SPOTLIGHT
February 27
February 27
Our Grade 12 students have spent the last two weeks immersed in mock exams. These are essential practice rounds for the IB finals that start in April, giving students a clear look at what they’ve mastered and where they still need to focus.
The IB is a demanding two-year journey, but there is a method to the intensity. By finishing the curriculum shortly after winter break, our students gain several months of dedicated review time. It is a heavy pace, but it gives them a distinct advantage and often allows them to graduate earlier than their peers in other programs.
I want to share a special thanks to our DP teachers for the hours spent marking these mocks to provide feedback. I also want to thank Mr. V for his work in organizing and supervising the entire exam period to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Outside of the exam room, we are already seeing the results of our students' hard work. Our Grade 12s are currently averaging three university offers each, many including substantial scholarships from Canadian and international schools. This success is a direct reflection of how much university admissions officers value the IB program and the work that they and Ms. Serena have put into their applications. They recognize the rigor of these courses and often prioritize applicants who have them on their transcripts.
The finish line is finally in sight. There is still plenty of work to do before April, but we are incredibly proud of the effort our Grade 12 students are putting in.
Josh Hart
Head of School
During our Pink Shirt Day (Anti-bullying day) The Grade 6 class held a bake sale on Wednesday, February 25 in support of their UN Sustainable Development Goal to Reduce Inequality. All proceeds are being donated to Easter Seals Camp, which has been providing transformative summer camp experiences for children, youth, and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities since 1968. Through your generous support, we raised $320. Thank you to all the students and staff who supported the bake sale, and a special thank you to the Grade 6 students and their families for the amazing baked goods, organization, and enthusiasm. Way to go!
Over the past several weeks, Design students created custom Shoe Skin designs representing a personal short- or long-term goal. Through research, symbolism, and digital design, they turned their ambitions into powerful visual concepts.
The whole school voted for their favourites, and congratulations to Charlotte and Brett, whose designs received the most votes. Their shoes will now be professionally made!
We are incredibly proud of all students for their hard work and creativity :)
Ms. Maite
"Last Friday, Grade 11 students had the opportunity to attend the ISABC Youth Sustainability Conference hosted at the UBC in Vancouver. The conference brought together students from independent schools across BC to explore key sustainability challenges and develop innovative, student-led solutions. Our students participated in a range of engaging workshops focused on topics such as climate action and policy, sustainable food systems, clothing and skincare, renewable energy innovation, Indigenous perspectives on environmental stewardship, and youth leadership for social change.Through keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and collaborative discussions, our students deepened their understanding of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and global citizenship. The experience was both inspiring and empowering, encouraging students to think critically about their role in creating a more sustainable future.” Mrs. Parsons
“Being surrounded by so many people with a passion for sustainability made me realize that there are a lot of people willing to act. This reinforced the fact that I have a responsibility, not just to the earth but to everyone else, to practice sustainability.” Kaya Wickland
“It made me realize that as a global citizen I have the duty of limiting my resource consumption since it is not fair to everyone else if I use up a lot of resources and reduce the available resources. However, it also highlighted that my actions alone do not influence the environment on a global scale, since I am just one of many citizens. Despite that, the conference strengthened my sense of duty as a global citizen even if my actions won’t bring about much change.” Linh Dan Ngo
I want to share the amazing artwork Ewan and Howard created.
I was honestly blown away. They felt that spark of creativity and just went for it, using their own spare time and even collecting extra whiteboards from different classrooms to complete the full piece.
Their drawing shows Satoru Gojo inside Sukuna’s domain expansion, Malevolent Shrine. The scale, the detail, the commitment… it is such a powerful demonstration of passion and dedication.
You need to check this out!
It’s in the Academic Building, Design Class 001.
What a cool reminder of what happens when students truly follow their creative energy. ✨
Mason and Cam recently sat down for a short interview with one of our Cross-Stitching CCA students to learn more about the creativity, patience, and skill behind the craft.
Press play to hear their conversation and discover what makes this CCA such a meaningful and relaxing experience!
Students in Grade 11 physics explored simple harmonic motion this week by measuring the period of oscillation of a mass and spring system. They will practice writing part of the internal assessment (lab report) by analyzing the data they have collected.
After the excitement of our Whistler adventure and Lunar New Year celebrations, this past weekend was a calm and restful one in boarding. Students enjoyed a slower pace, catching up on sleep, homework, and spending relaxed time together on campus. It was the perfect opportunity to recharge after such a full and memorable long weekend.
We’ve also been taking advantage and soaking up the beautiful sunny weather whenever we can. The longer, brighter days have been such a gift, and of course, they wouldn’t be complete without Mr. Stephen’s iconic waterfront campfires. Gathering by the water, enjoying the warmth of the fire, and spending time together outdoors continues to be a favourite boarding activity.. Since the weather forecast for this weekend is predicting it will be especially warm, we have planned an extra special campfire on Sunday afternoon with Korean BBQ, hotdogs, music, and games!
With only two more weekends until March Break (including this one!), there’s a growing sense of anticipation in the dorms, but we will have a few fun events before departures, including our annual Chicken-Pajama-Night, where we eat chicken in our pajamas and have a few healthy competitions for a seat in Musical Chairs! The weeks are flying by, and we’re looking forward to finishing this stretch strong!
Join the SJA Push-up Team!
From the 5th - 27th of February there will be a daily push-up target; these daily targets will add up to 2000 push-ups! This is in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Mental Health Week. We are raising funds and starting the conversation around mental health! If push-ups are not your thing, then you can do sit-ups instead. If you go to the link below, you can create an account and join the SJA push-up team. The SJA push-up team will come together once or twice a day to support each other in doing a batch of push-ups or sit-ups, either in the den or in the gym. We have a fundraising target, but if that isn't your thing, then you can join just to be physically active and support others. Students, staff and parents are welcome.
Join the SJA Push-up Team >>LINK<<
Happy Family Day Weekend!
We hope everyone was able to access the White Hatter presentation and found this an important and informative event, thank you for attending.
Please be aware, PCEG's used uniform sales will be changing in some areas, effective March 1, 2026.
Uniforms will remain priced at roughly 50% of new, and all proceeds retained by the PCEG will continue to directly support extracurricular programming and student led initiatives.
If families have items on consignment, the portion of sales retained by the PCEG will increase to 50% of the total sale. This is more in line with other private school policies, and will ensure fair pricing and sustainability. We also greatly appreciate any donated items to sell. In the case of donations the PCEG will retain 100% of proceeds to directly benefit the student body as noted above. Thank you for your understanding. We are also looking for a volunteer or volunteers who would be willing to learn the system and help or lead this important project. Please reach out to us at sjaparentgroupshawnigan@gmail.com or through our Facebook group, SJA PARENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GROUP.
Ongoing fundraising opportunities include Country Grocer Receipts. This is an easy way to contribute to our fundraising efforts, just bring in your Country Grocer receipts and place them in the envelope in the office. Did you know we have an Island Return it account? Just drop your bottles to Island Return It on Fisher Road across from the main Depot (remember to specify you are donating to St John's Academy Shawnigan Lake).
We welcome any new ideas at our monthly meetings; however, you are also invited to email us anytime at sjaparentgroupshawnigan@gmail.com.
Have a great long weekend.
Grade 11s
Grade 12s
March 4th - Visual Art Exhibition! at SJA
March 09 Term 3 begins
March 13 Last day of class before Spring Break
March 14 & 29 Travel days for boarding students
March 16-27 Spring Break (no classes, boarding closed)
March 30 Classes Resume
Badminton Gr. 8-12 Tryouts 4-5:15 (Wed)
Track & Field Info Meeting - Thursday 12:40 in the Main Gym
Badminton Gr. 8-12 Tryouts 4-5:15 (Thurs)
Girls Soccer Gr 7-12 - If you missed the meeting last week, please see Mr. Travis for more information
Track and Field Gr. 7-12 sign-up for one or more of the following this week!
If you're fast (100m, 200m)
If you have a great middle-distance pace (400m, 800m)
If you have endurance (800m, 1500m, 3000m)
If you jump well (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump)
If you throw well (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin)
Grade 7’s - will have a chance to train with the grade 8’s in preparation for the two grade 4-7 Track Meets in late May
Mr. Travis
Monday:
Coconut Ginger Chicken, Charred Broccoli & Bok Choy, Lemon & Herb Rice, Assorted Salad Options
Vegetarian Option - Coconut & Ginger Tofu
Tuesday:
Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Poutine, Assorted Salad Options
Vegetarian Option - Caprese Sandwich
Wednesday:
Ginger Pork, Stir Fried Celery, Mushrooms, & Onions, Udon Noodles, Assorted Salad Options
Thursday:
Jambalaya, Cajun Potato Salad, Veggies & Dip, Assorted Salad Options
Vegetarian Option - Veggie Jambalaya
Friday:
Hot Dogs, Chips, Pasta Salad, Assorted Salad Options
Vegetarian Option - Veggie Dogs
A reminder that Free Fridays should always be SJA clothing. Non-SJA sweatpants, hoodies, and shirts will not be permitted and students will be asked to change or visit the front office to borrow SJA clothes.