SD62

Alex Fiset and Cooper Oakes, both Grade 4, running to the finish, raising money for the ALS Society of B.C. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)

John Muir students rally for ALS support

‘Hey ALS. Nobody likes you!’ the students yelled

Alex Fiset and Cooper Oakes, both Grade 4, running to the finish, raising money for the ALS Society of B.C. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)
Al Kowalko drives Sooke School District’s first electric bus that began operation in May. The board decided on June 15 that all future buses will be electric, asking the province for more funding to support the program. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

Sooke school board agrees to make all future buses electric

Board to ask province to increase funding to cover the extra up front cost

Al Kowalko drives Sooke School District’s first electric bus that began operation in May. The board decided on June 15 that all future buses will be electric, asking the province for more funding to support the program. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
EMCS Concert Band performing last year at Band Fest at the University of Victoria. (Neal Beattie photo)

Sooke youth bands hit high notes at MusicFest

Gold standard music coming out of Sooke schools, according to national judges

EMCS Concert Band performing last year at Band Fest at the University of Victoria. (Neal Beattie photo)
Lake Forgie, left, and Tyson Robinson play Mrs. and Mr. Jabinksy the parents of the groom in Scenes from a Wedding, in which Kinsey D’Archangelo is the bride, Lizzie Wellington. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)

Lights, camera, COVID compliance

How Sooke high school students staged a musical during a pandemic

Lake Forgie, left, and Tyson Robinson play Mrs. and Mr. Jabinksy the parents of the groom in Scenes from a Wedding, in which Kinsey D’Archangelo is the bride, Lizzie Wellington. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)
Langford’s Spencer Middle School will receive a $1 million HVAC upgrade as part of the Sooke School District’s $2.5 million in capital funding from the province. (Black Press Media file photo)

West Shore schools to receive infrastructure upgrades

Provincial funding will cover cost of school bus as well as roofing, HVAC improvements

Langford’s Spencer Middle School will receive a $1 million HVAC upgrade as part of the Sooke School District’s $2.5 million in capital funding from the province. (Black Press Media file photo)
Edward Milne Community School graduates will celebrate together, apart on June 29 and 30. (File - Black Press Media)

EMCS graduates to cross the stage June 29, 30 in live streamed ceremonies

Grad ceremonies have pivoted several times, but will go ahead with subdued aplomb

Edward Milne Community School graduates will celebrate together, apart on June 29 and 30. (File - Black Press Media)
Colwood’s Royal Bay Secondary School. SD62 has entered into an agreement with Colwood, Langford and Sooke to improve community planning for shared-use facilities. (Black Press Media file photo)

SD62, Langford, Colwood and Sooke work towards expanded development

Agreement will increase collaboration between the school district and municipalities on public works

Colwood’s Royal Bay Secondary School. SD62 has entered into an agreement with Colwood, Langford and Sooke to improve community planning for shared-use facilities. (Black Press Media file photo)
Leadership students Anya Ralph, Sejal Hagam, Sophie Venables, Michaela Sarvis, and Braeden Pollard welcome students to the last semester of the school year. (RIck Stiebel/News Staff)

Belmont students usher in last semester in style in Langford

Video shares celebrate student accomplishments from unusual year

Leadership students Anya Ralph, Sejal Hagam, Sophie Venables, Michaela Sarvis, and Braeden Pollard welcome students to the last semester of the school year. (RIck Stiebel/News Staff)
Marlene Clifton says all Canadians need to learn the whole awful truth of residential schools. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

Sooke School District responds to heartbreak of residential schools with learning opportunities

The Gazette offers some Indigenous learning resources for readers to start with

Marlene Clifton says all Canadians need to learn the whole awful truth of residential schools. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Adryanna Ralphs, left, and valedictorian Alyssa Taylor graduate from Edward Milne Community School in Sooke this year, in a weird, different, kiboshed and subdued kind of way. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke grads preparing for subdued — but still dressed up — graduation

There will be no prom, but there will be dresses and suits

Adryanna Ralphs, left, and valedictorian Alyssa Taylor graduate from Edward Milne Community School in Sooke this year, in a weird, different, kiboshed and subdued kind of way. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)
Royal Bay Secondary School’s rainbow crosswalk was vandalized shortly after being painted but by Monday, coincidentally the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the crosswalk had been cleaned up and students had surrounded it with chalk messages of support and celebration. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

B.C. high school’s pride crosswalk restored following ‘hateful’ graffiti attack

Hate terms, racial slur, phallic images spray-painted at Greater Victoria high school

Royal Bay Secondary School’s rainbow crosswalk was vandalized shortly after being painted but by Monday, coincidentally the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the crosswalk had been cleaned up and students had surrounded it with chalk messages of support and celebration. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Royal Bay Secondary School’s rainbow crosswalk was vandalized shortly after being painted but by Monday, coincidentally the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the crosswalk had been cleaned up and students had surrounded it with chalk messages of support and celebration. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

Royal Bay pride crosswalk restored following graffiti attack

Hate terms, racial slur, phallic images spray-painted at Colwood high school

Royal Bay Secondary School’s rainbow crosswalk was vandalized shortly after being painted but by Monday, coincidentally the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the crosswalk had been cleaned up and students had surrounded it with chalk messages of support and celebration. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Al Kowalko shows off the province’s first electric school bus, running kids to three elementary and two secondary schools on the West Shore. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

West Shore proud owners of B.C.’s first electric school bus

No emissions, no fuel costs and less maintenance will offset the $750K upfront expense

Al Kowalko shows off the province’s first electric school bus, running kids to three elementary and two secondary schools on the West Shore. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Spencer Middle School doesn’t actually have a detailed dress code, but an email suggesting a connection between warm weather and code violations started an online storm. (Zoe Ducklow|News Staff)

‘Distractive’ clothing reminder leaves West Shore parents layering complaints

Dress code reminder sparks outrage among parents for being sexist

Spencer Middle School doesn’t actually have a detailed dress code, but an email suggesting a connection between warm weather and code violations started an online storm. (Zoe Ducklow|News Staff)
Arabella Showers and Hunter Sayle, both in Grade 3, have helped with the West Shore garden this year. Hunter loves Swiss chard, which he’s munching on here. Arabella’s favourite is beets. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)

Student harvested, sorted, packed seeds set for sale at Langford store

Gardens went to seed over COVID, now seeds are packaged for sale

Arabella Showers and Hunter Sayle, both in Grade 3, have helped with the West Shore garden this year. Hunter loves Swiss chard, which he’s munching on here. Arabella’s favourite is beets. (Zoe Ducklow/News Staff)
Esquimalt High School is one of six Greater Victoria schools that reported a COVID-19 exposure over the weekend. (Black Press Media file photo)

Six new Greater Victoria school exposures reported over weekend

Steady rise in school exposures since return from spring break

Esquimalt High School is one of six Greater Victoria schools that reported a COVID-19 exposure over the weekend. (Black Press Media file photo)
NEW CUTLINE Plans for graduations that abide by provincial health guidelines are underway, says Scott Stinson, superintendent for the Sooke School District. (Pixabay) SD62 superintendent Scott Stinson says grade 12 students who are in a position to graduate at present will be able to do so, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. (Pixabay)

Grad celebration expectations stay flexible in Sooke School District

SD62 prepared to craft videos during pandemic protocols

NEW CUTLINE Plans for graduations that abide by provincial health guidelines are underway, says Scott Stinson, superintendent for the Sooke School District. (Pixabay) SD62 superintendent Scott Stinson says grade 12 students who are in a position to graduate at present will be able to do so, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. (Pixabay)
Ravi Parmar, chair of the Sooke School District Board of Education, says the two new schools set to open in Langford in 2022 are part of long-term plans to address growth on the West Shore. (Black Press Media file photo)

New Langford schools on schedule

Two new schools will add 1,200 spaces in 2022

Ravi Parmar, chair of the Sooke School District Board of Education, says the two new schools set to open in Langford in 2022 are part of long-term plans to address growth on the West Shore. (Black Press Media file photo)
Retired SD62 custodian Jim Black brought his ‘pack’ of BARK ambassadors to a drive-thru for David Cameron Elementary School students during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Black championed the BARK program, which encouraged students to keep their school and homes clean. (Courtesy of David Cameron Elementary)

Colwood custodian’s dachshund-inspired cleaning program a delight for students

Retired elementary school custodian’s BARK program a hit with the kids

Retired SD62 custodian Jim Black brought his ‘pack’ of BARK ambassadors to a drive-thru for David Cameron Elementary School students during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Black championed the BARK program, which encouraged students to keep their school and homes clean. (Courtesy of David Cameron Elementary)
Belmont Secondary School is among those in the Sooke School District that benefit from a strong administrative approach to mental health resources and education. (Black Press Media file photo)

West Shore resident seeks more robust offerings for youth mental health

Sooke School District offers range of mental health education Kindergarten through Grade 12

Belmont Secondary School is among those in the Sooke School District that benefit from a strong administrative approach to mental health resources and education. (Black Press Media file photo)