Student Life
Experience IPS
June 11 | 12:30 – 1:40pm
Island Pacific School & Chapel
New families joining IPS in 2025 and interested families are invited to join IPS for some fun activities and to connect with other new students who are starting at IPS in September. This very un-serious day will be a fun team event.
Already enrolled for September? Come meet your future classmates! Still deciding? You’re more than welcome to join—and feel free to bring a friend along. It’s a great chance for students to show their best pal where they might be going to school next year.
Whether you’re confirmed or still considering Island Pacific School, this day is for you!
Parents will meet with our head of school, Brad Carter, Class reps and teachers informally while the kids do pre-planned outdoor activities. Connect with other new parents, exchange information to meet over the next few months, and get answers to your questions from current IPS parents.
Start Time: 12:30 pm (mainland families will be picked up by the IPS bus off of the 10:35 AM to catch the last Masterworks Presentation at 11)
End Time: 1:40 pm (our bus will take families back to Snug Cove for 1:55 PM ferry) Or come early to catch our final Masterworks presentation at 11am!
We will have refreshments and a welcome from 12:30pm, then kids will go and do activities with Jen Henrichsen, and adults can stay and talk to Brad and our grade reps.
Questions? Please call 604-947-9311 or email us at [email protected]
Starting with the Trail, Not the Classroom
Middle school students start their year with a hiking expedition. What’s that all about?
Before our middle school students even set foot in a classroom, they lace up their boots, shoulder their packs, and head into the wilderness. At Island Pacific School, the year doesn’t begin with desks and syllabi—it begins with an expedition.
This multi-day hiking trip isn’t just about fresh air and physical challenge (though there’s plenty of that). It’s about setting the tone for everything that follows. In the backcountry, students learn that education isn’t just something that happens inside four walls—it happens everywhere. They learn to rely on themselves, support each other, and navigate challenges together. Friendships form, resilience grows, and the foundations of our school community take shape—not through icebreakers, but through shared experience.
By the time they return to campus, students have already faced uncertainty, adapted to new situations, and discovered strength they didn’t know they had. They arrive not just ready for school, but ready for the kind of learning that asks them to engage fully—with their minds, their peers, and the world around them.
Turning the Tables: When Grade 9s Get the Mic
Grade 9 students roast their teachers at the end of year graduation? What’s that all about?
At Island Pacific School, we take education seriously—but not too seriously. That’s why, at the end of the year, Grade 9 students get their chance to roast their teachers at our graduation ceremony.
This isn’t mean-spirited. It’s an art form. With sharp wit and good-natured humor, students take the stage to poke fun at the quirks, catchphrases, and memorable moments that defined the year. It’s a chance to reflect, to laugh, and to celebrate the relationships that make IPS more than just a school.
And here’s the best part: the teachers take it in stride. In fact, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Because at Island Pacific School, we believe education isn’t just about respect—it’s about mutual respect. It’s about knowing when to challenge, when to question, and yes, when to laugh.
The Grade 9 roast is more than a send-off. It’s a final lesson in confidence, self-expression, and the power of a well-timed joke.
Paddling Into the Future
Middle school students end their year with a kayak trip? What’s that all about?
At Island Pacific School, the end of the school year isn’t marked by final exams and rushed goodbyes—it’s marked by a kayak trip. As the last academic days wrap up, our students push off from shore, paddling into the stunning coastal waters that surround our island.
This multi-day journey isn’t just a celebration—it’s a culmination. After a year of challenge, growth, and deep learning, students take to the water to reflect, reconnect, and recognize how far they’ve come. Paddling requires teamwork, resilience, and patience—qualities they’ve built all year long in the classroom and beyond. Out on the ocean, without the distractions of daily life, students experience a sense of freedom, self-reliance, and shared adventure.
By the time they return to shore, the year feels complete—not because of grades or certificates, but because they’ve experienced something real, together. At Island Pacific School, we believe that how you end something matters just as much as how you begin it. And what better way to mark the transition from one chapter to the next than by moving forward, one paddle stroke at a time?
Serious About Learning. Serious About Fun
The academic year ends with a whole-school water fight between teachers and students? What’s that all about?
At Island Pacific School, we take middle school education seriously—very seriously. We’re intentional about shaping thoughtful, capable, and resilient students. But here’s the thing: it’s still middle school. And middle school should be fun.
The academic year is long and challenging. Teachers push students to think harder, write better, and refine their ideas. Along the way, there are late assignments, tough feedback, and moments of frustration. Growth isn’t always easy. By the time June rolls around, students and teachers alike have earned something special—a chance to let loose before Masterworks week, the final kayak trip, and Rites of Passage.
Enter Battle of the Hill—our legendary, no-holds-barred, whole-school water fight. The teachers build a fort in the back field, arm themselves, and prepare for battle. The entire student body takes them on. The outcome? Let’s just say history is not on the teachers’ side.
Because at Island Pacific School, we believe in working hard, thinking deeply, and striving for excellence. But we also believe in joy. And sometimes, joy looks like drenching your teachers in a well-earned victory.
A Night of Solitude, Courage, and Self-Discovery
Grade 9 middle school students spend a night alone in the woods? What’s that all about?
Spending a night alone in the wilderness sounds like something out of a survival show, not a middle school curriculum. But at Island Pacific School, we see it as something more: a rite of passage, a moment of reflection, and a test of quiet courage.
Each year, Grade 9 students take part in a solo night—a night spent alone in the bush, with nothing but a sleeping bag, basic gear, and their own thoughts for company. It’s not about proving toughness or enduring hardship. It’s about stepping into stillness, facing the unknown, and discovering a different kind of confidence—the kind that comes not from performing for others, but from being entirely with oneself.
For many students, this is the first time they’ve truly been alone. No phones. No distractions. Just the forest, the night sky, and the steady realization that they are capable of far more than they thought. In the morning, they return—tired, proud, changed.
This tradition isn’t about wilderness skills, though those are important. It’s about something deeper: self-reliance, resilience, and the quiet power of solitude. Before they move on from Island Pacific School, before they step into high school and beyond, our students learn something that few young people today ever experience—how to be comfortable in their own company.
Middle school students clean their own school? What’s that all about?
No Janitors, No Problem: Taking Ownership of Our Space
At Island Pacific School, there’s no magical cleanup crew tidying up at the end of the day. The students clean their own school.
This is about responsibility, respect, and pride in our shared space. Sweeping floors, wiping tables, and taking out the recycling aren’t just chores; they’re a daily lesson in stewardship. Students learn that a community doesn’t run on the work of unseen hands—it thrives when everyone plays a part.
At Island Pacific School, we believe education isn’t just what happens in books. It’s about learning how to show up, contribute, and take care of what’s around you. Because when you’re responsible for cleaning your own mess, you think twice about making one in the first place.
Grade 9 students lead the whole school in “morning stretch” and announcements, every day? What’s that all about?
Confidence Begins at 9am
At Island Pacific School, leadership isn’t something students wait for—it’s something they step into. That’s why every morning, it’s our Grade 9 students—not teachers—who lead the entire school in stretching and announcements.
This daily ritual isn’t just about loosening up stiff muscles or sharing the schedule. It’s about ownership, confidence, and presence. Grade 9 students take turns standing in front of the school, guiding their peers through a quick stretch, and delivering the day’s updates. It’s a simple act, but one that requires clarity, composure, and a sense of responsibility—all essential leadership skills.
At first, some students hesitate. Public speaking isn’t easy, and leading a group—even for a few minutes—can feel intimidating. But by the end of the year, they stand a little taller, speak a little louder, and carry themselves with the quiet assurance that comes from leading, not just listening.
This isn’t just a warm-up for the day. It’s a warm-up for life. At Island Pacific School, leadership isn’t an abstract idea—it’s something students practice, every single morning.
Middle school students stand up at the beginning of each class? What’s that all about?
Standing Up for Something Bigger
At the start of every class at Island Pacific School, something small—but deeply intentional—happens. As the teacher steps into the room, students rise to their feet. It’s not about formality or obedience. It’s a signal, a ritual, a quiet but powerful moment that sets the tone: We’re here, together, for something that matters.
On the surface, it’s an expression of respect—an acknowledgment of the teacher’s role in guiding the learning ahead. But it’s more than that. It’s the beginning of a two-way exchange. The teacher meets each student’s eyes and says something simple but meaningful: “Thanks for being here. Thanks for bringing your heart and mind to this class.” It’s a recognition—not just of attendance, but of presence, of effort, of willingness to engage.
At its core, this small act embodies something much bigger: the shared purpose of education itself. Learning isn’t just about absorbing facts; it’s about refining our ability to think, reason, create, and act with intention. It’s about becoming fuller, wiser versions of ourselves. This daily moment, brief but deliberate, is a reflection of that commitment.
It’s easy to overlook something so simple. But like all great rituals, its power lies in its repetition. Day after day, class after class, students and teachers step into something greater than themselves. And that’s what makes it more than a routine—it’s a reminder of why we’re here.
