The DP1 trip to Tofino
Dear Brookes Westshore Families and Friends,
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our Silent Auction last Friday. It was a wonderful evening, and together we raised over $11,000 to support our Ukrainian students. Your kindness and generosity help us continue providing a safe and caring environment for the students.
The DP1 Tofino trip was also a fantastic experience. Students came back with stronger bonds, shared memories, and a renewed sense of connection that goes beyond the classroom. We are now looking forward to the MYP4/5 Tofino trip and the MYP3 Camp Potlatch trip, which is valuable for building friendships, growing in confidence and strengthening our school community in a fun, relaxed setting!
With gratitude,
Dr. Rui Li
Principal
Reminder - next Friday is the Mother's Day Craft Market - see below for details.
Mr. B running the live auction (above) while community members check out the items in the silent auction (below).
Grade 8 Camp Potlatch – Online Parent Information Session May 8th at 4:30PM
We’d like to remind families about the exciting Grade 8 Camp Potlatch trip, happening from May 28th – 30th!
This three-day adventure offers students a fantastic opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities, build teamwork, and create lasting memories. The trip will be led by Ms. Aija and Ms. Redden, along with additional chaperones Mrs. Healing and Mr. Ward.
We encourage all Grade 8 students to join in on this incredible experience!
To provide more details and answer any questions, we’re holding an online Parent Information Session next week on Thursday, May 8th at 4:30 PM.
Please RSVP using the Microsoft Form: https://forms.office.com/r/2ff0zBjBUY
If you're unable to attend, no problem—Ms. Aija and Ms. Redden are happy to answer any questions at any time.
Click here to view the Camp Potlatch brochure – it includes all the trip details, itinerary, and cost information.
Please note: Sign-up closes on May 11th, so be sure to complete the registration on SchoolsBuddy by then!
For any questions, feel free to contact:
Ms. Aija – aijasalvador@westshore.brookes.org or Ms. Redden – vredden@westshore.brookes.org
From the Student Welfare Committee
At our school, social media is a powerful tool for creativity, connection, and community—but with that power comes responsibility. We want to remind everyone that recording or sharing videos of peers or teachers without clear consent is not only disrespectful but can also violate privacy and lead to unintended harm. What might seem like a joke can easily cross the line into cyberbullying. Let’s be thoughtful about how we use technology and treat each other with the same care online as we do in person. Together, we can build a school culture that values respect, kindness, and digital integrity. We ask that you spend one minute thinking about your digital footprint:
You are invited to the Student Mother’s Day Craft Market!
Are you looking for a Mother’s Day gift? Well, you’re in luck – there will be flowers, cards, jewelry, crochet headbands, digital prints, baked goods and so much more! This is a student-led market so please support the vendors by joining us and bringing friends and family. It will be held in the dining hall on Friday, May 9th from 3:30 pm until 5:00pm. Complementary iced tea will be served for those who participate!!
SLC Creativity Committee
Grade 4 Financial Literacy
Kate and Tish from the Student Leadership Council (SLC) ran the first of four sessions on Financial Literacy for the grade 4 class today. The class loved the engaging presentation and took part energetically in the question-and-answer section.
MYP2 are having fun designing their Dream Homes in Design class with Mr. Dean. There are window boxes full of flowers, sun loungers in the garden, and a whole range of home designs (inside and out) being put together.
DP1 Tofino Trip
Last week, our Grade 11 (DP1) students had an unforgettable adventure in beautiful Tofino under clear blue skies. Highlights included an exciting surfing lesson with Pacific Surf Company, exploring the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, hiking the stunning Wild Pacific Trail, and a fun evening BBQ. One of the most meaningful experiences was learning from local Indigenous educator Gisele Martin, who shared stories about her family’s deep-rooted culture and connection to the land, spanning hundreds of years. We also had the privilege of viewing her father’s Totem pole carving just down the beach. Evenings were spent around beach fires, enjoying s’mores, sunset beach walks, playing volleyball, and swimming in the pool. The trip was filled with fun, learning, and West Coast beauty—now it’s Grade 9’s turn this weekend to enjoy the magic!
Fun Friday today included a "Food Monster" chalk art competition in the courtyard.
After School Activities
ASAs have been running really well this term - a few highlights include the Blacksmithing ASA, Archery, and our American Sign Language group having a full conversation for the first time!
MYP2 had a badminton tournament in PHE on Thursday. Congratulations to everyone who took part!
Mental Health Leads – Creating a Substance Use Prevention Plan Webinar for Parents: The ministry, with Dr. Hayley Watson, adolescent clinical psychologist from Open Parachute, is hosting virtual sessions for parents, guardians and caregivers on creating a personalized, step-by-step plan for implementing substance use prevention skills in their home. Participants are required to register in advance for one of the sessions on May 7 or May 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm PDT.
New Resources for Families Going through Separation: The Health and Justice Alliance has created a new, free resource to support family well-being during parental separation. This toolkit contains six key messages, images, social media posts and newsletter text that are linked to practical actions and tangible resources on an updated, interactive website to help parents and children navigate this stressful time and foster resilience.
The six messages address:
- Dealing with Change
- Moving Forward Financially
- Managing Conflict
- Caring for Yourself
- Strengthening Relationships
- Empowering Your Children
For more information, please visit the FamiliesChange.ca website.
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!
Term Two Events and Activities
- Monday, May 19th: Victoria Day (no classes)
- Graduation Ceremony: Friday, May 23rd
Key dates of 2023 to 2025: Key Dates 2024 / 2026 - Brookes Westshore
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.
