Shawnigan Lake School is a co-educational independent boarding school located on Vancouver Island in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded by Englishman Christopher Windley "C. W." Lonsdale in 1916 and was partly modelled after the Westminster School in England. The school's Latin motto, Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat, means "Let whosoever deserves the palm bear it."

Location

Shawnigan Lake School was built along Shawnigan Lake and occupies a wooded 270 acre property. It is near the village Shawnigan Lake.

Students

As of September 2021, the student body at Shawnigan Lakes School consists of 520 students representing 27 countries with 430 students residing on campus in the boarding houses, making it a boarding school with the largest number of full-time boarders in Canada. Day students constitute 10 percent of the student body. Students come from all over the world, with 20% from International locations, 15% from the United States, 15% from other Canadian Provinces and 50% of students being from British Columbia.

Current campus

Shawnigan has approximately 35 buildings on its campus, which include classrooms, dormitories (and staff housing), a theatre, an ice hockey arena, and several sports fields.

Boarding houses

The school is primarily a boarding school, with 90% of its students attending the school as boarders. The school has six residences for boys and five for girls. Each boarding house has a house director (formerly called the housemaster) and an assistant house director, who is assisted by student house prefects in the management of house duties and issues.

Academics and athletics

Shawnigan's academic program is university preparatory. Shawnigan was ranked by the Fraser Institute in 2017 as 11th out of 253 British Columbian Secondary Schools based on a score of 9.3/10 for academic achievements. Students are encouraged to try a variety of fine arts, selecting from a list of twenty options. Shawnigan has partnerships with Rugby Canada and Rowing Canada. In 2014, Shawnigan joined the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.

Headmasters

School athletic championships

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Rowing

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Rugby union

BC AAAA Boys Rugby Champions – 2019 BC AAAA Boys Rugby Champions – 2017 BC AAA Junior Boys Rugby Champions – 2017 Junior Boys Rugby 7s Champions – 2016 BC AAA Junior Boys Rugby Champions – 2016 Girls CAIS Rugby Champions – 2016 BC Girls AA Rugby Champions – 2016 Senior Boys CAIS Rugby Champions – 2016 BC Boys AAAA Rugby Champions – 2016 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2015 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2013 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2012 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2011 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2010 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 2009 Boys CAIS National Rugby Champions – 2008 BC Boys AAA Rugby Champions – 1998 BC Girls AA Rugby Champions – 1997 BC Girls AA Rugby Champions – 1996

Field hockey

BC Girls AAA Sr. Field Hockey Champions – 2014 BC Girls AA Field Hockey Champions – 2011

Ice hockey

CSSHL Midget Varsity Champions – Boy's Midget Varsity – 2016 CSSHL Midget Varsity Champions – Boy's Midget Varsity – 2015 (Note: championships exist pre-1996 to the founding.)

Notable people

Notable alumni

Artists

Athletes

Business

Entertainment

Politics

Scholars and scientists

Notable staff

Affiliations