Senior Years

The Senior Years at St. John’s Academy are where everything comes together.

Students in Grades 11 and 12 choose their own Pursuit: the full IB Diploma, the IB Certificates, the CREATE Program, the WILD Program, the BEACON Program, or the COMPASS Program. In addition to their Pursuit, all graduates leave with a BC Dogwood Diploma in hand. Senior year becomes an opportunity to get a head start on life beyond school with a bespoke program focused on what excites them most, whether that is fine art, outdoor education, business, or trades.

Technology is fully integrated into senior learning, balanced with the discussion, collaboration, and independent thinking that define this stage of education.

Students take on leadership roles in student council, compete on Seawolves sports teams, and leave St. John’s Academy academically prepared for university and ready to step into their next chapter with confidence.

Enrichment

We encourage our students to be active, to be creative, to participate in service, and to think locally and globally. Our programs ensure that students build community outside of their classroom, learning to contribute, build, play and work with their broader student community.

For senior students, co-curriculars take on an added dimension. In addition to the full program of activities available across the school, DP students are invited to use X-Block as an extension of their Creativity, Activity, and Service requirements. For senior students who want to go further, a selection of BC-credited courses, including Psychology, Studio Arts, Outdoor Education, Active Living, and Service Leadership, may also be offered in addition to the co-curricular program.
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Our visual arts program, which covers painting, drawing, pottery, sculpture, and more, gives students the time, materials, and mentorship to develop a genuine artistic practice.
Our design program introduces students to the principles of visual communication and the digital platforms that bring them to life.
Music at St. John’s Academy is deeply imbued in our programs and offerings. Starting in their earliest years at St. John’s, our musicians grow in confidence, skill, and love of the craft and the sound of it carries across the whole school.
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Through our co-curricular program and physical education classes, students are introduced to a broad range of sports and physical pursuits. Senior students also have the opportunity to take Active Living as a BC-credited course, exploring health, fitness, and physical literacy with the same academic rigour we bring to every subject.
Students in our Senior Years have the opportunity to try out for and compete on SJASL competitive school teams, representing the Seawolves against other schools across Vancouver Island and beyond.
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Environmental education at St. John’s is deeply ingrained in daily school life through inquiry-based lessons, hands-on projects, interdisciplinary learning, and a deep institutional commitment to environmental stewardship, conservation, and care for the land. Nestled between the forests of Mount Baldy and the waters of Shawnigan Lake, our campus sits within one of the most ecologically rich and beautiful settings on Vancouver Island, and we use every square metre of it with intention.
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Our philosophy is built around the belief that young people flourish when they feel connected and valued, and everything we do outside of academics is designed with that in mind. St. John’s gives every student a role to play in the life of their school with opportunities for involvement including peer support networks, student-run enterprises, school-wide competitions, and student government. Grade 12 students also have access to Grad Council, a student-led group that plays an active role in shaping the final year of the St. John’s Academy experience
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Pursuits

Our Senior Pursuits were inspired by students with drive to build real world skills, explore genuine passions, and step into the next chapter of their lives with direction and confidence. Available to all students in Grades 11 and 12 alongside the BC Dogwood Diploma, the Pursuits offer four distinct pathways spanning the creative arts, outdoor education, business, and fully bespoke learning, each one designed to honour the unique person each student is becoming.

IB Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is one of the most respected pre-university qualifications in the world, recognized by leading universities across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and beyond. Offered to students in Grades 11 and 12, the IB Diploma challenges students to engage deeply with six subject areas, complete an extended independent essay, participate in creativity, activity, and service, and develop the research and critical thinking skills that university demands. At St. John’s, our dedicated IB educators support every Diploma student with the guidance, rigour, and personal attention that a small school makes possible, giving graduates the readiness to thrive in whatever comes next.

CREATE Program

For students who think in colour, sound, and story, the CREATE Program offers a senior school experience built around artistic practice and creative expression. Alongside their BC Dogwood Diploma, CREATE students dedicate meaningful time to developing their skills in visual art, music, or other creative disciplines, supported by educators with deep experience and passion. Graduates leave St. John’s Academy with a portfolio, a practice, and the confidence to pursue the arts with purpose.

Stylized wildlife emblem featuring the word WILD, stars, snow-capped mountains, evergreen trees, and a winding river.

WILD Program

The WILD Program is an outdoor education pathway that takes the classroom outside and challenges students to discover what they are truly capable of. Alongside their BC Dogwood Diploma, WILD students can earn a suite of professional certifications including Wilderness First Aid, Bronze Cross, Paddle Canada, Leave No Trace, and Avalanche Safety, building a credential set that opens doors in environmental work, recreation, guiding, and beyond. With Vancouver Island as their campus and Shawnigan Lake at their doorstep, WILD students graduate prepared for a life lived close to the natural world.

BEACON Program

The BEACON Program is designed for students with an entrepreneurial spirit and a curiosity about how the world of business works. Through a curriculum that blends foundational business principles with real-world application, BEACON students develop the financial literacy, strategic thinking, and professional skills that set them apart when they step into post-secondary education and the workplace. Paired with the BC Dogwood Diploma, BEACON is a head start on a future in business.

COMPASS Program

No two COMPASS students follow the same path, and that is exactly the point. This uniquely flexible Pursuit invites students to build a senior school experience that reflects their own interests and passions, partnering with local experts, businesses, and trades professionals to gain real-world skills and hands-on experience that no standard curriculum can offer. Whether your interests lie in a skilled trade, a specific industry, or a combination of passions that does not fit neatly into any other program, COMPASS helps you chart a course that is entirely your own, all while earning your BC Dogwood Diploma.