Shawnigan Lake School headmaster David Robertson is retiring at the end of this school year after what will be 18 years of service in the role.
The long-time head of school will be replaced in the summer of 2018 by Richard (Larry) Lamont, current rektor of United World Colleges Red Cross Nordic in Norway, a position he’s held since 2012.
It took an extensive search to find a candidate worthy of continuing in Robertson’s footsteps.
“Larry has been appointed following a rigorous recruitment process that attracted interest from some of the best schools in the world,” said Matthew Brister, chair of the school’s board of governors in a letter to members of the Shawnigan Lake School community. “We are extremely fortunate to have attracted Larry to Shawnigan. His experience, reputation and success to date in his career had our search committee excited to meet him. We are excited to have identified and selected a leader with talent and vision aligned with Shawnigan values.”
Lamont and his wife Kathini are well-travelled, exceptionally educated family people.
He holds qualifications from the universities of London, Cambridge and Oxford and is a teacher of English literature. He enjoys team sports, is an experienced field hockey and cricket coach, and enjoys fly fishing and skiing.
His wife studied drama at the University of London, and is currently the events coordinator at UWC Red Cross Nordic. She is also a qualified counsellor and yoga instructor.
Joining them on their adventure to Canada’s West Coast is their five-year-old daughter, Poppy. Lamont’s step-daughter Phoebe will also cross the pont to attend university in the U.S.
The family is excited for what their future holds.
“Shawnigan — with its values-based educational model, strong reputation for pastoral care and community-building, development of co-education, and commitment to developing access and diversity — will provide me with an unparalleled professional challenge and a personal adventure for my family,” Lamont said. “Shawnigan strikes me as a school stepping confidently forward from a period of consolidation, strength and development and, at the same time, challenging itself to be relevant, purposeful and of service in a changing world.
“Kathini and I are excited to be taking this step and can see ourselves making a positive and important contribution to Shawnigan’s remarkable community and, as we move from the fjords to the Pacific coast, we hope also to develop an understanding of and commitment to the people, the place and the heritage of Canada, British Columbia and Shawnigan. This is undoubtedly an exciting time and I look forward to contributing to the architecture of Shawnigan’s future.”
Brister said Lamont will work with Robertson this year to ensure a smooth transition.
