Jay Connolly

Jay Connolly is a remarkable writer, interviewer and essayist, which makes the preparation of his staff profile a rather daunting task. So, to begin, we will let students from the class of 2009 speak first:

Mr. Connolly's greatest teaching strength is his ability to make his students think for themselves. He presents his opinion on the subject matter, but always leaves it open to interpretation and discussion. Speaking of discussion, he is always available for a quick chat and really makes his students feel as if he cares about them. – Brendan Downey

I had the privilege of being in Mr. Connolly’s class for both grade 12 and 11. He doesn’t simply assign monotonous tasks, but chooses to engage the class in “the game.” If you haven’t answered a question on the subject then you haven’t played the game and Mr. Connolly will make sure you play. I will always remember the random jokes and comments that get everyone laughing. He may be many years older than us, but I swear he’s the same age. I had always dreamed about writing, but never felt I had the correct tools to realize these fantasies until I was in Mr. Connolly’s writing class. He always made you think of the different angle or the surprising perspective while writing and he made sure you sat down and wrote without making you feel like you were forced to do it. As I carry on into university to study English and Writing, I carry with me Mr. Connolly’s favourite writing line, “Show don’t tell.” – Cole Miltenberger

Mr. Connolly has been a great mentor because he involves us in the editing process. Rather than enforcing the changes he suggests, he gives you the option to accept or discredit his opinions, which makes you put more thought into the changes. – Michelle Child

Mr. Connolly always made class a joy to come to. My class was always wondering what we were going to talk about and all the funny things he would say. He makes English 12 easy to understand and a course that you can enjoy and care a lot about. – Bridget Stack

Jay Connolly ’80 (Lake’s) has been a staff member at Shawnigan since 1986. He is well known for his sense of fun as well as his expectation that students apply themselves seriously to his subjects: English and Creative Writing.

Jay has handsomely enriched the School over his tenure so far. He created the first Internet site in 1996 and re-designed the School magazine in 1993. He wrote the first comprehensive history of both Shawnigan Lake School (Rough Diamond, 1992) and Strathcona Lodge School (Cherchons, 1996), started the Writing 12 course, co-founded “Shorelines” (a magazine of student writing), and, over the years, has produced many memorable tributes to staff members and students alike.

Jay has coached rugby at a junior level as well as Sr. Boys and Sr. Girls Basketball. He currently coaches golf (one of his leisure-time passions).

His wealth of Shawnigan experience began with his enrolment in the school as a grade nine student in January of 1977. Jay would tell you himself that, as a reluctant student, he learned many of Shawnigan’s life lessons the hard way. He would also say that the School somehow managed to plant in him the seeds of academic passion, which eventually translated into degrees in English and Writing. When he returned to teach, he understood what Shawnigan students might encounter. His school experience was layered further when his two sons, Jack ’02 and Sam ’06, attended the School as Lake’s House boys and Jay saw the School through a parent’s eyes.

In his address to the graduation class of 2004, Jay described the connections within the Shawnigan community: “I want to remind you that your individual voice has been an essential part of the unique identity of Shawnigan. If we all lift our voices simultaneously, we will produce a chord unique to this assembly of people. To take a voice away is to change the sound. For this reason, when you leave, you alter the School forever, just as you altered it when you arrived. It is this concert of voices that will stand as our shared moment in history.”

It is Jay’s attention to the individual student as well as his passion for the School as a whole that makes him a valued part of this community.