News Archive

A longstanding tradition at Shawnigan, Deans' Dinner returned to the School on Tuesday, celebrating some of our top students with a special evening in the Hyde-Lay Pavilion.

 

Historically, Deans' Dinner has been held after each assessment period to recognize students who received the top scores in terms of effort. Over the years, so many students became eligible for the criteria that the event became less extraordinary. The last time it was held, two years ago, more students attended the dinner than didn’t. Mrs. Kirsi Lupton, Academic Dean (Junior Years) noted that the dinner “fizzled out.”

 

Recalling how special Deans' Dinner has been in the past, students pushed for its return. Earlier this year, Academic Prefect Olivia C. and the Academic Captains came forward with a proposal to bring back the event.

 

Students in Law 12 went to court this week in a series of mock trials designed to give them something close to first-hand experience of the legal system.

 

Four different classes all tried the same made-up case involving multiple faculty members: the attempted murder of Mr. Galen Loiselle by Mr. Tom Lupton, with several other teachers (played by students) called as witnesses. The real Mr. Loiselle teaches the Law 12 course and has been using the same case for a few years, providing a unique way for the students to engage with the course work.

 

“It’s fun for the students to play as their teachers,” noted Celeste C., who served on the jury for one of the mock trials.

 

Although the case was entirely fictional and the students took some dramatic liberties in the portrayals of faculty members, the mock trial was taken seriously and served as an excellent learning opportunity.

 

Mitchell Hall was transformed into a courtroom last week as Ms. Jennifer Manuel’s AP Literature 12 class held a landmark mock trial for one of literature’s most famous and controversial figures: Dr. Victor Frankenstein. But justice was not satisfied with just one case – his infamous Creature also stood trial in what became a riveting legal showdown filled with moral debate, philosophical wrestling, and dramatic oratory worthy of any real-world court.

 

The Frankenstein Trial was the culmination of weeks of preparation. Over the Christmas holidays, students read Frankenstein knowing in advance which legal team they would join – either prosecution or defence – for one of two trials:

 

The Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship for Academic Excellence was launched in 2021 with the intention of shedding light on aspects of academics that Shawnigan may not have previously explored, creating opportunities for students, teachers, and the rest of the Shawnigan community.

 

The current Bruce-Lockhart fellow, Mr. Mark Henry, is focusing his efforts on increasing awareness and incorporation of the Harkness learning method first in the social studies department and then in Shawnigan’s broader academic structure as a way to adapt to the rise of artificial intelligence.

 

Related to the Socratic method – which has stood the test of time for nearly 2,500 years – the Harkness method is discussion-based, and encourages critical thinking, empathy and collaboration. It has been adopted by many private schools, where its effectiveness is increased by smaller class sizes. In the age of AI, says Mr. Henry, it helps preserve a “truly human education, which aligns with the goals of the School and the social studies department.”