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Brentwood College School

Coordinates: 48°39′11″N 123°33′14″W / 48.65306°N 123.55389°W / 48.65306; -123.55389
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Brentwood College School
File:Brentwood College School Crest.gif
Address
Map
2735 Mount Baker Road

,
Information
School typePrivate Day and Boarding
MottoDe Manu in Manum
(From Hand To Hand)
Founded1923
Head of SchoolAndrea Pennells
Staff66[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment350 boarders and 80 local day students[2]
LanguageEnglish
Area47 acres (190,000 m2)
Colour(s)Red and Black
MascotBig Torch
Websitewww.brentwood.bc.ca
Last updated: 2009

Brentwood College School is a co-educational boarding school that focuses on preparing students for the challenges of post-secondary education. This school is located on Vancouver Island in Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada. The wireless oceanfront campus has modern facilities with SMART Boards in every classroom, two computer labs, a raked lecture theatre, and six science labs. Students use the school's waterfront access for outdoor activities such as sailing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking as well as marine biology and oceanography studies.

Mission

Brentwood College School nurtures, challenges and inspires scholars, athletes and artists as global citizens, stewards and leaders of integrity.

Historical Overview

Brentwood was first founded in 1923. The original location was in Brentwood Bay near Saanich on Vancouver Island, from where its name was derived. The original school was destroyed by a fire in 1947, leaving only the chapel intact. The current school is located westward directly across the bay from the original site, in Mill Bay. The new version of the school was resurrected through the efforts of David D MacKenzie and opened in September 1961. In 1972, Brentwood College opted to become the first all boys' boarding school in Canada to gradually integrate girls, starting with 20 grade 12 students, becoming officially co-ed for the fall session.[3]

The Campus

Aerial view of campus
Aerial view of Brentwood College School

As can be seen in the campus photograph, tennis courts and rugby fields adjoin the residences, main school classroom block and specialized buildings. The campus has a rowing boat house (with two docks, an indoor training tank, and a rowing ergometer room), a sportsplex (with a gymnasium, male & female fitness areas, three squash courts and a physio room), a health centre, seven residential houses (four boys houses and three girls houses), a laundry facility, two main academic buildings, a school store, as well as several interspersed faculty and staff houses.

photo of the Bunch Theatre
T. Gil Bunch Centre

In 1995, the T. Gill Bunch Centre was built: a 20,000 square foot performing arts centre housing a theatre with 431 seats with facilities for a wide range of arts training, including acting, dance and singing. Numerous productions are put on and hosted by the students, during the school year. This building uses a geothermal loop for heating and cooling as part of the school's commitment to sustainable energy.[4][5] Currently under construction is a new dining hall and student services centre, projected to be completed by the fall of 2009. The student services portion of the building will house recreational space, laundry facilities, a business centre and outdoor courtyard and will be situated on the southern waterfront area of campus. This new facility has been designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.

Curriculum

Brentwood offers university preparatory education from grade 9 to 12. Brentwood has been ranked consistently as one of the top academic high schools in British Columbia. Students are expected to achieve superior academic results, explore their intellectual curiosity, and build their knowledge through Brentwood's tri-partite programme (Academics, Arts, and Sports). All graduates attend post-secondary education (78% to their first choice of university). The most popular countries for post-secondary education are Canada, Scotland, England, and the United States. Last year's graduates received offers from Oxford University, Duke University, Brown University, Colgate University, Queen's University, University of Victoria, and University of St Andrews, School of Medicine.

Along with regular courses tested via the British Columbia provincial examinations, Brentwood offers 18 Advanced Placement courses and the American SAT prep tutorials for students who wish to continue their post-secondary education in the United States.

Extracurricular Activities - Clubs and Organizations

Scholarships

Currently, the school offers bursaries, financial aid, and The Governor's Entrance Scholarship to eligible Canadian students. Approximately 20% of students receive some type of financial assistance.

Athletic Highlights

  • 2008 Provincial Champions, Boys’ Rugby
  • 2008 Canadian Junior Boys & Junior Girls National High School Champions, Rowing
  • 2007 Provincial, ISA & Vancouver Island Champions, Girls’ Volleyball
  • 2007 Finalist, Henley Royal Regatta, England, Rowing
  • 2007 Rugby Provincial Finalists, Boys’ Rugby
  • 2006, 2003, 2002, 2000 Canadian Men’s National High School Champions, Rowing
  • 2006 Provincial, Vancouver Island and ISA Champions, Girls’ Volleyball
  • 2006 Vancouver Island Champions, Boys’ Soccer
  • 2006 ISA Champions, Junior Boys’ Soccer
  • 2005 ISA and Vancouver Island Champions, Girls’ Field Hockey
  • 2005 Canadian Junior Boys’ National High School Champions, Rowing
  • 2005 Cowichan Valley High School Champions, Ice Hockey
  • 2005 Bronze Mid Island Championships, Junior Boys’ Basketball
  • 2005 Mid Island Champions, Junior Girls’ Basketball
  • 2005 Provincial bronze medallists, Boys’ Rugby
  • 2005, 2004 Provincial Girls’ Rugby Champions (Tier 2)
  • 2004, 2001, 2000 Provincial Tennis Champions
  • 2003 Canadian Women’s National High School Lightweight Champions, Rowing
  • 2001, 2000 Canadian National High School Champions, Rowing

Brentwood Rowing

Regatta crowd in front of Ross Building
Spectators and rowers at 2009 Brentwood Regatta

Brentwood College has been continuing to gain a sound reputation in the rowing world, producing numerous national champions and Olympians such as 2008 Beijing Olympic medalists Scott Frandsen (Class of 1998), Dave Calder (Class of 1996) in the Men's Heavyweight 2- event, and Malcolm Howard (Class of 2001) in the Men's Heavyweight 8+ event. Many of its top rowers have been recruited to American universities with well-established and historical rowing progammes such as UC Berkeley, University of Washington, Yale University, Harvard University and Princeton University.

Brentwood has hosted its own regatta annually since the early 1970s, inviting high schools and junior clubs across Canada and the United States to participate in a 1500 metre sprint. The regatta is held every year in April for three days. The Brentwood regatta is the largest high school rowing regatta in North America, attracting over 1500 athletes and 3000 spectators.[6]

School events

School publications

  • Brentwood Blog - Brentwood's weekly summary of campus happenings and notable events.

Notable alumni

References

48°39′11″N 123°33′14″W / 48.65306°N 123.55389°W / 48.65306; -123.55389