Academics
Reaching for the Stars
A star in the field of astronomy and astrophysics spent two weeks on campus just prior to the November Break, and in that short time shared his extensive knowledge of the cosmos, physics and coding, and inspired both students and staff at Shawnigan.
Dr. Jon Swift, an astrophysicist and the Director of the Observatory at Thacher School in Ojai, California, made countless contributions to the School during his short tenure as Astronomer in Residence.
“The work he did with all the science students, particularly the Grade 10s, was incredible,” said Mr. Nigel Mayes, Assistant Head Co-Curricular and science teacher. “He focused on what we do know and what we don’t know. He’s charismatic and engaging, and he could get the kids to really think.”
The seed of the idea for Dr. Swift's visit came from a visit to Thacher School last year by Head of School Mr. Richard (Larry) Lamont, Executive Director of Admissions Mrs. Gaynor Samuel, and Director of Alumni Relations Mr. Rhod Samuel as part of a tour of California boarding schools. During their time at Thacher, they toured the observatory and met Dr. Swift and invited him to visit Shawnigan.
Dr. Swift also helped reconfigure some of the equipment at Shawnigan’s own observatory and worked with the Astronomy 360 group to analyze data. While the group is good at taking photos of space, the new calibrations, Mr. Mayes said, are the first step in being reputable in a scientific sense, and should help Shawnigan students contribute to scientific research.
Dr. Swift also helped reconfigure some of the equipment at Shawnigan’s own observatory and worked with the Astronomy 360 group to analyze data. While the group is good at taking photos of space, the new calibrations, Mr. Mayes said, are the first step in being reputable in a scientific sense, and should help Shawnigan students contribute to scientific research.
“He’s a big inspiration for our students and our teachers,” Mr. Mayes commented. “He’s a PhD astrophysicist – it would take us years to catch up to what he is able to do.”
Head of Science Mr. Justin Wilke also spoke about the impact Dr. Swift had on students and staff.
“Dr. Swift integrated seamlessly into the Shawnigan science department,” Mr. Wilke said. “He gave special lectures to all eight sets of Science 10 on astronomy and cosmology. He also gave two lessons in coding to AP Computer Science. Amenable and personable, he gave the entire science faculty two sessions of professional development on integrating coding and other aspects of technology into science lessons; this was particularly valuable as the science department's goal is developing a digital journey/scope and sequence for Shawnigan science students.”
Dr. Swift had nothing but good things to say about the time he and his family spent at Shawnigan.
“My visit was an impactful experience that enriched my entire family in myriad ways,” he said. “From the first moments interfacing with the students on campus, I found that there was a culture of openness, respectfulness, and curiosity. I spent the most time with the students in the Astronomy 360 program, as one goal of my visit was to help build a scientific path forward for the observatory. Students were competent, motivated, and a pleasure to work with. I was very impressed with how far Mr. Mayes has carried his students in this program, and the evidence of their hard work and inspiration beautifully decorates the walls in classrooms and common areas. I very much enjoyed interfacing with other students in various contexts, including an open lecture on Soul Seeking day, presentations and open discussions in all Grade 10 science classes, and a few specialized lessons in the AP computer science class.”
Thank you to Dr. Swift for taking the time to work with Shawnigan’s students and staff! We are looking forward to developing a partnership with Thacher School.
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Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
