were given to students today. Please follow the instructions inside the consent package and return the signed consent form to the school on Tuesday.
Grade 6: Students in grade 6 will be offered immunizations at school with the consent of a parent/guardian/representative. Parents must give consent in order for their kids in grade 6 to be immunized.
Grade 9: Students in grade 9 will be offered immunizations at school.
Please discuss the information in the consent package with your child and include them in the decision to provide consent for immunization.
By law in BC, students in grade 9 can make an informed decision about immunization regardless of their parent/guardian/representative
decision to consent or refuse immunization.
For more information visit HealthLinkBC: The Infants Act, Mature Minor Consent and Immunization.
Immunizations are provided by Island Health Public Health Nurses.
Immunizations will be provided at the school for grade 6 and 9 students the morning of October 22nd, 2024.
For more information on school aged immunizations, please visit https://immunizebc.ca/children/immunization-schedules/school-age-children-teens
Term One Events and Activities
- Thursday, October 17th - MYP1 to MYP3 The Teenage Years, A Roadmap for Parents
- Thursday, October 24th - Halloween Dance (MYP3 to DP 2)
- Friday, October 25th - Pro D Day - No classes
- Thursday, October 31st - pumpkin carving and Halloween costume contest
- Friday, November 8th: Remembrance Day Community Block
- Saturday, November 30th: Times Colonist Santa's Parade
- School Spirit Week: December 9th to 13th
- Saturday, December 14th: Pancake Breakfast
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
- Melanie Moroz - Academic Director
- Linda Bayes - DP Coordinator & University Counsellor
- 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.
