Michael Miller
Biology Teacher; Open-Water SCUBA Diving Coach
B.Sc. (Guelph), M.Sc. (U.Sask), P.D.P.P. (U.Vic)
Michael J. R. Miller was born and raised in the non-wilds of Mississauga, Ontario. A fascination with animals led to an undergraduate degree in zoology—which eventually morphed into a passion for birds of prey. After graduation, he migrated westward to Saskatchewan, where he completed an M.Sc. investigating lead poisoning in Bald Eagles. Duties as a field biologist led him to Arizona and sites throughout western Canada and Ontario, working with both government agencies and consultants on various raptor species, ranging from conservation concerns to environmental contamination. During and after graduate school, Mr. Miller taught in biology labs at both the universities of Saskatchewan and Victoria. He completed his teaching credentials in 2006 and taught in the Cowichan Valley School District prior to taking the role at Brentwood. In the classroom, Mr. Miller is known for his puns, infectious enthusiasm, and the visits of his parrots to spice up morning lessons. Outside of school, Mr. Miller and his wife Karena enjoy travelling and routinely explore the local Vancouver Island environs with their dog—all the while managing the lives of their teenage sons and other domestic vertebrates at home. Mr. Miller brought his passion for SCUBA diving to Brentwood as a campus sport and enjoys sharing his affection for the underwater world with students and colleagues. Mr. Miller is passionate about aviation, and for campus dress-up-themed days, he can be counted on to don a selection from his growing collection of vintage flight helmets and other flight gear.
Open Water SCUBA Diving
An exciting offering in Brentwood Athletics, Open Water SCUBA Diving, has been embraced at the School and the future of this program is teeming with life and depth.
This program supports novice SCUBA divers and advanced athletes alike. Recently, the majority of Brentwood students in this course completed their PADI Open Water Diver Certification, and a few completed their Advanced Open Water Certification.
Training begins with a visit to an indoor pool and several in-class sessions—including demonstrations and a guest speaker known for advocating for women as professional SCUBA divers. From there, the group will move into open water ocean dives off the Brentwood campus oceanfront docks, as well as in other interesting nearby beach areas. Boat dives are offered, as well, and the whole program wraps up with a delicious crab roast on the beach at the end of the spring term.
Brentwood SCUBA encourages wonderment, exploration, and conservation throughout the program and considers the ocean at our doorstep to be the best possible lab, playground, and classroom.
Where Students Choose To Be
+1 (250) 743-5521
admissions@brentwood.ca
info@brentwood.ca
2735 Mount Baker Road
Mill Bay, BC, Canada V8H 1K8