Academic calendar
School Year 2026-2027 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Jun 25, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- School Year 2026-2027Relevant now
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 17 of 17 terms
G
- Globalizers
- A prominent student-led service club focused on international humanitarian issues.
- GSA
- Gender-Space Alliance; a student-led club providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
I
- IB
- International Baccalaureate; the rigorous academic program for which the school is a designated World School.
- IB-er
- A student enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, often used to describe the specific workload or community associated with it.
M
- MUN
- Model United Nations; a popular student club that simulates UN diplomatic sessions.
P
- PAC
- Parent Advisory Council; the representative body for parents in school decision-making.
S
- Semi
- The universal shorthand name for Semiahmoo Secondary School.
- Semi Global
- A prominent student-led humanitarian and service club at the school.
- Semi-Formal
- The annual formal dance event organized by the school.
- STUCO
- Student Council, the student-led governing body for school events.
T
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria, the primary location for student lunches and social gathering.
- The Court
- The food court inside the nearby Semiahmoo Shopping Centre.
- The Mall
- Semiahmoo Shopping Centre, the primary off-campus location where students go for lunch.
- The Rec
- The South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre, located immediately adjacent to the school, frequently used by students for off-campus food and socializing.
- The Wave
- The brand name for the school's student-led media, news, and announcements.
- Totems
- The school's official mascot and the collective name for its sports teams.
V
- VPA
- Visual and Performing Arts, referring to the collective arts departments (music, drama, art).
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Block Rotation
- The system where the order of classes (Blocks A, B, C, and D) changes according to a set calendar.
- Flex
- Instructional time that allows for student choice in learning activities, often used interchangeably with PLT.
- Flex Time
- A dedicated period in the schedule where students can choose which teacher to visit for extra help or self-directed study.
- Late Start
- Designated days where classes begin later than the standard time to allow for staff professional development or meetings.
- Learning Commons
- The modern designation for the school library and research center.
- MyEd
- MyEducation BC; the online portal where students access their schedules, report cards, and attendance.
- PLT
- Personal Learning Time; designated blocks in the schedule where students can seek extra help or work independently.
- Semi
- The standard shorthand name for Semiahmoo Secondary School.
- Teams
- Microsoft Teams; the primary digital platform used for teacher-student communication and assignment submission.
- The Bell
- The automated signal for class transitions; students often refer to 'beating the bell' to avoid being marked tardy.
- The Big Gym
- The main gymnasium used for major athletic competitions and school-wide assemblies.
- The Commons
- The central open area of the school used for student gatherings, lunch, and events.
- The Large Gym
- The main gymnasium used for school-wide assemblies and Totems basketball games.
- The Pit
- The sunken common area in the main foyer, a central landmark for student meetups.
- The Small Gym
- The secondary gymnasium used for PE classes and smaller team practices.
- The Theatre
- The school's performance space used for drama productions and music concerts.
- The Wing
- Often used to refer to specific sections of the school, such as the 'Science Wing' or 'Art Wing'.
- Z-Block
- A class period scheduled outside of the standard four-block day, typically early morning or after school.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2026-2027 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Jun 25, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 17 approved campus terms and 18 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.