SMUS in the News: Punch Buggy
June 11, 2017
CHEK News
Grade 10 Experiential Program
Punch Buggy: St. Michaels’ students convert classic Volkswagen Beetle into electric car
(Photo courtesy of CHEK News)
“Best Exploratory Ever” Pairs Middle Schoolers with Local Seniors
"I don’t know if there will ever be something at school that will impact me the way this did." Middle School students reflect on a unique partnership they made with residents at a local seniors home
Dream Big Stories: Ms. Bernadette Abrioux
Math is a tough subject. It's the one students tend to struggle with the most. But Senior School math teacher Ms. Bernadette Abrioux feels she...
Little Gems
Simon Ibell 1977-2017
As many will know from our website, or their own relationships in our extended SMUS family, Simon Ibell died this past weekend...
SMUS in the News: SMUS Bids Farewell to Bob Snowden
The Saanich News writes about Head of School Bob Snowden's retirement after 22 years at SMUS
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Andy Rodford
Mr. Andy Rodford, Director of the Senior School and next year's Acting Head of School, is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Sid Boegman ’16 Returns to SMUS to Talk Gender Identity
The SMUS Pride Alliance celebrated Pride Day this week with a variety of fun activities in the quad. The highlight was a talk and...
Dream Big Stories: Mr. Duncan Frater
Choir teacher Mr. Duncan Frater talks firsthand about how the Dream Big annual fund helps students do more of what they love: the arts
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Mark Turner
Our newly introduced Head of School Mr. Mark Turner is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Sun Centre Construction on Track for Spring 2018 Opening
Watch a time-lapse of the Sun Centre construction project. Our new dining hall and student commons is beginning to take shape
SMUS in the News: Students Participate in Mock Provincial Election
CTV Vancouver Island talks to Senior School students participating in a mock election ahead of the official B.C. election
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Dariol Haydock
Middle School assistant director Ms. Dariol Haydock is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Announces Mr. Mark Turner as New Head of School
St. Michaels University School is pleased to announce Mr. Mark Turner has been appointed as the new Head of School.
Why Facebook Doesn’t Replace Your High School Reunion
Here's 10 reasons why a high school reunion – or in our case Alumni Weekend – is an experience that a Facebook friendship will never replace
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Evan Fryer
Senior School math teacher, Senior boys soccer coach and Barnacle houseparent, Mr. Evan Fryer leads a very busy life inside and outside of SMUS.
Since...
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Matt Keil
Grade 5 teacher Mr. Matt Keil is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Talks Event Builds Student and Community “Connections”
Senior School students share what they learned from organizing and experiencing the inaugural SMUS Talks event
Dream Big Stories: Ms. Nikki Kaufmann
Ms. Nikki Kaufmann talks about how SMUS's annual Dream Big fund has a direct impact on the school's athletics program and student population
Spring Break Service Trip 2017: Mexico
Grade 12 student Fo Wu writes about the Senior School Spring Break service trip to Mexico
GALLERY: Junior School Students Photograph Health and Wellness Week
Check out the gallery of photos taken by Kindergarten to Grade 5 students during Health and Wellness Week at the Junior School
Ask SMUS: What is Acceptable Cellphone Use at School?
Director of Academics Ms. Denise Lamarche writes about technology and acceptable cellphone use at SMUS
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Zyoji Jackson
Middle School teacher and senior houseparent Mr. Zyoji Jackson is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Spring Break Culture and Service Trip 2017: South Africa
Grade 11 student Samantha Cuell writes about the cultural and service trip to Cape Town, South Africa at Spring Break
Health and Wellness Week Arrives at SMUS
Director of Health and Wellness Mr. Ritch Primrose highlights what's happening at SMUS as part of Health and Wellness Week (April 3-7)
Spring Break Service Trip 2017: Tanzania
Grade 11 student Sara Perelmuter writes about her experience travelling to Tanzania over Spring Break as part of a school service trip
SMUS in the News: Jamison Schulz-Franco ’17 Recognized as “Future 15” Award Recipient
Grade 12 student Jamison Schulz-Franco is recognized by UniversityHub.ca as one of their "Future 15" award recipients
The Best School Year Ever: “What is Your Dream?”
"It's always just been a dream of mine to go to boarding school." Find out who is the winner of a full-year boarding scholarship to St. Michaels University School
Grade 4 Student Becomes Principal for a Day
Grade 4 student Mr. Wil Woods becomes Principal for a Day at SMUS, and tries to ensure all students have a fun day, too
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Alison Galloway
Grade 3 teacher Ms. Alison Galloway is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Love: Building Bridges in a Time of Divisiveness
Love. It’s an obvious topic for the week of Valentine’s. Easy.
Yet, when we look at what’s happening in the world, it feels as though...
The Best School Year Ever 2017 Finalists Are…
We are excited to introduce you to the five finalists of The Best School Year Ever contest
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Amanda Chen
Middle School Humanities and Mandarin teacher Ms. Amanda Chen is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Visits the SMUS Junior School
The Lieutenant Governor of B.C. visited our Junior School and took
Dream Big Stories: Ms. Susan Vachon
Ms. Susan Vachon talks about how SMUS's annual Dream Big fund has a direct impact on the education students receive – in this case Learning Resources
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Susan MacDonald
Senior School English teacher Ms. Susan MacDonald is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Choosing the Right High School Courses at SMUS
Senior School students will soon pick their classes for next year. Find out everything you need to know to help you choose the right high school courses
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Jennifer Leyh
Grade 1 teacher Ms. Jennifer Leyh is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. George Floyd
Middle School science and technology teacher Mr. George Floyd is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Futures: Individual and Community
Last week I mentioned that I would be sharing some of the Futures Project in coming weeks and months. For those who missed last...
Reflections on a Service Day for Project Somos
Students Aysha Emmerson and Dalal Tubeishat spoke in Chapel this week about Project Somos, a charity in Guatemala that helps single and widowed mothers and their children
How Sleep Impacts Learning and Development
Listen to Director of Learning Adrian French discuss what happens when we sleep and why it is so important to learning and development
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Peter Butterfield
Choir teacher and boarding houseparent Mr. Peter Butterfield is covered in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Futures
One of my tasks this year is to complete a futures report: an attempt amid all the currents that flow inside and outside education...
Digital Detox: Challenging Students to Unplug for the Weekend
"I just can't imagine living without my phone for a weekend." Middle School students and teachers lock their phones away for a digital detox
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Becky Anderson
Junior School director Ms. Becky Anderson is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. David Kerr
Senior School teacher Mr. David Kerr is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Dream Big Stories: Rev. Keven Fletcher
Rev. Keven Fletcher talks about how SMUS's annual Dream Big fund has a direct impact on the education students receive – in this case character education
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Shona Lazin
Kindergarten teacher Ms. Shona Lazin is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Putting the “Service” in Christmas Carol Service
Our annual Christmas Carol Service brings the community together for a beautiful evening of music and student reflections
GALLERY: SMUS Community Comes Together for Christmas
Students and staff gathered together to celebrate Christmas, sing some carols, have some laughs and enjoy the holiday season
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Mike Danskin
Middle School teacher – and SMUS lifer – Mr. Mike Danskin is highlighted in this week's Teacher Feature
Grade 10 Students Reflect on Experiential Opportunities
Three students write about their experiences so far in the unique Grade 10 experiential program
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Kevin Cook
Mr. Kevin Cook, our Director of Service, is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
At Home With Boarders Without Borders
Our annual Boarders Without Borders event sees boarding students invited into local homes for a home-cooked meal and an authentic Canadian experience
Walking the Talk On Healthy Eating
Mr. Ritch Primrose writes about how eating healthy food impacts the brain, and the newest healthy food options available in the Tuck Shop
Grade 12s Return to Junior School for Lifers Assembly
Our Class of 2017 includes 19 Lifers – students who've been at SMUS since Kindergarten or Grade 1.
Our Past and Future Reflected in the Sun Centre
This week I announced that we are beginning construction of the Sun Centre, our new Dining Hall and Student Commons. The Sun Centre –...
Remembrance Day: Stand in Silence and Remember
The St. Michaels University School community came together on Nov. 10 to mark Remembrance Day
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Nancy Mollenhauer
Middle School teacher Ms. Nancy Mollenhauer is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
WANTED: (Even More) Amazing High School Students
We're well aware of it: The Best School Year Ever® contest is a little corny. But we're OK with that – because we know that this opportunity changes students’ lives.
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Ruth McGhee
Ms. Ruth McGhee is no stranger to the SMUS neighbourhood. She was born and raised in Victoria, and her childhood home was three houses down...
SMUS in the News: Nancy Mollenhauer Inducted into Victoria Sports Hall of Fame
Middle School teacher Nancy Mollenhauer is inducted into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Marcelle Kitengie
Junior School teacher Mr. Marcelle Kitengie is highlighted in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Senior School Library Named in Honour of Bob and Joan Snowden
Senior School library is named and dedicated in honour of Head of School Bob Snowden and his wife Joan for their contributions to the school
GALLERY (Oct. 22-28): Family Fall Fest, Togas and Motocross Racing!
Across our school in all areas – athletics, academics, arts and more – our students were very busy these past seven days.
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Adrian French
Get to know Director of Learning Mr. Adrian French in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Shawn Zhang
Get to know SMUS's newest Middle and Senior School Mandarin teacher, Mr. Shawn Zhang, in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
GALLERY (Oct. 7-14): Seattle Trip, Cross-Country, Sculpting and More!
It was a short school week this week, thanks to the Thanksgiving long weekend.
A large group of boarding students travelled to Seattle for the long weekend to...
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Dave Hlannon
Get to know SMUS's Director of Educational Technology, Mr. Dave Hlannon, in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Tawnya Mullen
Get to know Kindergarten teacher Ms. Tawnya Mullen in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
“There’s No Such Thing as a Born Leader”
At St. Michaels University School, we believe the idea of the born leader is a myth. What we do believe is leadership is a skill all students can learn.
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Jordan Tessarolo
From studying biochemistry to playing in a professional ultimate frisbee league, get to know Senior School math teacher Mr. Jordan Tessarolo in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
GALLERY (Sept. 19-23): Terry Fox Run, Outdoor Ed, Volleyball and More!
Here are a handful of photos from the week of Sept. 19-23 at St. Michaels University School.
Digital Detox: Why Students Need to Unplug and Go Outdoors
"When we can do a five-day outdoor education trip and build in time away from technology, we're seeing that it’s really valuable for students."
SMUS Teacher Feature: Ms. Crystal Vaughan
Get to know Middle School counsellor Ms. Crystal Vaughan in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Disruption
Next week we are convening a group of alumni, parents, staff and students to explore the future of the School. The title for this...
Cultural and Service Trip: Volleyball Tour to Cuba
Right before school started, I traveled to Havana, Cuba along with 12 of my classmates – and volleyball teammates – led by coaches Bendfeld and...
GALLERY: Faces and Fun from the First Week Back at School
Here are a handful of photos from all of the fun events that kicked off the 2016-17 school year
SMUS Teacher Feature: Mr. Eric Donatelli
Get to know physics teacher Mr. Eric Donatelli in this week's SMUS Teacher Feature
Head of School Bob Snowden Announces Retirement
After 22 years at SMUS, Head of School Bob Snowden will retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year
6 Tips for New Boarding Students – from Veteran Boarders
The six Grade 12 students elected Heads of our boarding houses offer advice to new boarding students
10 Tips for Starting High School on the Right Foot
Head of Counselling Ms. Carole McMillan offers advice for starting high school on the right foot
SMUS in the News: SMUS Rocks Out with Musical Theatre Camp
August 23, 2016
Saanich News
Summer Musical Theatre Academy
SMUS rocks out with musical theatre camp
(photo courtesy of Saanich News)
SMUS in the News: Film Camp Puts Focus on Kids
July 29, 2016
Saanich News
SMUS's Education Extension: Shoot the Right Stuff
Film camp puts focus on kids
(photo courtesy of Saanich News)
Teacher Bruce Kuklinski Sets His ‘Cites’ on Rio Olympic Rugby
Middle School teacher Bruce Kuklinski heads to Rio de Janeiro to work as a citing commissioner for Olympic rugby sevens games
SMUS in the News: Feeding Our Future Program Helps Low-Income Youth in Victoria
July 15, 2016
Sodexo's Feeding Our Future program
Victoria News
Program helps feed youth from low-income families in Victoria
CTV Vancouver Island
July 14 – CTV News at 6...
SMUS Goes Greek
Earlier this summer, a group of Grade 8 (soon-to-be Grade 9) students headed around the world to visit Greece. The students were all members of...
The Graduating Class of 2016
Congratulations to the Class of 2016.
We are proud to add 151 names to the ever-growing list of SMUS alumni, as the graduating class officially...
2016 Middle School Closing Ceremonies
The annual Middle School Closing Ceremonies is a highlight of the school year – albeit held on the very last day of the year...
2016 Senior School Closing Ceremonies
On Friday afternoon, the Senior School Closing Ceremonies were held, marking the official end of the school year for the Grade 9-11 students. Among...
2016 Junior School Closing Ceremonies
For the youngest at our school, summer vacation started Thursday after each of the Kindergarten to Grade 5 students proudly crossed the stage, waved to...
SMUS Says Goodbye to Our Retiring Teachers
SMUS is saying goodbye to a number of longtime familiar faces this, year as five teachers – with more than 100 years of combined...
Athletic Awards 2016
Congratulations to SMUS's student athletes on a great year in sport, and to our 2016 athletic awards recipients
Innovation Hour is “Personalized Learning at Its Best”
What is your passion? Every student at SMUS has a different answer to that question. For some their passion lies somewhere in the realm of arts or...
Reflections from the Outgoing Head Girl and Head Boy
This week, our graduating Head Girl (Sarah Jones) and Head Boy (Jasper Johnston) led their final assembly and passed the Prefect Council torch on...
SMUS in the News: Grade 4 Students Explore the ‘Emerald Forest’
June 8, 2016
CTV Vancouver Island
Fish Eye Project presents The Emerald Forest (clip starts at 20:20)
SMUS in the News: Grade 11 Students Have Designs on Parklet Competition
June 8, 2016
Saanich News
Fo Wu and Jasmine Yu '17
St. Michaels students have designs on parklet competition
The Rare Birds of China
One of the highlights of my role is to swell with pride when I hear our students or alumni praised.
On September 7 – yes,...
Walk for Water Promotes Global Awareness at the Junior School
"If I suddenly said you couldn't drink the tap water, you couldn’t get any clean water, does anybody know where you would go for...
The Mirror: A Chalkboard Talk from the SMUS Middle School
What does an average day entail when you're a Middle School student?
To gain a better understanding, I set up seven chalkboards around the school...
THE JAG: Hungry for Hope
It is estimated that every 4 seconds, someone dies from hunger. In the 30 Hour Famine, we go without food so others don’t have...
French Speakers Head Downtown for The Amazing Race
French students at the Middle School are learning about places, towns and how to effectively navigate a city using directions, so what better way to...
Grade 9 Outdoor Trips are a “Challenging” Way to Push Yourself
Last week, all of our Grade 9 students headed out to various corners of the province to participate in outdoor trips that pushed them out...
Beyond the Bubble: Making a Successful Transition to University Life
University decisions are being finalized as I write; students are making plans about residence life and starting course selections for their first year at...
SMUS in the News: Victoria Teacher Works with Disney Illustrator to Create Children’s Book
May 8, 2016
CBC News
Teacher Dorothy Hawes
Ogopogo Odyssey': Victoria teacher works with Disney illustrator to create children's book
Teacher Dorothy Hawes’ Children’s Book Comes Full Circle at SMUS
If it hadn't been for a couple "serendipitous" moments courtesy of St. Michaels University School, English teacher Dorothy Hawes likely wouldn't be celebrating the launch of her children's...
Personalization and Experiential Education
At SMUS we talk about personalization and experiential education as two distinct themes that will shape education in the next decade or more. While...
Balance and Resilience: Making Time for Health & Wellness
As a school that hangs its hat on preparing students for higher learning and for life, the ideas of balance and resilience are important....
Spring Break Service Trip 2016: Argentina
Argentina was better and worse than I expected, but it was undeniably memorable. Travelling with a group of 30 to a Latin American country where few...
Personalization visits
The path to personalization is simple in theory. It begins by recognizing several ideas: that all students have excellence inside them to discover and...
Alumni Weekend is a Celebration for the Whole Community
Don't be fooled by the name – Alumni Weekend is a celebration of (and for) our entire community, not just students who've graduated already.
Alumni Weekend is...
Spring Break Trip 2016: Japan
I suppose our Spring Break cultural trip began the day we left, which, since we were on our way to the other side of the Pacific...
Lynn Lyons on Building Emotionally Healthy Kids
Licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Lynn Lyons returned (by popular demand!) to SMUS during Brain Awareness Week this week to talk about building...
Brain Awareness Week: An Active Brain Keeps It Healthy and Well
Our annual Brain Awareness Week – now in its fourth year! – is a time for our community of students, parents and staff to...
Eggs-periential Learning: Grade 2 Classes Welcome Baby Chicks
Mr. Giggles, Cottonball and Fluffy are the three newest members of our Grade 2 population, after the trio of baby chicks hatched in class Tuesday...
Toward Personalization
Most parents and alumni who read School material, and this blog, will know that the theme of personalization has been a steady, increasingly visible...
Spring Break Trip 2016: Europe
Before I went to Europe on a Spring Break music tour, I had never left North America. Being able to see just how similar...
My Week as a Gene Researcher
My interest in science began at a hospital when my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes. I was intrigued by the thought that there were...
What Kind of Example Will We Choose to Be?
During this week’s Chapels, Mr. Snowden emphasized the importance of picking good examples, regardless of whether we’re talking about how we swing a golf...
Running Club Highlights Fun Fitness in Non-Competitive Environment
Even before the sun rises, a large group of Junior School students is spending three mornings a week getting a fun fitness session in before classes...
Spring Break Service Trip 2016: Nicaragua
This Spring Break a group of about 20 students travelled to the small rural town of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua on a service trip. A service trip...
SMUS in the News: Will Barry Wins The Best School Year Ever Contest
CBC News
March 28, 2015
Will Barry, Winner of the 2016-17 BSYE Contest
Rothesay student wins 1 year scholarship at St. Michaels University School in B.C.
First Ever SMUS Girls Rugby Team
Rugby is a tradition at the school; we’ve been playing for decades. And by “we” I mean the boys. Finally, years overdue, we're incredibly...
Interview with Garth Martens
Garth Martens is a Kelowna poet whose debut collection Prologue for the Age of Consequence, was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award of English-language...
Olympic Values, History Celebrated at the Junior School
Grade 5 students at the Junior School, under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Gary Barber, spent the last 10 weeks researching, studying and learning all things Olympic...
A healthy mind in a healthy body
I only know one Latin phrase, and sadly, this basic lexicon may never improve. Mens sana in corpore sano. The motto of the old...
Best School Year Ever Answers the Question “What If?”
For the past three years, The Best School Year Ever® boarding scholarship contest has challenged students across North America to ask themselves this question:...
Middle Schoolers Make a Lasting Difference on Community Service Day
Last Friday, the entire Middle School spent the day out of the classroom and lent a helping hand in the community. Community Service Day at...
REVIEW: Opening Night of The Phantom of the Opera
The SMUS production of The Phantom of the Opera premiered on Thursday, February 25. The opening night cast starred Ajay Parikh-Friese as the infamous...
Robotics Club Takes Home Lego Trophies After Competition
Remember the days when you would sit in class, anxious to get home so you could keep building your latest Lego creation? Well, now...
20 Minutes to Figure Out Life – Really?
Back in 1918, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was asked how long it took to prepare a speech. He answered, "That depends on the length of...
SMUS in the News: The Phantom of the Opera Production
February 24, 2016
Senior School production of The Phantom of the Opera
Saanich News
St. Michaels students stage Phantom of the Opera at McPherson
Shaw TV
(see video above)
The Best School Year Ever: And the Finalists Are…
For the past month, a panel of judges (made up of students and teachers) has been watching and rewatching all of The Best School...
Phantom Performers: Meet SMUS’s Two Christine Daaés
After months of hard work, long rehearsals and dedication, the Senior School musical production of The Phantom of the Opera debuts at the McPherson...
Valentines and Virtues at the Junior School
Valentine's Day at the Junior School is a wonderful day to highlight friendship and how much we care about one another. So it makes...
Learning Through Play at the Junior School
A few minutes before sending his Grade 5 class out to play, Mr. Matt Kiel asked them a question: What is the point of play?
Students were...
Mia Roberts: Overcoming Injury with Commitment and Leadership
Mia Roberts, like many SMUS athletes, is a multi-sport student; soccer in the spring, field hockey in the fall and basketball in the winter....
Grade 8 Student Brings Harry Potter Magic into the Classroom
The Middle School will soon be transformed into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, thanks to the passion and ingenuity of a Grade 8 student.
Jenna S....
Grade 3s Develop Fine Motor Skills in Quilting Club
Quilting may not necessarily seem like the kind of skill that a 21st-century learner would want to develop. It's a really low-tech and finicky process,...
Student Life
Our boarding past and present has done a lot to shape SMUS. By far the most ubiquitous legacy – and the one students are...
SMUS Head Boy Talks “Excellence” at the Junior School
On Friday, SMUS Head Boy Jasper Johnston visited the Junior School and spoke during assembly. He spoke from the heart to the K-5 students...
Syrian Refugees Talk Family, Compassion With SMUS Students
by Liza Weymar and Radha Raina, Grade 9 students
Last week in Modern Studies 9, our class had the fortune of meeting two Syrian refugees...
Talking Virtues and Excellence in Junior School Chapel
Our Junior School isn’t shy about promoting character.
Inspired by the work of The Virtues Project, we take a closer look at a particular value...
B.C. Curriculum Changes Reaffirm SMUS’s Technological Vision
by Ms. Maureen Hann, education technology specialist
In December, SMUS students participated in the Hour of Code, a worldwide initiative aimed at introducing school-aged children to...
Exploratory: Freedom to Try Something New Without Being Graded!
Once every couple of days in the Middle School timetable, all students in Grades 6 through 8 step outside of the traditional classroom setting...
Reflecting Our Student Population in Chapel
Our school shows the marks of its age – our array of traditions being one of them. How we frame those traditions makes the...
THE JAG: A Species Profile on the Blue Jaguar
by Jack Forgrave
When it comes to our beloved mascot, the Blue Jag, numerous naysayers claim that this majestic beast “isn’t even a real animal.”...
THE JAG: The Pride Alliance
by Jacki Zhang and Jiawen Chan
What does pride mean to you? To Pride Alliance members Sid and Molly, pride is more than a lunchtime...
THE JAG: An Interview with Dr. Sarah De Leeuw
A Professor and Journalist visits SMUS
by Jiawen Chan & Jacki Zhang
What is your writing process and editing process like? Do you have any quirks...
THE JAG: The Harsh Realities of War
On Thursday, November 26, Canadian veteran soldier Rafiele Gardezy, brother of senior student Desirée MacIntosh, came to campus to speak to students in AP...
SMUS Community Gathers for Fun Christmas Celebration
As with any family, the holiday season just doesn't feel complete unless everyone gathers together for some fun and merriment. And at SMUS, that...
Primary Students Spread Christmas Cheer at Concert
In what is probably the most adorable show of the Christmas season, our Junior School played host this week to two performances of the...
Music, Reflections Bring Christmas Carol Service to Life
Against the backdrop of the majestic Christ Church Cathedral, our annual Christmas Carol Service is a wonderful way for our school community to assemble and get into...
Grade 2 Students Learn Real-World Math With Hands-On Lesson
Fifteen or 20 years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find a math teacher who hadn't told their class at some point during a conversation...
Never Forget: Remembrance Day at the Middle and Senior Schools
May 8th of this year marked 100 years since University School founder Capt. Robert Harvey's death as a prisoner of war in a German...
Honour and Remembrance at the Junior School
Heartfelt poetry, recitations, storytelling and music is how our Junior School students honoured Remembrance Day this week. The Tuesday morning service was a touching tribute...
‘SMUS Reads’ Event Brings Community Together Around Literacy
At the start of the school year, every Middle School student was gifted a book. And not a math textbook or a dense history...
THE JAG: Thinking About an Exchange?
by Saje Griffith
Ever thought about doing an exchange? Do you enjoy getting to know people from other places and cultures? Wondering what other people think...
THE JAG: Environmental Service Outtrip Review
by Delphine Ji
At the beginning of October, I was given the chance to lead the very first Environmental Service Outtrip to Salt Spring Island. No one knew...
THE JAG: Meet Hinton Chair Mr. Bruce Maxwell
by Sara Owen-Flood
Mr. Maxwell is the new Hinton Chair at SMUS teaching History 9 and Law 12. You may have seen him coaching the Junior...
THE JAG: Welcome to The Jag!
Welcome to The Jag! It’s a new school year, and the SMUS school newspaper has a new name and editor. My name is Becca Thomson and...
Learning and the Brain: Sleep and Exercise
How are sleep and exercise crucial for learning in students of all ages? Using John Medina's book, Brain Rules, as a starting point, SMUS...
#SMUSStyle Instagram Contest: Show Us Your Knot-Tying Skills
Our students' return from the Thanksgiving long weekend marks a change in the school's dress code – summer dress is out, and our regular uniforms come back to...
Junior School Celebrates New Students at Welcoming Assembly
Last Friday, the Junior School ceremoniously welcomed all our new students to the school with an address from Head of School Mr. Bob Snowden,...
New Head Girl and Head Boy Aim to Strengthen Cross-Campus Community
We may only be a couple of weeks into school, but some students – Sarah Jones and Jasper Johnston, in particular – have been thinking...
Grade 6 Outdoor Ed Trips Underscore Inclusiveness and Risk-Taking
To start the year on the right foot for our new Middle School students, we sent our Grade 6 classes on Outdoor Education experiences...
Kindergartners Choose What They’re Most Excited About This School Year
Do you remember your first days of Kindergarten? After a day or two of realizing just how awesome it is getting to learn and...
Clubs and Councils are a Great Way to Get Involved
One of best ways to jump in head first at the Senior School is by joining a new club or council; getting involved in something...
Taking ‘Appropriate Risks’ to Make for a Great School Year
When Mr. Andy Rodford (Director of the Senior School) addressed students this week at the opening day assembly, he encouraged students to take "appropriate risks" over...
A Joyful Return to the Junior School
Students were all smiles (okay, a couple of them were a little sad to say bye to mom and dad) to return to the...
Middle School Library Gets Upgrade for 21st-Century Learning
Libraries aren’t what they used to be – just ask Middle School teacher-librarian Ms. Sarah Craig.
“Well, in classic libraries there was no talking, no...
Professional Development: The Teachers Become The Students
Before students come back to campus ready for school, members of our Junior, Middle and Senior School faculty arrived ready and eager to learn....
The SMUS Chapel: Reworking Space for Our Growing Community
More than half a century ago the school community came together to do something extraordinary: build the Chapel.
In the early 1960s, the school –...
‘Band Geeks’ Heads to Victoria Fringe Festival
Students from SMUS and a handful of other Greater Victoria schools returned to class a little earlier than most of their classmates this summer, all for...
SMUS Musician Shines in ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Symphony Performance
POP QUIZ: Which talented musician performed to a screaming crowd of more than 40,000 British Columbians this past long weekend?
a) Taylor Swift
b) SMUS student Ben...
Student Travellers Return from Service and Culture Trip to Greece
Learning about Greece from a classroom is interesting; learning about the Mediterranean country and its rich history by actually travelling there is unforgettable.
Last school year, Middle...
Sodexo and SMUS Help Feed Hungry Children This Summer
St. Michaels University School and Sodexo, the food service organization that runs Brown Hall, have partnered up once again this summer to fill a hunger gap in Greater...
‘This Has Been The Best School Year Ever!’
Last September, Santiago Mazoy, Alessandra Massa and Silke Kuhn began their school year at St. Michaels University School. The three finalists in our inaugural...
SMUS in the News: Paul Almond’s SMUS-Filmed "Ups and Downs"
June 19, 2015
Times Colonist
Tim Williams '83; Andrew Sabiston '82; Leslie Hope '82; Nick Etheridge '61; Santiago Garcia de Leaniz '82; Colin Skinner (former drama...
Congratulations to the Class of 2015!
An excerpt from a speech by Eva Grant, co-valedictorian
When I was going through the college application process last fall – and can I get...
Senior Students Celebrate School Year’s End
As the school year comes to an end, students and staff alike take the time to think back to September and reflect on all...
Leavers’ Chapel Marks Last Days for Grade 12 Students
Before the Class of 2015 finishes at SMUS, the Grade 12 students were treated to their final chapel service. Weekly chapel is always a...
2015 Athletic Awards
by Lindsay Brooke, Athletic Director
The 2014-15 school year has simply been the finest ever in SMUS sporting history. Pride of place goes to the athletes and coaches...
Grade 5 Students Grow Out of the Junior School
This year's Grade 5 class enjoyed its final days at the Junior School this week. After spending the school year as the oldest students...
Lifers Look Back on 13 Years at SMUS
September 5, 2002. Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" was sitting atop the charts, kids everywhere were anxiously awaiting the release of the second Harry Potter movie,...
Grade 8 Students Anticipate Life at the Senior School
School is nearly out for the summer at the Middle School. For the Grade 8 students, that means their final days at the Middle...
Aspiring Young Fashion Designer Wins National Student Design Contest
For someone who only recently took an active interest in the fashion world, Kiko Wu is very quickly making her talents known.
The Grade 11 student...
Junior School Sports Day – great kids, great coaches.
I have composed my blog entries in all kinds of places: on airplanes, on the ferry to Vancouver, in hotel rooms, in airport waiting...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Middle School WEB Leaders
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
SMUS in the News: Chris Hadfield’s SMUS Chat
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield's digital visit to SMUS on Monday (May 25) piqued the interest of some of our local media. Two great stories, courtesy of...
12 Graduating SMUS Athletes Moving on to Play at Post-Secondary Level
It's been a banner year so far for SMUS athletes – and the year isn't over! Since the school year started, SMUS has taken...
Astronaut Chris Hadfield Talks Space, Music and Education with SMUS Students
Astronaut Chris Hadfield became the unofficial ambassador of science to the universe in 2013 when he took command of the International Space Station and gained international attention...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Prefect Assembly
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
19 SMUS Grads Earn Dogwood Scholarship for Extra-Curricular Excellence
Nineteen Grade 12 students were recently announced as recipients of a $1,000 Dogwood District Award, recognizing their excellence in non-academic work.
The awards, which recognize achievement...
Oman – the Takatuf Scholars
The country of Oman forms what you might call the “ball of the foot” of the Arabian Peninsula: on the southeast corner, at the...
Middle School Donations Help Educate Youth Halfway Around the World
A library, like a yard, sometimes needs a good weeding (but for very different reasons). Unlike unwanted garden trimmings though, books that are no longer...
Senior Students Sharpen Leadership Skills at Montreal CAIS Conference
With an outrageously early wake-up call of 3:45am, four intrepid students and a chaperone embarked on a cross-country journey to the Canadian Accredited Independent...
Building Sweet Friendships on Service Outings to Care Home
by Kathleen Cook, Assistant Director of the Junior School
As a part of a school-wide commitment to external community service for all the students at...
Grade 12 Student Composes a Personal SMUS Musical Journey
The journey that is high school is unique and very personal for every student. Most don't express that full experience in a public forum; offering up something tangible that...
Junior School Celebrates Being Environmentally Friendly
Kindergarten and Grade 5 classes are trying to make the world a little greener by drawing environmentally friendly messages on Thrifty Foods paper grocery bags....
SMUS Students Sell Prayer Flags to Raise Money for Nepal
Grade 8 students Georgia Haydock, left, and Anna Considine hang handmade prayer flags in the lobby of the Middle School.
If there's one thing that...
Young Artists Put Works on Display at ISA Art Show
SMUS students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 hung their hard work and dedication for all to see, at an art show last weekend hosted...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Photo Club
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Relive Your Glory Years at Alumni Weekend
by Jason Penaluna '91, SMUS Alumni Association trustee
We are just one day away from the kick-off to Alumni Weekend 2015 (May 1-2)! SMUS is so excited to...
Middle School Explorers Set Out For Weekend Camp Experience
by Matthew, Grade 8
I love cities. I admire places such as Hong Kong and New York for their pace, skyscrapers and for how urban...
Spring Break Service Trip: China/Vietnam – Part II
by Lucas Simpson, Grade 10
After a ferry ride, several bus rides, a 13.5-hour flight, another two-hour flight, and hours of layovers, we finally arrived...
SMUS in the News: Lynn Lyons’ Brain Awareness Week Talk at SMUS
Times Colonist
April 25, 2015
Let kids feel uncertainty, learn to solve problems, author says
Watch the full video of Lynn Lyons' talk at SMUS on SMUStube.
Kindergarten Students Lead Their Parents Around School
Kindergarten students were all excited to take their parents around the school this week, demonstrating to them what they've learned this year and showing off some wonderful...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Sustainability and Outdoor Council
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Cross-Campus Strings Show Highlights Musicians of All Ages
by Darin Steinkey
Some people are surprised to hear that SMUS students begin learning to play stringed instruments in Grade 4. The real surprise, to...
Spring Break Service Trip: China/Vietnam – Part I
This week, Sara Owen-Flood and Derry Li each wrote about their Spring Break trip for a Model UN Conference in China; and for a week-long service opportunity at...
Brain Awareness Week: Junior School Inquiries
Junior School students spent Brain Awareness Week learning about the brain during daily assemblies and through in-class inquiries. Our youngest students are full of great...
Brain Awareness Week: Middle School Learns About Brain Injuries
A visit from UVic's Let's Talk Science outreach team was one of the big highlights of Brain Awareness Week at the Middle School. Not...
Brain Awareness Week: Staying Stress-Free at the Senior School
Brain Awareness Week at the Senior School is always fun and educational, with lots of activities to do and see. From terrific and insightful...
Spring Break Service Trip: Mexico
by Christian Okiring, Grade 10
A service trip is an opportunity to discover something about the world and about yourself. My service trip to San...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Reach for the Top
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Brain Awareness Week: Moving Bodies, Active Brains
by Tanya de Hoog, Junior School program specialist
On Tuesday, Junior School teaching faculty welcomed guest speaker Colleen Politano, a highly respected and longtime Victoria...
Spring Break Service Trip: Kenya
by Amy Bodine, Grade 12
Author Pat Conroy wrote: “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again...
Back to School, Back to Learning the Virtues: Compassion
by Tessa Lloyd, Junior School counsellor
Compassion, according to German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, is the “basis of morality.” If kindness is an act, compassion is...
2015 Rugby Tour: The Home Stretch
With happy memories of Seville still fresh in the mind, the tour party heads west into the Algarve in southern Portugal for a day...
2015 Rugby Tour: Lisbon
We have finally found some consistent sun and, as I type, happy sunburnt faces are filing in for breakfast on a blue sky day...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Dose of Sun!
As we gear up to leave the sun and pool of gorgeous Abufeira, here are a few shots of our time in Sevilla and...
2015 Rugby Tour: Chasing the sun
March 23, mid day, and the tour party, after a three hour bus transfer from Granada, arrives in Seville. First impressions of the city...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Few Pictures
Without consistent wifi in Marbella, we were unable to load pictures. Here are a few from our days at La Alhambra and Marbella. Stay...
2015 Rugby Tour: Dos Victorias!!
The spectacular La Fallas "cremata" complete, the tour party, after just few hours shut eye, boarded the bus for the six hour bus ride...
2015 Rugby Tour: Carnival
It was an early morning departure from Barcelona, with the tour group still buzzing from the previous day's visit to La Sagrada Familia. The...
2015 Rugby Tour: Off and Running!
We have enjoyed a fantastic start to the tour! Sunday morning opened with blue skies and cool temperatures and the group started with a...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Long Haul
After almost 25 hours in transit the tour group has finally touched down to clear skies in Barcelona!. A long layover in Calgary afforded...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Math Challengers
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
SMUS Students Earn Perfect Scores on Advanced Placement Exams
Grade 12 student Nick Scholz and 2014 grad Jennifer Park achieved something quite rare last year.
The two students are among only 285 in the world to...
Model UN Competitions Are Fun and Rewarding Experiences
by Jonathan Mostovoy, Grade 12
Last weekend I attended the Canadian High School Model United Nations (CAHSMUN) in downtown Vancouver. Being a veteran at these types...
Grade 4 Students Teach Mindfulness at the Senior School
by Ms. Heather Sandquist
Mindfulness has become an integral part of many of the classes at the Junior School. A number of teachers incorporate various...
Talented SMUS Athlete Represents BC at Canada Winter Games
by Grace Thomas
Competing in the 2015 Canada Winter Games was one of the best experiences of my life.
I started playing squash about five years ago....
Best School Year Ever: And the Winner is…
It happened again. SMUS launched its second Best School Year Ever contest in October 2014 with the tagline: "Wanted: One amazing high school student." What...
2015 Rugby Tour: Ten Days To Go!
Departure day is nearing as the SMUS Senior Boys Rugby squad gets set for its March 14-31 tour to Spain and Portugal. The excitement...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Buddy Reading Club
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Pink Shirt Day a Big Piece of the Kindness Puzzle at SMUS
It wasn't just the cherry blossoms, blooming flowers and Legally Blonde posters showing off their pink pride this week at SMUS, our students also donned...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Outdoor Leadership
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Grade 1 and 11 Students Become Fairy Tale Heroes
Once upon a time there lived a group of young princes and princesses learning about fairy tales in their Grade 1 class. Her Royal Highness the...
SMUS’s Club Hub: Admissions Ambassadors
SMUS students have access to a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities that interest them. We offer more than 100 fun and rewarding clubs or councils that provide students...
Meet the Best School Year Ever Finalists
The SMUS campus has been buzzing with Best School Year Ever chatter for months now. We launched the 2015-16 scholarship contest in late October,...
Beyond the Blonde: Senior School Musical Behind the Scenes
by Kyus Hicks, Grade 12
Since watching Guys and Dolls while visiting the school in Grade 9, I knew that I wanted to be a...
2015 Rugby Tour: Four Weeks Out
We are officially 6 weeks away from our departure on March 14th. The boys are excited and have been impressing the coaching staff with...
SCHOOL TIES: In Their Own Words
In September, 1978, 35 girls made St. Michaels University School history. They walked through the doors to form the first co-ed class.
Grade 5 Students Rise to the Challenge of Staging a Musical
Putting on a school musical is never just a walk in the park. They're always a lot of fun and very rewarding, whether you're...
From Surviving to Thriving: Grade 8 Students Shine as Leaders
Last Friday, Grade 8 students from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland descended on SMUS to participate in a unique, student-organized leadership conference, From...
Spreading the Word About the Life-Changing Value of Service Trips
Every week, students attend Chapel for an opportunity to talk about leadership, character and belief. It's also a venue for students to report back...
Experience the SMUS Community at Open House: February 20
by Paul Leslie, Director of Admissions
The SMUS Open House is an opportunity for families to visit our Junior, Middle and Senior school campuses and get...
Athletic Review
Last week we sent out the summary of our recent Athletic Review, as promised before Christmas. (Read it here.) The document has elicited some...
Transformed Grade 10 Program Opens Doors to a World of Experiences
On Tuesday, we hosted our Course Information Evening to provide insight and information to parents and students about the programs SMUS has to offer in the coming...
Navigating Your 21st Century Career
by Jake Humphries, University Counselling
Students graduating from high school today face a world of unparalleled opportunity that requires careful navigation and constant attention to...
Junior School Students Go Crazy for Science!
by Nina Duffus, Grade 2 teacher
It may not be the most common of career paths, but there are now 49 young sleuths at the...
How to Rock a Networking Event
by Laura Authier, Director of Marketing and Communications
One of the most valuable tools I have in my professional kit is my network. In my...
Learning and the Brain: Executive Functions Part III
"It's impossible." "It's too hard." "I want to give up." "I don't think I can do it."
Do any of those sound familiar? All of us,...
11-Year-Old Takes Over Junior School as Principal for a Day
If ever Junior School director Nancy Richards needs a day off, she now knows she can put her trust in an 11-year-old to hold...
SMUS Filmmakers Get Red Carpet Treatment at the Victoria Film Festival
What do three SMUS students have in common with world-famous directors Martin Scorsese, Frederick Wiseman and Lone Scherfig? They all have films selected to...
Happy SMUS Year! Looking Back at 2014
As is customary for most people at this time of year, the first days of January is a time for reflection; looking back at the previous 365...
Primary Students Jingle All The Way Onstage
To cap off the holiday season, our Junior School hosted its annual Primary Christmas Concert this week, much to the delight of proud parents...
Treasured Boarding Experiences are a Hot Commodity
This is the final part in a series of candid blogs written by our 2014-15 Best School Year Ever winners on the Good, the Bad and the Surprising of their boarding...
The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud for All to Hear
Every family has Christmas traditions. For the SMUS family, our tradition is a very large gathering (everyone from Kindergarten to Grade 12 comes together)...
How to Win the Best School Year Ever Contest
With the deadline to enter our Best School Year Ever video contest fast approaching, we want to help boost your chances of winning the once-in-a-lifetime...
SMUS in the News: Best School Year Ever
Saanich News
December 6, 2014
Saanich's St. Michaels University School lures top students with unique competition
Carol Service Brings Reflections on the Holiday Season
Our annual Carol Service is a joyous opportunity for members of the SMUS community to gather and reflect on what the holiday season means to...
Boarding Community is Full of Good Surprises
This is the fourth part in a series of candid blogs written by our 2014-15 Best School Year Ever winners on the Good, the Bad and the Surprising of their boarding...
The Challenges of Living as a Boarder
This is the third part in a series of candid blogs written by our 2014-15 Best School Year Ever winners on the Good, the Bad and the Surprising of their boarding...
Exploratory Camping Trip Leaves Lifelong Memories
by Zyoji Jackson, Middle School teacher
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” – William Shakespeare.
While I cannot assume exactly what Mr. Shakespeare had in...
Building Lasting Friendships is Intrinsic to Boarding Life
This is the second part in a series of candid blogs written by our 2014-15 Best School Year Ever winners on the Good, the Bad and the Surprising of their boarding...
Gold Medal Victory for Senior Boys Soccer Team at Provincials
With ISA, Colonist Cup and Island trophies already on the mantel, the Senior boys soccer team traveled to Burnaby November 17-19 to compete in the BC AA Championship.
A...
Bonjour, Montréal! Middle School Soccer Competes in Quebec
Words and photos by Xavier Abrioux
A few weeks ago, 15 of our Middle School boys travelled to Montreal to compete in the CAIS U13...
Middle School Choir Joins Victoria Symphony to Remember World Wars
From the balcony of the majestic Royal Theatre, as Maestra Tania Miller conducts her Victoria Symphony on the stage below, the melodic voices of...
Vibrant Boarding Community is My Second Family
This is the first part in a series of candid blogs written by our 2014-15 Best School Year Ever winners on the Good, the Bad and the...
Wanted: Three Amazing High School Students
Last school year, we launched an unusual recruitment campaign: we made available a once-in-a-lifetime contest experience for North American high school students. Up for grabs...
Remembrance Day is a Time for Honouring and Understanding
On Wednesday, our Junior School hosted its annual Remembrance Day service, featuring beautiful songs, evocative poetry and rich storytelling. Every year, our Head of...
Remembrance Day: We Need to Remember
Remembrance Day at SMUS is steeped in tradition as a way to honour those who served our country; those members of our community –...
Happy Halloween!
Fuelled by tons of fun activities (and maybe a little bit of candy), Halloween at SMUS is always a great event!
The festivities kicked off...
"Howdy partner!" Barn Dance Strengthens SMUS Community
Barn dances have long been associated with socializing and community-building. And that's no different at SMUS, as our Junior School hosted its annual Barn...
SMUS Distinguished Alumnus: Melissa Sawyer
This week, Melissa Sawyer '94, the recipient of the 2014 SMUS Distinguished Alumnus Award visited the school to speak with students about her life and...
Harvard Instructional Rounds at SMUS
At SMUS we believe in life-long learning, and that extends to our teachers as well. From one-on-one mentoring and coaching to cross-campus collaboration between...
Open House: 10 Good Things about the Junior School
Kathleen Cook, Assistant Director of the Junior School
On Friday, October 24 the Junior School welcomed many visitors to the Open House. As a part...
Robert DiYanni on Critical and Creative Thinking
Robert DiYanni, prolific author and NYU professor, held a series of workshops for faculty, parents and students on Thursday and Friday. His topics included...
A Junior School Tribute to Grandparents
Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
Over 200 grandparents and grandpals were honoured at the first Grandparents’ Day in the history of the Junior...
Tolmie’s Rugged Hill: A Grade 7 Perspective
by Angelina & Josh, Grade 7
On Thursday, September 11th, the Grade 7 Science students at the Middle School went with Mr. Floyd, Mr. Jackson...
Funding Big Dreams
Did you know that tuition at SMUS accounts for approximately 85% of our total budget? The extra 15% is raised annually via our Dream...
Student Exchanges Offer Cultural Immersion
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have...
Link Crew Leads the Way
Link Crew is a way that Senior students at SMUS can welcome new kids to the school as well as learn and practice their...
A Different Perspective: Nicaragua
By Siri Knudsen and Megan Harrison, Grade 12
Over the past two school years, two service trips have gone to Nicaragua. We participated in the...
The Reggio-Inspired Classroom
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
Thursday night was the Junior School Curriculum Night, an opportunity for parents to not only meet their son’s...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Roommates
One of the greatest parts of attending boarding school is living with a roommate from another country. Each roommate pair at SMUS is specially...
Junior School Serves up BBQ Fun
On Friday, September 5th the Junior School community gathered for a Welcome Back barbeque. Over 500 people, including parents, grandparents, children and teachers gathered...
New Year, New Brain Series
If you've never been to a Learning and the Brain lecture, well, you're forgiven. But you should sign up right away for the September...
Simple Things
Each September, you only get one chance to make your first address to the students, in my position. Sort of like remembering you only...
SMUS Welcomes the World
by Paul Leslie, Director of Admissions
Dear SMUS Team:
Congratulations to all on an excellent and well organised orientation week. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and...
True Colours at the Middle School
Students and faculty were abuzz with opening week excitement as the Middle School opened its doors for the new year. WEB (Where Everybody Belongs)...
New Students and Spaces at Junior School
There were lively conversations, smiles and hugs at Junior School on Wednesday as students and parents alike returned for another year, eager to meet...
The Best School Year Ever
This phrase is a very ambitious one. At the same time it speaks the aspiration of every student at the School this week, Kindergarten...
SMUS in the News: Peter Alec Caleb
Times Colonist
August 13, 2014
Peter Alec Caleb, former Headmaster
Peter Alec CALEB (1933 - 2014)
SMUS in the News: Texan Teen Meets Prime Minister
The Austin American-Statesman
July 17, 2014
Alessandra Massa '16
Bastrop teen wins scholarship, meets Canadian prime minister
The Class of 2014
An excerpt from a speech by Lydia Kenzie, co-valedictorian
Allow me to speak to one particularly memorable day spent with all of you. Valentine’s Day,...
Middle School Closing Ceremony
by Jared, Grade 8
Looking back at our years at the Middle School, we are not only filled with very positive memories, but also some...
How to Download Images from the SMUS Photo Gallery
The SMUS photo gallery can be intimidating but if you refer to this post, you will have access to more than 200,000 (and counting)...
Junior School Closing Ceremony
by Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
The Junior School Closing Ceremony provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon the past school year,...
Grade 9 & 10 Closing Ceremony
While our Grade 9 and 10 students are not entering their final year of SMUS or heading off to university, the end of the...
SMUS Lifers Go Back to Kindergarten
by Claire Williams, Grade 12
As lifers, we have 12-13 years of SMUS behind us and the Junior School was a big chunk of that....
Dream Big: Saeed
Our 2013-2014 Annual Fund is very close to reaching its $1.3 million goal. With just over a month until the June 30, 2014 deadline,...
Walk for Water
by Sarah Taylor, Grade 12
Walk for Water is happening on Friday, May 23. Free the Children puts on this annual event to raise awareness...
Mother’s Day Celebration
by Allison and Anna Fowler, mother and daughter
As students progress from grade to grade within the Junior School there are traditions that each grade...
Service Day: Fundraising for Nicaragua
Throughout the year, Service Days offer students a chance to shed their uniform in exchange for a small donation to a good cause. Next...
Earth Awareness Week
Following a wonderful student-led assembly to kick off Earth Awareness Week at the Junior School, the children have all been involved in a week...
Found: Three Amazing High School Students
WANTED: One amazing high school student.
So said the tagline for SMUS's first Best School Year Ever scholarship contest. Who knew we'd find so many...
SMUS Ecuador and the Galapagos Trip
by Caryn Cooper, Grade 10
The 2014 SMUS Ecuador/Galapagos trip! Where to begin even writing about it? Begin at the beginning, you say? Very well...
In...
Grade 5 Students Go Greek
by Theo
Yesterday was Greek day and I have learned so much about Greek mythology! I learned a very interesting fact about my god Poseidon:...
And the BSYE finalists are…
Ever since January 15, when Kalkidan Amare, David Boroto and Ann Makosinski helped SMUS launch the Best School Year Ever scholarship contest, there's been...
Alumni Weekend: Not Just For Alumni
by Gillian Donald, Alumni Associate
As the Easter weekend begins, we are only two weeks away from another major event: Alumni Weekend (May 2-4). Despite...
The Leadership Puzzle
Every student at SMUS is a leader, but each one will have to figure out what kind of leader they will be and how...
Easter Arrives at the Junior School
Easter is a fun holiday for our younger students and our Junior School teachers arranged some exciting craft opportunities just in time for the...
Brain Awareness Week: Senior School
It was a busy week at the Senior School with many opportunities for both students and faculty to expand their understanding of the human...
Brain Awareness Week: Middle School
Many of the Brain Awareness Week events at SMUS focused on research, what we can do to improve our learning and how our brains...
Brain Awareness Week: Junior School
by Tori, Grade 5
This year Brain Awareness Week was lots of fun and I learned so much. I enjoyed learning about how my brain...
Arboreal Life at SMUS
Our campus is now officially in bloom and over the break we had a visit from Verna Mumby of Mumby Tree Services, who is...
Adventures in Experiential Education
Every year at this time, a group of eager Grade 10 students challenge themselves with an experiential education. For the third term, the students...
SMUS in the News: Passion and Patience
Victoria News
April 2, 2014
Cindy Kim '15
Youth Inspired: Passion and Patience
The Value of Student Travel
This Spring Break, some SMUS students will be taking part in an annual tradition of Spring Break trips. These international trips will take students...
An Alternative to Parent/Teacher Conferences
While Middle and Senior School parents get a chance to talk to teachers at Parent-Teacher Interviews, our Junior School parents hear about how things...
How to spend a Thursday night
This week, that was easy: you go and see the Senior School production of Spamalot. Every year on opening night my wife, Joan, and...
Connecting the Dots
In her final parent talk for the school year, Director of Learning Heather Clayton discusses personalized learning and how SMUS teachers use our growing...
A Visit from an Olympian
As the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games continue, the Junior School hosted an Olympian from the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Jon Beare, a...
Choosing A Course
Even though September 2015 seems a long time away, the time for students to plan their courses is, well, right now. For a peek...
Student Council Spreads the Love
by Catie, Grade 8
Our Middle School has many leadership opportunities, one of them being Student Council. Student Council organizes dances, service days and spirit...
All We Need is Like
There was lots of Valentine's Day love spread around all three campuses today, but love isn't confined to one day of the year. Last...
Why Go On An Exchange?
by Jasper Johnston, Grade 10
This March break, I get the amazing opportunity to travel with two other Senior School students, Oria James and Emily...
Outdoor Education: Leadership in the Wilderness
See some amazing photography and listen to outdoor leaders Celine and Gareth talk about their Outdoor Leadership 12 experiences in the video above.
Through our...
Junior Students Bond With Seniors
by Kathleen Cook, teacher
As a part of a school-wide commitment to community service for all the students at SMUS, the Junior School regularly visited...
Course Selection Information
The annual Course Selection Information Evening covers a range of topics related to everything from graduation requirements to special co-credit options for AP classes....
Frozen Victoria
I mentioned to a colleague this morning that for the first time that I can remember, the ground outside is actually frozen....
Financial Aid February
Financial aid is a big part of the Annual Fund, with over $300,000 last year going towards making SMUS education more accessible. For the...
Celebrating Chinese New Year
In honour of the lunar new year, the Grade 1 classes took a field trip to Victoria's historic Chinatown to learn about Chinese culture...
Climate Change Showdown
Our Middle School has had the environment on its mind this week. Last Friday, the Eco-warriors won a presentation from the BC Sustainability Energy...
SMUS in the News: Free School Year
Victoria News
January 24, 2014
Free school year in Victoria for best and brightest
Students on Ice in Antarctica
by Tessa Owens, Grade 11
This winter, I was lucky enough to participate in a two-week international scientific expedition to Antarctica called Students on Ice....
The Reality of Life Online
We hosted Jesse Miller of Mediated Reality this week, and he spoke to students, parents and staff about the illusion many people have of...
Junior School Gets Greener
by Diana Nason, librarian
We introduced the recycling and composting program a few years ago and the students have been quite committed. Recycling is a...
Malala Yousafzai: Activism or Exploitation?
Malala Yousafzai is the young Pakistani girl who the Taliban attempted to assassinate because of her activism for the right to education, especially for...
The Best School Year Ever
Today is the Day of Silence organized by our student chapter of Amnesty International. Good thing, therefore, that I was able to say my...
Service Trip? India?
If you have ever considered going on a service trip, this video (created by SMUS student Olivia Sorley) may motivate you to sign up! She...
Student Short Film Tops VFF Contest
http://vimeo.com/81909195
Grade 12 student Olivia Sorley took first place in the Senior student category for the Victoria Film Festival, which officially begins on February 7,...
Young Designers Revive House Shirts
The Middle School house shirts have undergone an overhaul thanks to some talented student artists. Every Middle School student submitted at least one t-shirt...
Bamfield Trip Fuels Environmental Science Experience
Way back in 2013, our AP Environmental Science students travelled to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. Soon after they returned, we received this great report...
All We Want for Christmas is SMUS
It wouldn't be the holidays at SMUS without the annual all-school assembly. From chipmunks to kings, the traditional student-led skewering of the faculty, a...
Dream Big: Alex
Earlier this year, we unveiled the new motto for our annual fund. The money raised supports many aspects of school life but in particular...
A Season of Giving
Our Middle School students put together 18 hampers to brighten the holiday for local families in need. Below, one of our students writes about...
Tiny Voices Perform Holiday Tunes
Our Junior School hosted their own very special Christmas concert this week. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed a few fun holiday pieces...
Writing for Human Rights
by Dariol Haydock, Assistant Director of Middle School
On December 10, the Middle School held our second annual Amnesty International Write for Rights event. In...
Take a (Virtual) Tour Around Campus
We're not trying to put our amazing Admissions tour ambassadors out of a job, but our new virtual walking tour is pretty sweet. Click...
Find Meaning in the Season
Our Carol Service encourages us all to connect with the spiritual side of this holiday season, whatever our faith or beliefs. Through music and...
Learning and the Brain: Cultivating Strengths
http://youtu.be/uEEj2m80o5k
How are our personal strengths defined? Often, other people - our parents, teachers and bosses - tell us what we are best at and...
YALP: Local Activists Inspire Grade 8 Students
by Aysha and Taylor, Grade 8
Aysha: Inspiration
When I was younger, I would see people on the streets who looked ragged and scruffy. I never...
YALP: Keynote Speakers Provide Fresh Perspective
by Zachary Kahn, Grade 12
Seeing as I had never been extremely involved with local poverty and never having attended a conference like this, I...
SMUS in the News: Heather Clayton on Real Parenting
CFAX 1070
November 16, 2013
Director of Learning Heather Clayton
Real Parenting on CFAX (beginning at 34:50 mark)
Remembrance Day: A Collective Experience
Remembrance Day on the SMUS campus is marked with special ceremonies, traditions and this year, a first.
As you may have seen on the livestream...
Eco-Warriors in Their Natural Habitat
by Terra, Grade 7
On October 29th, the Middle School Eco-Warriors went down to Uplands Park and worked on restoring the Garry Oak ecosystem there....
A Hectic Halloween
Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 had a very happy Halloween, showing off some amazing costumes and enjoying all sorts of spirited activities.
Both the...
The Consequences of Cyberbullying
by Saje, Grade 8
Bullying in the world is a big problem, but cyber bullying is often much worse in today's digital world. On the...
Throwing the Doors Wide Open
Eager to show their pride in the school, our Grade 5 leaders have been touring prospective parents around the Junior School. This is what...
Dream Big: Our New Annual Fund
For over 20 years, the SMUS community has come together to support our school and our students through the Annual Fund. This year, the...
Examining Introversion and Extraversion
Based on the best-selling book Quiet, Director of Learning Heather Clayton gives parents insight into how introverts and extroverts behave in different situations and...
Thanksgiving, Canadian Style
The Top Five Canadian Thanksgiving Traditions
5. Watch sports on television
4. Get outside!
3. Give thanks for health, family and friends
2. Spend time with family
1. Eat....
Excellence in all of us
The information that sweeps over new parents has been flowing – and overflowing – for several weeks now. It does ebb, if any new...
Starting at SMUS: A Parent Perspective
One of the most important aspects to becoming a boarder at SMUS is the new boarder orientation. Sculpted by the Admissions team and aided...
Starting at SMUS: A Student Perspective
by Elaine, Grade 10 boarder, Symons House
Last Christmas, I got an email from SMUS and it gave me the email address of a girl...
Two Steps Closer to a Graceful Space
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
Over the past week, our Junior School faculty, parents and neighbours have had opportunities to share their thoughts...
Terry Fox Run: A Canadian Tradition
Each September for the last 33 years, Canadians have run to remember one of our heroes: Terry Fox. Terry lost his leg to cancer...
A Joyful Approach to Education
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
Last night was the Junior School Curriculum Night, an opportunity for parents to not only meet their son's...
The Mission
At this time of year I refer to our School’s Mission frequently. It is a time of numerous parent evenings, when they meet the...
All Aboard!
As students have written in recent Link Leader program posts, it's not always easy coming to a new school. Imagine, then, if you were...
Leadership Via Horsemanship
On Thursday, our new Prefects, Heads of House and Council Heads jumped the Clipper ferry to make the annual journey down to Silk Purse...
Follow Me: Link Leaders
Last week, we talked about our two student-led welcome programs for new students from the perspective of the newcomer. This week, two Grade 12...
Our Growing School
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
The school year is off to a fantastic start and everyone at the Junior School is talking about...
Meet Your Head Boy and Girl
Dear New SMUSdents,
Welcome! On behalf of the entire school, we welcome you to our SMUS family! As you may already know, our school welcomes...
From Secret Garden to Shakepeare
After taking on the role of Mary in the SMUS production of The Secret Garden last year, Grade 12 student Ellen Law spent her...
A Junior Welcome
Our Oak Bay campus was a bustling place as our students returned to school and two new classes of kindergarten students arrived. Our Grade...
Kindergarten
After living through several decades of Septembers in the teaching life, this September I am also experiencing it as the grandfather of a four-year-old...
Graduation: A Rite of Passage
by Darin Steinkey, Senior Houseparent, Timmis House
There are different types of energy all rolled into one when it comes to a graduation ceremony. There’s...
A Fitting Close to the Grade 9 and 10 Year
by Darin Steinkey, Senior Houseparent, Timmis House
A colleague sitting next to me mentioned how much she enjoyed what she called the "lighter" closing ceremony....
Middle School Closing Ceremonies
The Middle School ceremony is always an interesting mix of perspectives. Students from Grade 6 are celebrating their first year at the Middle School,...
Junior School Closing Ceremonies
Director of Junior School Nancy Richards opened the Closing Ceremonies, sharing both the perspective of the teachers and the students on the past year....
Reflections on India
by Darin Steinkey
Each member of this group has spent time in India and wanted to share their impressions in Chapel. Whether it was a...
Annual Fund Scholars: Dawit
Dawit Workie first came to SMUS in Grade 8, joining our boarding community and settling in to life not too far away from his...
Lifers
SMUS "Lifers" are students who have spent their school lives at SMUS. This year, Grade 12 lifers will finally be leaving the SMUS nest....
Mindfulness
by Virginia Ronning, counsellor
The 21st Century learner has to keep up with a grueling pace of change, and it’s our job at SMUS to...
iSpy: A Musical
by Stephanie Geehan, teacher
It has been a lot of fun putting together this musical. The journey began around this time last year, when I...
Idols and Heroes
Excerpt from my talk at Leavers’ Chapel, June 7, 2013
To talk about heroes at graduation time is common, even easy. In the popular media...
Gratitude for War Child & Keep the Beat
Words by Lindon Carter, Grade 12; video by Olivia Sorley, Grade 11; pictures by Song Panvichean, Grade 10 and Darin Steinkey
My first year in...
An Olympian End
After a year of intense competition - both physical and mental - the house games season wrapped up this weekend with the House Olympics....
Differences
Earlier this week I heard a group of our teachers reflect upon the completion of their stint in our Learning Institute, organized by Director...
Campuses Unite in Song
by Darin Steinkey
I love shooting pictures at Christ Church. Although it's dark, the light is usually fairly even and the performers are set against...
A Blind Date With A Book
by Eva Grant, Grade 10
The Book Club worked hard last week and the week before to prepare for our pilot project for Grade 9:...
Alumni Return
It was a bright and beautiful weekend this past weekend, as alumni returned to campus for our annual Alumni Weekend. The SMUS community welcomed...
In Memory of David Gauthier
by Laura Authier
Another op’nin, another show
In Philly, Boston, or Baltimo’
A chance for stage folks to say hello!
Another op’nin of another show…
Four weeks, you rehearse...
Annual Fund Scholars: Kali
Albertan boarder Kali Salmas has made the most out of her two years at SMUS. A fixture in our music program, she's also made...
Pitt Meadows, and remembering
You know you are no longer in Vancouver when you are enveloped in the scent of horse farms, that combination of hay and manure,...
Banding Together for a Farewell Concert
by Erin Anderson, editor
It was an exciting and moving concert that marked John Reid’s final appearance on UVic’s Farquhar stage. Special guests, dedicated songs...
No Batteries Required
Just in time for Earth Week, we spoke to Ann Makosinski, whose human-powered flashlight just won her a trip to the Canada-Wide Science Fair....
Cross Campus Strings: Firsts and Finals
In the opening show of concert season at SMUS, the Cross Campus Strings featured appearances (musically, anyway) from Mahler, Saint-Saëns, the League of Legends...
Building A Better Brain
SMUS held its first annual Brain Awareness Week from April 5-12 in order to educate our entire community about not only how our brains...
India: A Festival of Colours
by David Boroto, Grade 11
India. Just a few weeks ago the word was a mystery to me and nine other SMUS students and staff....
Island Leadership for Bolton Boys
Boarding is bursting with leadership opportunities, and a group of Grade 11 boarders dedicated last weekend to building their leadership skills. Travelling to Tortoise...
Nicaragua: Changes
by Claudia Wheler, Grade 10
Going to Jiquilillo, Nicaragua was a whole new experience for me. I had never been on a service trip -...
Mexico: My First Service Trip
by Flora Feng, Grade 9
I once saw a man on TV, who spent a year doing service in Africa. His mind and values, and...
Paris and Amsterdam: Music & Culture
by Danny Park
Although it is difficult to express how spectacular this trip was, I will try.
On March 13th, 36 students and four wonderful music...
Model Students Replicate the UN
There's nothing unusual about SMUS students participating in a Model UN, but this week was the first time we involved some Middle School students...
Boarders Vs. the West Coast: A Lively Weekend
After the longer breaks, the boarding community comes back together with Community Weekends. This means our usual weekend activities are replaced with house activities...
SMUS in the News: Canadese gasten op Griftland
De Weekkrant
March 27, 2013
Canadese gasten op Griftland (in Dutch)
Translation
On the 21st of March, Griftland College had a visit from Canadian school St. Michaels University...
Squeezing the Brain
Yesterday at our weekly Management Team meeting, Heather Clayton, our Director of Learning, handed out to us little gray “squeeze-ball” models of the brain,...
Let’s Get Mathematical: The Challengers
For many, math may not be an exciting subject, but SMUS seems to have more than its share of avid mathematicians. Math contests bring...
Parents Get a Lesson on Learning
During the final week of the term, the Junior School parents are invited to the school to spend time with their child at a...
Energetic Cast Powers Annie
The Middle School launched their production of Annie on Thursday night and we have three reflections on the play supplied by actors from last...
Annual Fund Scholars: Remy
Three years ago, Remy Furrer was told he shouldn't even bother going to high school. Now he is set to graduate and attend university.
When...
Black History Month
Students from around the world celebrated Black History Month in one of the most exuberant and power-packed chapel services of the year. We hear...
Unearthing The Secret Garden
by Erin Anderson, editor
When I first heard SMUS would perform The Secret Garden, I recalled the book I read as a child, and thought,...
Pink Shirts Remind Us To Be Kind
This Wednesday, students wore pink shirts to show their support for a bullying-free atmosphere. Pink Shirt Day, an international movement against bullying, was celebrated...
Annie Prepares to Take the Stage
Next week, the Middle School will be on the McPherson stage, debuting their production of Annie. For a three-day run, there is much work...
Buddies With Books
Our reading buddies program brings Junior School kids to the Senior School throughout the year to share their favourite books with older SMUS students....
SMUS in the News: Scholarship Benefits Portland Teen
Portland Observer
February 27, 2012
Paris Lowe '13
Scholarship Benefits Portland Teen
Remembering Felicity
Students and staff received some sad and shocking news this week, as Felicity Tallboy, one of our Learning Resource staff, passed away suddenly on...
Mardi Gras, Brains & Badminton
With so much going on in the day-to-day life of the community, the chance to relax, have some fun and add a little competition...
Bonding Through the Buddy Program
At the Junior School, classes are paired together as a part of the buddy program. The intermediate students are all paired with a primary...
Not the Usual Daily Grind
by Natrine Cheuk, Grade 12 boarder and Business Club Executive
The Daily Grind is a cafe ran entirely by the members of the Business Club....
Early Investigation Helps Course Selection Success
by Denise Lamarche, Director of Academics
With the deadline for course selection at the Senior School less than a month away, now is the time...
Parents Tell Us: Why SMUS?
Why do parents choose SMUS for their kids? This week, the SMUS Open House will bring a lot of new families to campus, some...
Boarders Take a Photo Stroll
A "photo stroll" is just as relaxed as it sounds. Boarders hop on the bus and arrive at Willow's beach, Royal Roads University or...
A Report from the Slopes
by Jamison and Sam, Grade 8
The Grade 8 ski trip was a great opportunity for new and experienced boarders/skiers to hit the hills, while...
An Educational Exchange
Grade 11 student Kalkidan Amare didn't know quite what to expect when she signed up for our student exchange program and spent a term...
Diplomat Tony Quainton ’46 Talks Politics
by Athena Kerins, Grade 10
When I first learned about Mr. Quainton’s impressive career in diplomacy, I expected his speech to be very cagey. I...
Are You Having a "Good Day"?
by Darin Steinkey
Reverend Fletcher led us in an exercise of gratitude this past Sunday in chapel. We all took a moment to breathe and...
New Year, New Clubs
by Kathleen Cook
The clubs and activities at the Junior School will continue this term, with several new offerings for the children. Teachers and guest...
A Celebration for All Ages
The holiday season is always a busy one at SMUS, but every year we make time to come together for a fun-filled assembly, featuring...
Holiday Songs Brighten Winter Season
Carols are a staple of Christmas celebration, and with a student body packed with amazing singers, it seems only natural that SMUS contributes a...
Annual Fund Scholars: Charlie
With the end of the school term and 2012 fast approaching, it is a great opportunity to check in with the Annual Fund. Strong...
Celebration and Contemplation in Boarding
by Kyus, Grade 10 boarder
The SMUS Christmas Gala was easily the best formal event I've been to in years! I always love an excuse...
Songs and Stories for the Season
The SMUS community filled the historic Christ Church Cathedral for its first all-school carol service. There were 300 performers, three schools and a packed...
Brain Series II: The Surprising Science of Success
Heather Clayton's most recent talk in the Learning and the Brain Series examines the ideas of Carol Dweck and Paul Tough, who make some...
Boarders Give Thanks for a Common Bond
by Acacia Welsford, Grade 10
Thanksgiving is a holiday where families and friends get together to reflect on all the things that brought them there,...
Best Coast Living: Surf. Bike. Home by Dinner.
Video by Zyoji Jackson, Middle School Teacher, Senior Houseparent
Music: Dirt (Jahzzar) / CC BY-SA 3.0
One of the great advantages to living in Victoria is the...
Students Scare Hunger
by Livia, Grade 8
On Halloween, we participated in a fundraiser called We Scare Hunger that was started by an organization called Free the Children....
Junior School Barn Dance 2012
by Allison Fowler
Greetings y’all! It was so great to see so many students, parents, extended family, and teachers at this year's Barn Dance. 416 people came...
We Mark Their Sacrifice and See Our Promise
by Keven Fletcher, Chaplain
If you were to pick up pen and paper and write a letter setting out your life this week…
If you were...
And the Winner Is…
This year, we put our second annual Outdoor Education Photo Contest online and let everyone vote on the strongest photos. Thanks to everyone who...
Remembrance
Yesterday we had our Junior School Remembrance Day service, an occasion appropriately pitched at those young children. Today we had the Remembrance Day Service...
Eat, Drink and Be Scary in Boarding
While some people find school itself terrifying, fear takes on a whole new meaning at SMUS during Halloween. Timmis House continued a tradition of...
We Day and CAIS Launch Leaders
Two major — but very different — events have given Middle School students a chance to sharpen their leadership skills. Several students travelled to...
Simon’s Struggle: Overcoming the Odds
SMUS recently hosted Simon Ibell '96, our 2012 Distinguished Alumnus (Philanthropy). Simon began his visit at the Junior School before going on to speak...
Boarders Without Borders
by David, Grade 11 boarder
Boarders Without Borders was a great experience for me. I did it last year, and had a wonderful time, so...
New Year, New Chance to Give
As visitors to SMUS may have noticed, the Annual Fund for the year has begun. The banners are up on both campuses, the donation...
The Brain Series: Developing True Grit
by Darin Steinkey
SMUS Director of Learning, Heather Clayton, likes to talk about failure. In fact, she is so into failure that she used an...
Junior School Kicks Up Its Heels
Junior School students, faculty and families were able to mix and mingle at the Barn Dance again this year, donning cowboy hats and plaid...
The Learning Institute: A Look at Student-Centred Education
The Learning Institute is a petri dish for teachers to test out new approaches and techniques that they believe will improve their effectiveness in...
Something Wicked for SMUS Boarders
"You are an ambitious soul, Macbeth. You long for greatness, but will you be wicked enough?"by Martha Cohn, Grade 10 boarder
On Tuesday evening, October...
Open House Ambassadors Share Their Favorite Things
On Friday, the Junior School will welcome many Open House visitors, who will be greeted by our Grade 5 students. As our school leaders,...
Thanksgiving in Action: Food for Thought
With so many reasons to be thankful, it is important to stop and show our gratitude. Each year, we give thanks by treating the...
Visitors Help Connect Language to Culture
Ten university students from Morioka, Japan came to Canada for two weeks to learn about and experience Canadian culture. The students visited our Japanese...
Swimming, Slugs, Flashmobs and Fire: Boarding Hits the Town
This past weekend a full docket of activities topped the schedule in boarding. With trips to Commonwealth Pool for a swim, Fired Up! Ceramics...
Welcome to Our New Website
As many of you may have noticed, our website has been given a makeover during the summer. We're very happy with the result and...
Clubs and Councils On Display
This week, students and faculty filled the Senior School quad for the Council Fair, showcasing some of the extracurricular options available to Senior School...
Students Get a Taste of Nature at Camp Pringle
by Sara Ritchie
The Grade 4 and 5 students challenged themselves in a number of outdoor activities this week at Camp Pringle on Shawnigan Lake....
Boarding Welcomes the World
by Darin Steinkey, Senior House Parent
Imagine, if you will, what it's like to arrive on our campus as a student during Orientation Week. You...
Junior School Cooks Up Family Fun
On Friday, September 7, the Junior School community gathered for the annual Welcome Back Family Barbeque. It was a beautiful, sunny evening and there...
SMUS is Number One in Advanced Placement Ranking
Our school recently received some truly outstanding news from the College Board: we have been ranked the number-one school in Canada for “equity and...
Senior Students Strongest Link for Newcomers
Seeing a friendly face can really take the stress out of joining a new school. The Link Leader program aims to connect Senior School...
Middle School Caught Up in WEB
by Anna C, Grade 6
On September 5th, all the Grade 6 students gathered in the single gym to prepare for a whole morning set...
Double the Fun at the Junior School
by Nancy Richards, Director
It is an historic week for SMUS as another Kindergarten class is added to the Junior School! Thirty-five four- and five-year-olds...
Grads of 2012 Celebrate and Reflect
by Erin Anderson, editor
For the Grade 11 and 12 students, the end of the school year has a special significance. For Grade 11...
Diverse, Polite, Driven: Grades 9 and 10 Close Out Their Year
It was a night of music, awards and proud parents. The Grades 9 and 10 Closing Ceremony honoured the hard work of these classes...
Middle School Celebrates End of Year
The Middle School ended the year with a wonderful celebration of the wide range of experiences students had throughout the year. Director of School...
2011-2012 Boarding Year in Review
From a smoking hot opening day to the House Olympics, it was a stellar year in boarding. The video slideshow below shows the year...
Online Reputations Need Careful Cultivation
Tony Wilson has a message for young job seekers: beware of your online footprint. Your prospective employers are using the internet to find out...
Olympian Efforts in Boarding
Video by Darin Steinkey; Photos by Chris Bateman
Music: Cold Cold Kiss by Oh! Belgium CC BY-SA 3.0
With the London Olympics just around the corner,...
Stories from the Annual Fund: Megan Parker ’11
Judy Pryce remembers vividly the phone call that changed everything for her daughter Megan Parker. As a new SMUS student in Grade 6, it...
Heading Outdoors: to Hope and Beyond
Photos by Kali Salmas
by Kali Salmas, Grade 11 boarder
Waking up to a beeping noise near my head, I stretched and immediately contracted into a...
Athletics Review: Solid Service Game Powers Teams
Pictures by Kerry Chan
May 23
Tennis
by Jamie Prsala, tennis coach
The SMUS tennis team had an eventful past couple of weeks. After defeating GNS and Esquimalt...
Reflection: the Key to Experiential Learning
by Becky Anderson, Director of Leadership
“Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.”
- Confucius
I...
Greek Gods Rise at Junior School
by Olivia, Grade 5
We had a fun Greek festival. Before today we studied a Greek god or goddess of our choice. Using our knowledge,...
Another Amazing Alumni Weekend
by Erin Anderson, editor
Alumni Weekend, an annual event where SMUS alumni return to campus, ran from May 4-6 and featured all kinds of events...
SMUS Expands to Welcome a New Class
by Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
This week, a very special event took place at the Junior School. We enthusiastically welcomed the kindergarten...
Stories from the Annual Fund: John Herpers ’64
John Herpers '64 knows from personal experience that the right school at the right time in a young person’s life can make all the...
Grade 8 Boarders Farm for a Cause
Photos by Kevin Lin
by Jerry, Grade 8 Boarder
In honour of Earth Day, all the Grade 8 boarders went to Woodwynn Farms on Saturday, April...
SMUS Sailors Ahoy!
Photos by Richard DeMerchant
by Sena, Grade 8
The SALTS trip was an extraordinary experience! During the Spring Break, a group of approximately 25 Grade 7...
Spring Break Stories: Buenos Aires
Photos by Shayla Baumeler, Grade 11
by Ethel Kiggundu, Grade 11 boarder
On March 15, twelve students and three chaperones embarked on a trip that would...
Athletics Review: Rugby and Regattas and Provincials, Oh My!
2012 Rugby Tour
by Ian Hyde-Lay
On March 16, 38 boys, comprising the bulk of the Senior and Junior rugby squads, along with four staff, departed...
Rugby Tour Wrapping Up
As the SMUS rugby tour winds down this weekend, catch up on their adventures by visiting the blog at blogs.smus.bc.ca/rugby.
SMUS Shows LGBT Pride
Video by Darin Steinkey
by Erin Anderson, editor
Last week, SMUS celebrated Pride with a lunchtime concert, Pride merchandise and a special presentation from Grade 11...
Japanese Visitors Share Traditions
by Dawn Wilson, Director of Education Extension
Last Friday, a group of 35 students from Fukushima Seikei High School in Japan visited the school. They...
SMUS French Teacher Honoured
by Xavier Abrioux, Director of the Middle School
This week, Middle School French teacher Karen Oraas was celebrated at a ceremony at the legislature. Karen...
Students Take Charge of Parent-Teacher Interviews
by Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
During the final two weeks of Term Two each year, the Junior School students turn the traditional...
Students Celebrate Their Natural Selves
Last week, the Fashion Club hosted All Natural Day to promote awareness about self esteem and natural beauty. Students were asked to come to...
Selling profound ideas
Our mission is full of words that invite pompousness and overblown expression; these same words often also trigger cynicism and scorn: “excellence”, “passion”, “compassion”;...
Guys and Dolls: Share Your Perspective
Photos by Kent Leahy-Trill
More photos in the SMUS photo gallery.
by Erin Anderson, editor
The SMUS production of Guys and Dolls wraps up on Saturday night...
Black History Chapel Features Personal Stories
The Black community hosted a special chapel to celebrate Black History Month. With personal stories from Africa, Canada and the United States, to step-dancing...
100th Day of School Cause for Celebration
by Kathleen Cook
We had an amazing week with the celebration of 100th Day last Wednesday. The students have been bringing in soup cans for...
SMUS in the News: Out There On Their Own
February 25, 2012
Lodi News-Sentinel
Stefan Fuller
Out There On Their Own
Stories from the Annual Fund: Cathy and Charley
by Erin Anderson, editor
Visitors to SMUS often comment on how beautiful our campus is. Part of that beauty can be credited to Cathy Beglau,...
The Brain Series Winds Up
by Erin Anderson, editor
Since September, Director of Learning Heather Clayton has hosted a series of talks to share her knowledge of the brain with...
Super Sunday in Boarding
Photos by Ian Robertson and Craig Farish
Reflections on Boarding Super Sunday
by Mehrab Khazei, Grade 8 Boarder
This weekend was one of the best weekends that...
Student Group Seeks Justice
The SMUS Justice Action Group was out in the quad this week to collect signatures for a letter they are sending out to Rt....
Outdoor Education Offers Beaver Tails and Snow Flurries
by Mike Danskin '98, coaching intern and house parent
5:15 am comes early on a Saturday morning. There were plenty of pillows stuffed under arms...
Model UN: Suit Up and Move Out!
Saving the Committee One Resolution at a Time
by Kai Newman, Jennifer Park, Jacky San and Andrew Kang
This January, SMUS delegates participated in the annual...
Learn, Lead and Serve – Without Frontiers
by Denise Lamarche, Director of Academics
As I sit on the plane returning from the Learning Without Frontiers 2012 conference in London, this seems like...
Parents and Students Learn About The Admissions Game
by Christine Wenzel, parent
This week, our University Counseling Department hosted Peter Van Buskirk, a dynamic motivational speaker and founder of The Admission Game. His...
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like… January
by Erin Anderson, editor
Snow is still a pretty special event in Victoria, so it's not surprising that many people were excited to see the...
Stories from the Annual Fund: Susan Xu and George Luo
“Every year, we give to the Annual Fund,” says Susan Xu, a current parent. “Every year, we feel we should do more.”
In 2006, Susan...
Chess Champion Challenges Junior Students
by Tessa Lloyd, Junior School counsellor
From September to December, students had the opportunity to participate in Chess Club. Their teacher, Lynn Stringer, came each...
Classic Dinner and Chapel Music for Boarding
Community dinners are an opportunity for boarding students and houseparents to come together around a meal and enjoy each others' company. The first community...
Driver Training Goes Online
by Dawn Wilson, Director of Education Extension
One of the most important rites of passage in high school is getting a driver’s license, but this...
The Best SMUS Review Stories of 2011
by Erin Anderson, editor
Since we're embarking on a new year, we thought it was a good time to take a look back at the...
Back to School with SMUS Faculty
If you're like me, when you hear the phrase "back to school," you think of Rodney Dangerfield's 1986 return to college. Unlike the movie,...
A Look Ahead at 2012
As the calendar year ends, we still have six months left in the school year, and those months are some of our busiest times....
A SMUS Holiday Montage!
December is full of holiday celebration at SMUS. From the delicious shortbread cookies baked in Brown Hall to the pile of snow brought in...
An Interview with Dr. Samantha Nutt
On Tuesday, December 6, Scholar in Residence Dr. Samantha Nutt spoke at SMUS as part of her book tour to support the release of...
Carol Service Brings Holiday Spirit
Every year, the Senior, Middle and Junior Schools hold a carol service, a celebration of the season that also encourages us to reflect on...
Reading Makes Students Buddies
by Zeyn San, Grade 10
The buddy reading program is designed to instil a love of reading in young children. It takes place once a...
Primary Students Give Holiday Show
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 performed at a special tea for the grandparents and other guests last week. It was a wonderful and...
Stories from the Annual Fund: Jim Prentice ’49
Jim Prentice ’49 still remembers the freedom he experienced on the water as a youth. His life-long passion for boating and the outdoors is...
Students Dive Into Dodgeball
Students got some great exercise last week with a whole lot of dodgeball. Boarders began to practice their dodging skills through house games over...
A Uniquely Canadian Weekend for Grade 8 Boarders
Photo by Zoe Isberg
by Teresa Xu, Grade 8 boarder in Winslow House
This past week was amazing, especially the weekend activities. On Friday night, we...
Learning and the Brain Part 2: Postgame
In the second of three evenings devoted to the adolescent brain, Director of Learning Heather Clayton focused on what makes learning effective and how...
Teacher Susan Stenson Recognized by Prime Minister
Hinton Chair Susan Stenson, who began teaching at SMUS this September, was recently awarded a Certificate of Achievement from the Prime Minister's Awards for...
SMUS Continues to Support Liberian School
Last year, the SMUS community came together to raise funds to help a school in Liberia get a new roof and a latrine. Now,...
Stories from the Annual Fund: Keith Driscoll
Keith Driscoll's multi-faceted role at SMUS is special, but it’s not unique. A Middle School teacher, coach, house parent, and now Director of Residence,...
Learning and the Brain Part II Preview
by Heather Clayton, Director of Learning
"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." - Albert...
Remembrance Day at SMUS
Each year, our school holds a very special service for Remembrance Day. Combining drama, music, speeches and song, this ceremony helps us to reflect...
Reflections on Boarders Without Borders
by Evelyn Zapantis, Boarding Services
We had an all-time record of over 60 day families and 122 boarders for our annual Boarders Without Borders meal!...
Planting SEEDS of Sustainability
From pulling broom on Mt. Tolmie to favouring re-useable bags, purchasing bikes for boarding or replacing the aging boiler in School House, SMUS is...
A Howl of a Good Time in Boarding
It was a weekend full of Halloween-themed everything for boarders and house parents; from Brown Hall meals, to fireworks, to the boarding-wide talent show,...
Middle School Spends Day Serving Others
All the teachers and students at the SMUS Middle School spent their entire Thursday out in the community. From student musicians performing for senior...
SMUS in the News: Henry John Pemell Schaffter
The Globe and Mail
October 31, 2011
Henry John Pemell Schaffter
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/lives-lived/henry-john-pemell-schaffter/article2220229/
Student Photographers Capture Outdoor Adventures
There was a time on outdoor education trips that you didn't have to worry about how you looked because everyone else who hadn't showered...
SMUS Kicks Off the Annual Fund
As the 2011-2012 Annual Fund officially launched this week, Director of the Annual Fund Lori Adam, explains this year's focus, the spirit of giving,...
Dr. Lotus Vermeer ’86 Speaks to Junior and Senior Students
Last week, Dr. Lotus Vermeer '86 visited the Junior and Senior Schools to speak to students about her work in conservation and species recovery....
Junior Students Get Spooky for Halloween
The children of the Junior School are eagerly anticipating a wonderful afternoon of Halloween activities on Monday. This week they have been preparing for...
SMUS History Goes Online and Interactive
by Laura Authier
I love history. I love looking at old photographs and being surprised by what looks different and even more surprised by what...
Boarders Aim for Soccer Victory
Photos by Cheryl Murtland, Becky Anderson, Craig Farish, Ian Robertson & Darin Steinkey
Music by Kevin Macleod
Grade 8 Weekend Wrap-up
by Mehrab Khazei, Grade 8 Boarder
Last...
Term 1 – Senior School Clubs and Councils Schedule
There is so much going on at the school and it can be challenging to figure out where and when to be at different...
Model United Nations
Model United Nations are excellent hands-on opportunities to learn more about the way the United Nations functions. No experience is necessary and you will learn a...
Houseparents Offer Thanksgiving Food for Thought
by Keith Driscoll, Director of Residence
To give thanks causes us to stop for a moment and reflect upon what is going well in our...
Learning Centre Students Take the Lead
Research suggests that kids who understand their strengths and weaknesses are more able to advocate for their own learning needs. For the past three...
Inside Open House
Next Friday, on October 21, SMUS is holding its first Open House of the year. Despite becoming a staple SMUS event in recent years,...
Junior School Builds Foundations for Personalized Learning
by Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
Prospective families visiting the Junior School as part of the admissions process often comment on the warm,...
First Spirit Week Peps Up the Middle School
The Middle School House Council organized the very first Spirit Week, incorporating all kinds of events. On Monday, students were able to write little...
A Look Inside SMUS Chapel
Chapel is a weekly aspect of SMUS life and it is slightly different at all three schools. Though SMUS has an Anglican history, chapel...
A Parent Perspective on Heather Clayton’s Brain Series
by Dr. Lara Lauzon, parent
On Friday, September 30, as I was wading through my overflowing email in-basket I noticed an email from Laura Authier....
Simon Ibell ’96 Inspires Students
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0lmpYUoBFg
When Simon Ibell '96 visited SMUS this Monday, the event had a special significance: Simon chose his old high school to be the place...
Solar Panels Heat Up Boarding
Photos, graphs and charts by Craig Farish
Last year, the sustainability department at SMUS installed a solar hot water heating system on the top of...
Scholar in Residence Bruce Brown
by Orla Glen, Grade 12
On Friday, all Term 1 athletes had the honour of listening to the director of Proactive Coaching, Bruce Brown. Bruce...
Busy Weekend for Tigers and Superstars
Last weekend was a busy one for Service at SMUS. The Timmis Tigers spent Saturday morning on Mt. Tolmie with Dave Lock of the Mt....
Prefect Council Retreats!
Pictures by Cheryl Murtland
by Alexis Thind, Grade 12 boarder
As a group of twenty newly elected prefects, we traveled to Seattle for a leadership experience...
Wall-to-Wall Action for the Grade 8 Boarders
Pictures by Zoe Isberg
by Mehrab Khazei, Grade 8 boarder
This weekend was jam-packed — we got to do three activities!
On Friday night we went to...
SMUS Leadership Definition
I feel that is important to begin each year with intention and clarity. With that in mind, I look to our leadership definition to...
SMUS in the News: Why You Should Attend the SMUS Open House
OurKids.net Blog
September 21, 2011
Why You Should Attend the St. Michaels University School Open House
A Grand Opening for Boarders
by Sydney Fraser, Grade 11
The first week at a new school tends to be overwhelming, and my first week at SMUS was no exception....
Students Kick Off Athletic Season
"I challenge each and every student to get involved with athletics at the school. If you didn't play on a team last year, I...
Junior Students Describe Their First Week Back
The Junior School began its year with a welcome barbecue and all kinds of activities to help students settle back into the classroom. With...
SMUS in the News: Extracurricular programs can make the difference
September 13, 2011
The Globe and Mail
Sophia Niewerth '12
Extracurricular programs can make the difference
Students Start Year with Leadership
Both the Middle and Senior Schools welcomed their newest members with student-led programs designed to help their younger peers quickly settle into SMUS. Grade...
Boarding Community Comes Together
by Darin Steinkey, Timmis Senior Assistant House Parent
Summer on the Island may have been short on heat, but campus was smokin' over the Labour...
Summer Students Perform Fringe Hit
From Culture Vulture Victoria
by Chris Felling
Urinetown comes courtesy of the SMUS Theatre Intensive. It’s an unauditioned high school cast who, while still green, shows...
Extracurricular Clubs Debut at Junior School
Junior Students will have even more things to do this school year. Though there have always beens lots of things happening on campus, this...
SMUS in the News: Fringe Review: Urinetown
September 2, 2011
B Channel News
SMUS Summer Academy: Musical Theatre
Fringe Review: Urinetown
Last Chance for Summer Camps
Over the summer, the SMUS campuses have been far from quiet. There have been students living in residence, either working on their English language...
Summer Academy Students Present Modern Opera
On Friday, July 29, a small group of student vocalists will present Pandora's Locker, a one-act opera from Canadian composer Dean Burry.
Inspired by the...
SMUS in the News: It’s Not Over Till The Teenagers Sing
Victoria News
July 22, 2011
Summer Voice Academy
It's Not Over Till The Teenagers Sing
The Class of 2011 Is Going Places
Last Saturday, SMUS honoured the Class of 2011 as well as the achievements of next year's grads at the annual Closing Ceremonies and Grade...
Middle School Closing Ceremonies
The Middle School community celebrated a year of learning, fun and achievement last Friday with the annual Middle School Closing Ceremonies. Kicking off with...
Middle School House Games
by Lindy Van Alstine, Middle School Teacher
Last Wednesday, the Middle School was a buzz of activity in eager anticipation of the annual end-of-year House Sports...
Grads Say Farewell in Leavers’ Chapel
by Rachel Nam, Grade 12
Friday, June 10th, would be a day of “lasts” for the grads of 2011. The last day of high school,...
Junior School Closing Ceremonies
Director of Junior School Nancy Richard's Speech
As educators our image of the child, especially of young children, is changing. They are much wiser than...
Grade 9 and 10 Closing Ceremonies
SMUS celebrated the work of the Grade 9 and 10 students over the past year at a special ceremony. Students gave speeches, performed music...
Banquet Honours SMUS Athletes
The 2011 SMUS Athletic Banquet, featuring over 220 student-athletes, parents and sponsors, took place Wednesday, June 9 in the Monkman Athletic Complex.
Special guests included...
Musical Theatre Heats Up the Summer
Though SMUS students might be taking the summer off, the SMUS campus is keeping busy, hosting a variety of summer programs. The SMUS Summer...
SMUS Mathematicians Win Big at Provincials
by Andrew Kang, Grade 9
For two years, I have competed in the Math Challengers events, in Grades 7 and 8. This year, going...
SMUS Celebrates Pride Day
The SMUS Pride Alliance celebrated Pride Day on May 17th, which was also the International Day Against Homophobia. Students could buy SMUS Pride t-shirts...
The Tragedy of the Commons
Garrett Hardin first wrote about the tragedy of the commons in the journal Science in 1968. In this seminal work, Hardin described the dilemma...
“Reaching Beyond” Leadership Conference
Reflections from the Grade 11 Boarders Leadership Conference
by Lisa Chen (Symons House)
On April 20, all of the Grade 11 boarders got on a bus heading...
Grade 2 Class Makes Easter Creations
by Shae and Devon
When the Grade 2 class made Ukrainian eggs, we had to use a tool called a kistka. We put beeswax in...
My Experience at the Montreal International Congress
by Sena Lee, Grade 11
Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine just had its 150-year anniversary. So in order to celebrate, students and the faculty invited people...
SMUS Student Shining on Japan Exchange
by Dawn Wilson, Director of Education Extension
Keenan Manhas has been studying at Fukuoka Daiichi High School in Fukuoka, Japan since September of last year....
Boarders and House Parents Play Hockey
Photos by Ian Robertson
by Jakobus Le Roux, Grade 12 BC boarder
Every year in April, a few students along with a group of SMUS faculty...
The Junior School Green Team
Sustainability is one of the Five Streams of Leadership at SMUS.
Before the break, anticipating Earth Week in the middle of April, I had the...
SMUS Teachers Enjoy Professional Development
This Tuesday, SMUS hosted Dr. John Medina, the New York Times bestselling author of Brain Rules, to talk about his findings into how children...
Survey Leads to Changes at Brown Hall
Recently, Brown Hall conducted an in-depth survey of staff and students, to find out how happy they were with Brown Hall. Thanks to an...
Last post from Italy and photo links
I have posted a few more photos to the Picasa site:
https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110327Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCJj2zveO-9ajOA#
This is probably the last post while on the trip as we are off...
March 27 Rome
Part of the group set off early to fly back home while the rest of us had a bit of a sleep in before...
March 26 – Rome
We began the day by driving into Rome and making our way to the Vatican. We toured the amazing galleries and spent time admiring...
Rome – March 25
We had another early start and made our way to Mary Mount International School where we had two performances. Though short, they were lots...
Florence
We had a great day exploring Florence. After our usual early start we began by exploring the market of San Lorenzo. After an hour...
Venice – March 23
After an early start, we drove to Venice where we were able to travel the entire length of the Grand Canal to St Mark's...
Verona
After a relaxed morning, we made our way to Heathrow for our flight to Italy. Flying over the Alps was spectacular. We arrived in...
Some more photos
A few photos form the 21st posted here: https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110321Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbp0vrfv7ucEQ#
Some more from abbey road and Stonehenge and Winchester here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110320Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCMDw9fy50Me4KQ#
March 22nd
We had another busy day! Some toured London by bus, others went to the Imperial War Museum, and others went to the Science museum...
London
After finishing our session at Abbey Road, we made our way to the hotel in central London. After dropping our bags we went to...
Abbey Road Studios
The entire group is currently at Abbey Road Studios! Here we are in the hallowed halls of music history! The students have been recording...
Our location in Winchester
In the google map shot below, you can see where we have been based in Winchester. We are right beside the Cathedral and just...
First photos posted
I have managed to get the first batch of photos posted - from the journey and the first day in Winchester.
You can find the...
Stonehenge and Salisbury
Our day at Stonehenge was more than we could have ever hoped for. After telling everyone how cold it would be on the open...
A great day in Winchester
The group had a magnificent English Breakfast to start the day and then went for a short walking tour of historic Winchester - the...
Au Revoir Nos Amis
The school bids farewell to some new friends this week as four Grade 11 students from Collège Sainte-Anne in Montréal finish a four-week exchange...
Winchester arrival
We all arrived safely at the Wessex Hotel this afternoon. The flight was uneventful, though long! We are based very close to the magnificent...
Plans for the blog
I hope to be able to update the blog regularly while we are on tour - whenever we have Internet access. I will be...
SMUS Celebrates Mardi Gras
The International Council and the Modern Languages Department organized some Carnival celebrations at the Senior School this Tuesday. At lunch, students enjoyed a performance...
SMUS Community Lends a Generous Hand
This week’s silent auction fundraiser for Gwendolen O’Connor was a resounding success. SMUS parent Patricia O’Neill, speaking on behalf of the parent group dubbed...
Leslie Hinton
Our school seeks the excellence in all of us. Students who have passed through our Junior School, and many others, will recognize this phrase...
Gwendolen’s Story
by Patricia O'Neill, SMUS Parent
Gwendolen is far from ordinary. Until last July, this angelic 16-year-old with her halo of golden curls and glorious smile...
Bon voyage
When thinking about the setting in which our teachers teach, I have always hoped it will be a place where they will grow and...
Allocations Update
Written by Krista Schlosser
This is the first Allocations blog I have written; in fact, this is the first blog I have EVER written! I...
SMUS Teacher Recognized by Stanford University
Senior School mathematics teacher Linda Rajotte was recently honored by Stanford University for her ability and influence as a teacher. Brandon Ewonus '10, who is...
Honesty
I have the opportunity to teach a unit in Health and Career Education to almost all of the grade 9 students. I focus on...
Insights From the Dominican Republic Trip
by Christina Chwyl, Grade 11
The Dominican trip was definitely worth the 48 hours of travel there. Although the orphanage didn’t need our help for...
The Birkman Method
Last Sunday night the School Prefects gathered for a potluck in Wenman Pavilion with the goal of taking time to reflect on the first...
SMUS Students Form Justice Action Group
There is a new student group at SMUS which is kicking off 2011 with some big plans. Led by Mr. David Lynch and Rev....
SMUS Teachers Spend a Day as Students
by Erin Anderson, editor
To start the new year, our faculty for Grades K-12 spent a day expanding their repertoire of teaching tricks and techniques....
Students Help Families Have a Happy Holiday
Over the past month, several homerooms have been collecting food and gifts for local families who could use a little help celebrating Christmas. This...
Boarders Tour Butchart Gardens Christmas Display
by Marisol Mayagoitia, Grade 10 boarder
I have visited Butchart Gardens during the summer a couple of times. Coming from Mexico, I was pretty amazed...
Connect Model United Nations
On November 19 - 21, 30 students from grades 9 - 12 and three teachers were in Vancouver for the Connect Youth Model United...
Middle School Adds to the Festival of Trees
by Robyn, Grade 7
Last week, a number of students from the Middle School went to the Fairmont Empress Hotel to take part in the...
Junior School Students Learn to Save Lives
by Nicky Newsome, Grade 5N teacher
The Junior Lifeguard Club has completed another successful year! Students in Grade 4 and 5 participated in a six-week...
Junior School Students Love Buddy Reading
There is excitement in the Senior School library on Mondays, as the Junior School students arrive to meet their senior buddies for buddy reading....
The Feast of Stephen
This is the season of light. We have had two Carol Services, and today is our whole-School Christmas assembly. This week is also the...
Grade 2 Bakers Whip Up Some Gingerbread
by Amalia, Grade 2
We are making delicious gingerbread in Grade 2! We got to mix the dry dough in our class and we did...
Bolton House Expands Knowledge of Its Namesake
by Brenda Waksel, archivist
Last week, we unveiled three posters depicting the life of William Washington Bolton, one of our founders and the namesake of...
Boarders Without Borders
Submitted by Shelley Austin, photos by Lisa Hopkins
The long circular driveway was clogged with cars at 5pm, Sunday Nov. 7, 2010. Boarders were streaming out...
Junior School Barn Dance
Submitted by Susan Ko
On October the 23rd, the Parents' Auxiliary put on a foot-stomping fun Barn Dance at the Junior School. We had over 300...
Quiz Night
On Friday, 5th November, parents, staff and friends organized themselves into teams to compete for the title of "Superbrains Champions Fall 2010" and for...
SMUS Students Get Spirited
by Erin Anderson, editor
This week was another fabulous SMUS Spirit Week, with some amazing new events.
In assembly on Tuesday, the entire school was dressed...
Boarders Get a Taste of Home
by Sophia Loers, Grade 11 boarder
Sunday evening. It´s cold outside. Four girls are waiting in the Symons foyer for their Boarders without Borders dinner....
Remembrance Day: Past and Present
Every year, SMUS commemorates Remembrance Day with a service that includes music, drama and prayer. This morning's service included a song from Head Boy...
Boarding Students Howl for Halloween
by Donna Williams, Senior School Strings Teacher and Winslow House Staff Member
On Halloween night the entire boarding community, some 250 students and over 30...
New Technology for the Junior School Classrooms
by Jane Rees, Junior School Teacher
New technology at the Junior School is helping to engage pupils and motivate learners in the classroom. iBoards are...
The Junior School Barn Dance Builds Community
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
There is no better way of bringing a school community together than with an old fashioned country Barn...
Mrs. Snowden Reads to Kindergarten Class
by Mrs. Joan Snowden
I loved being able to read to the Kindergarten class. They were all so willing to share themselves with me: Hallowe'en...
Outdoor Adventures: Rock Climbing
by Bairavi Murugakumar, Grade 11
Some of the best memories of the year are from outdoor trips. This year I went rock climbing in Penticton....
Business Club Manages the Daily Grind
by Brian Yen, Grade 12 boarder
This year’s Business Club, headed by myself and Sarah Kim under the direction of Mr. Hall and Mr. Liggett,...
Welcome Message from the PA President, Susan Ko
I'm tired, it’s 9pm, and I’m just back from the Junior School, having spent two hours helping to decorate the gym for this Saturday’s...
SMUS Review: The Time Benders
by Rachel Olson, Grade 8
As I walked along the stone-brick path to chapel, I thought what was about to happen was going to be...
Grade 11 Students Hit the Outdoors
by Meredith Witoski, Grade 12 trip leader
On Wednesday, September 29th at 7:45 am, I boarded a school bus with my Island Sampler Grade 11...
Grade 6 Students Go Outdoors
by Mattia, Grade 6
On September 27th, 2010, all Grade 6 students went to Metchosin Wilderness Camp. In one day at the camp we did...
Meeting the Needs of all Learners
by Nancy Richards, Director of Junior School
As the Junior School faculty find creative ways to ‘fulfill the promise’ in each student and class throughout...
Prefects Learn to Lead
by Kath Roth, Director of Senior School
Silk Purse Farm lies nestled in the countryside of Washington State, about twenty miles southeast of Seattle. Its...
13: A SMUS Summer Musical
by Cormac O'Brien, Grade 10 student
This year, I had the pleasure and privilege to be part of the SMUS Summer Musical Theatre course, which...
Free the Children Co-founder Speaks at SMUS
by Madison Hadfield, Grade 11
Marc Kielburger and his brother Craig founded Free The Children in 1995 when Craig gathered 11 school friends to begin...
New Head of Brown Hall Cooks Up Changes
by Erin Anderson, editor
Students might notice the food at Brown Hall is a little different this year. Paula Henchion, who was previously our executive...
New Report Card Unveiled at Junior School
by Nancy Richards, Director of the Junior School
Last night’s Junior School curriculum night was well attended by parents and one of the highlights of...
Inspiring
One of the highlights of this week greeted me on Tuesday morning, in a special section in the Globe and Mail newspaper on independent...
Q&A with Head Boy and Girl: Part 2
by Erin Anderson, editor
As the leaders of the Prefect Council, the Head Boy and Head Girl have a lot of responsibilities, from running assembly...
SMUS: Where Everyone Belongs
by Owen, Grade 8
Where Everyone Belongs or WEB is the name of a newly developed leadership programme for Middle School students. The WEB leader...
Junior School Welcomes Families with Food
by Kathleen Cook, Admissions
The Junior School celebrated the beginning of another year that past Friday with its traditional welcome barbecue. All families, staff and...
Meet our New Director of Learning
by Erin Anderson
Last year, SMUS created a new position to examine how well the school's practices matched with new research into how our brains...
New Year, More Students
by Sue Saunders, Director of Admissions
The first week of September is an exciting time, especially for admissions. We welcome the families who we have...