Becky Anderson has helped shape the student experience at St. Michaels University School for 25 years and she has done so with a leadership style rooted in connection, intention and care. Whether in boarding, the classroom or school leadership, Becky consistently strives for high standards while also making people feel seen and valued.
Coaching first brought Becky and her husband Eliot, Director of the Senior School and Deputy Head of SMUS, into the life of SMUS. By 2000, both had become assistant house parents, Becky in Winslow House and Eliot in Harvey House, beginning what would become long and varied careers across the school community.
For Becky, boarding life felt natural from the beginning.
“I grew up in a boarding school,” she said. “Being surrounded by dedicated adults and having that blend of life and work always felt very normal to me. I didn’t really know any other way.”
Over the years, Becky’s path at SMUS has spanned classrooms, boarding and leadership. She taught Senior School Social Studies and English Language Learning, spent time in the Middle School, served as Senior House Parent in Timmis House and coached volleyball, experiences that eventually led her toward student leadership and experiential learning.
Laying the Foundation
Throughout her time at SMUS, Becky has played a key role in establishing two programs that remain central to the student experience today: the Experiential Program, developed alongside Pete McLeod and Kevin Cook, and the Leadership Program, shaped in collaboration with Keven Fletcher and Keith Driscoll.
“We were trying to build something intentional across all divisions,” Becky said. “A program that helped students grow over time, not just through one experience.”
Her work in leadership development also led to structured leadership programming across Junior, Middle and Senior School, including initiatives that remain in place today.
Susan Vachon, current Middle School teacher and longtime former boarding house parent alongside the Andersons, describes Becky as someone who understands people deeply and leads with intention.
“She knows how to make people feel important, whether it’s a board member or a kindergartener,” Vachon said. “She’s able to manage massive responsibilities because she’s very clear on what matters most.”
That focus became especially visible during Becky’s transition to Director of Junior School, a role she has held for the past nine years.
Despite coming from a Senior School and boarding background, Becky immersed herself in understanding early years education, attending Reggio Emilia training and exploring how to intentionally create what the Junior School often refers to as “joyful learning within a culture of excellence.” That commitment to learning has been a constant throughout her career, as many remember Becky completing a Master’s degree while helping lead a boarding house and raising two young children.
Balancing Care and Excellence
Those who have worked with Becky highlight her ability to balance warmth with high expectations. She is a leader who understands the strengths of the people around her, supports them intentionally and cares deeply about creating environments where both students and staff can thrive. She consistently advocates and promotes the role the Junior School plays in shaping our youngest learners.
That leadership was especially important during periods of significant change at the School, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of the Junior School Morgan-Trottier Annex and the launch of the Junior Kindergarten program. The very fact that the Junior School was able to continue to provide excellent care for over 200 students between the ages of five and 10 during these major transitions is a testament to not only the teachers but Becky’s hard work and attention to detail behind the scenes.
Becky credits several former leaders with helping build her confidence in the early years of her career.
“Bob Snowden saw potential in me before I saw it in myself,” Becky said of Snowden, who retired in 2017 after 22 years as Head of School. “I’ll always be grateful for that.”
That encouragement is something Becky has worked to extend to students, colleagues and families throughout her career.
Alongside Eliot, Becky also experienced SMUS as a parent. Their daughters, Makena ’23 and Charlie ’25, both attended SMUS from Kindergarten through to graduation, giving them both a unique perspective on the full arc of a student’s journey through the school. Both girls were prominent multi-sport athletes during their time at SMUS. Makena went on to play varsity basketball at the University of Victoria, while Charlie helped lead the Blue Jags to the AA BC Provincial Basketball Championship in her Grade 12 year. Their love of athletics reflected the strong sporting backgrounds of both Becky, a volleyball player, and Eliot, who played rugby.
For Becky, the graduation stage often represents years of quiet growth, confidence and discovery finally coming into focus.
“Grad is such a hopeful moment,” she said. “You see the journey they have been on, but also what is ahead for them. You realize the different parts of the school experience over the years that has played a part in helping them develop a strong sense of who they are.”
More than 25 years into her time at SMUS, Becky continues to bring the same energy, joyfulness and intentionality to the small things, like making sure the Junior School crosswalk is a safe place where students and parents are warmly greeted to the big things, like working with her faculty and staff to ensure that both the physical space and programming of the Junior School is inspirational to our youngest learners.
It is this ability to consider the small details that matter, while systematically and thoughtfully carrying out the big things, that make Becky Anderson an exceptional leader.
