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Brentwood College School is an independent boarding school located on Vancouver Island in Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Brentwood's oceanfront campus comprises 70 acres, bounded by water on two sides, and the village of Mill Bay on the remaining two.

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 as a boys school. 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.

Old school (1923-1947)

Brentwood College was founded in 1923 at Brentwood Bay, B.C., by a group of distinguished Victoria business and professional men, led by P.F. Curtis. From the initial enrollment of fifty boys and a faculty of four, the school operated for many years on the shores of Brentwood Bay and gained a reputation through outstanding academic and athletic results.

New school (1961-1971)

In 1960, some of the old school alumni met David D. MacKenzie, the re-founding headmaster. As a result of their collective financial commitment, the new Brentwood College campus reopened in September 1961 on the shores of Mill Bay. The new campus featured a central complex with the dining area for over 200 in the basement, offices and meeting rooms on the main floor and dormitories on the upper floors. An adjoining building housed classrooms with a gymnasium attached at the far right end. Several separate buildings served as accommodation for the 180 or so boarders.

Current school

Campus layout

Today Brentwood's 70-acre campus is functionally arranged and spread out over the waterfront, with a pier and ramp enabling access for sailing, rowing and docking for float planes and motor boats.

As can be seen in the campus photograph, tennis courts and rugby fields adjoin the residences, main school classroom block and specialized buildings. Some recent additions include a fine arts theatre, complete 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.

Specialized buildings

With the purchase of adjoining land in 1976 the Woodward Sportsplex, Maintenance Facility and a residence for the Head of School were constructed to the north of campus. More residences were added to accommodate a doubling of the school population, as a result of more than 200 boarding girls in attendance. With the increased diversification of programs into more Arts education, a new performing arts centre was added to the south of campus.

Houses

The new school has expanded considerably in the intervening period from 1961, with the construction of dormitories in several independent houses spaced out across the campus. The residence houses each have their own houseparents and prefects (appointed from the grade 12 class).

• Alex House
• Allard House
• Ellis House
• Mackenzie House
• Privett House
• Rogers House
• Whittall House

Curriculum

Brentwood offers a combination of preparatory activities designed to take advantage of the school's waterfront locale and allow the individual student to select their own personal development program appropriately. The average class size is 17, and a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio .

Extracurricular activities

Brentwood values highly its Tri-Partite program consisting of academics, sports, and the arts. It hosts an annual regatta, one of the largest high-school rowing events in western North America. The school is also known for its rugby (1st XV came in 3rd in B.C. in 2005 and 2006 and 2nd in 1998) and performing arts traditions. The school is noted for its Outdoor Pursuits program, involving sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, biking, and survival skills.

School events

• Brentwood Regatta is held in the spring and is one of the largest regattas on the west coast.
• Brentwood Regional Gatherings are held in every major Western Canadian city and also Seattle.
• Founders' Day is held every fall, usually in early November.

School publications

• Brentonian Magazine - Brentwood's bi-annual magazine.

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

Notable alumni

• Lieutenant Commander John H Stubbs (1930) - WWII hero, commander of HMCS Athabaskan
• Brentwood's first Olympian, Ned Pratt (1930)
• Hon. Alastair Gillespie, P.C. O.C. (1941) - senior member of Pierre Trudeau's cabinet
• Colonel Philip (Pip) D P Holmes (1941) WWII hero - Airforce: Bomber Command
• Dr. Wade Davis (1971) - ethnobotanist, author and activist
• Brentwood's first Olympic Gold Medallist, Blair Horn (1979)
• 2008 Beijing Olympians Connor Grimes (Class of 2001), Scott Frandsen (Class of 1998), Dave Calder (Class of 1996), and Malcolm Howard (Class of 2001).

References

1. About Brentwood College School - Private Canadian Boarding at www.brentwood.bc.ca
2. Students of Brentwood College School - Canadian Boarding School at www.brentwood.bc.ca
3. Prowse, Nicholas R.B. Kindled from the Ashes: A Short History of Brentwood College. Victoria: Brentwood, 2002.
4. ^ Jolayne Houtz. "Uniforms, dorm inspections and camaraderie: living the boarding school life." The Seattle Times 12 Apr 2007: A3.

External links

• Brentwood College School website

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

• Boarding schools in British Columbia
• High schools in British Columbia
• Private schools in British Columbia
• Preparatory schools in British Columbia
• Educational institutions established in 1923