Robert Land Academy uses the military model to promote social and emotional development, physical fitness, and self-care. By reinforcing essential values like responsibility and accountability, students develop executive functioning skills, and the military model provides a vehicle to encourage, recognize, and promote effort, behaviour, attitude, and achievement. The Academy’s mission is to inspire students to reach their academic, moral, and physical potential, and within our structured, stable environment, students flourish.
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Why A Military Model?
Provides consistency in the application of rules and roles
Promotes physical fitness
Openly encourages and recognizes effort and achievement
Provides incentives through promotion of rank to formally, recognize behaviour and attitude
Provides a template for self-care, routine and better mental health
Provides opportunities for teamwork and leadership
Promotes team building and getting along with others
Underscores the discipline and effort required for academic success
Our Academy, Our Program
Value-Based Expectations For Proper Conduct
A highly structured program operated with a military model supports boys and young men to succeed who have experienced challenges or who have merely not responded to the traditional school system. Providing an environment that involves accountability and responsibility, boys are encouraged to gain control of themselves and their future. Here’s a look at what a cadet’s life is like at the Academy. The military model of Robert Land Academy is the foundation of its structured and disciplined living and learning community. Value-based expectations for proper conduct, with clearly defined rules and roles, has as their objective the accepting of responsibility for personal choice and the development of rational thought.
With a focus on the development of mind, body and character, the Academy addresses the needs of the boy as a whole in order that he can actualize his potential through gaining mastery over himself. Robert Land Academy utilizes a military model to reinforce the importance of structure, discipline, accountability and self-determination. The demanding intellectual and physical challenges are accompanied by training, support, and encouragement to assist each student in developing self-confidence and self-worth through genuine achievement.
The purpose of the program is to help boys to help themselves to become the best that they can be whether this is in the context of preparing to do an assignment in mathematics or practicing for the upcoming basketball game. Our goal is to stimulate the growth of a sense of responsibility and self-determination and by so doing prepare each boy for a fulfilled, productive, and happy adulthood.
Structured Model
The highly structured environment at Robert Land Academy is intended to support and encourage boys to reach their potential. Responsibility and accountability are stressed as a means toward producing the realization that each action has consequences. Boys who do not behave appropriately are subject to discipline that includes physical exercise and loss of privileges. More severe issues can result in loss of rank, loss of weekend leaves or duties around the Academy. Boys are admitted to Robert Land Academy based upon our assessment of their potential for success and suitability to the program. Some of our boys have experienced some level of difficulty related to attitude, concentration, focus, respect for authority or respect for themselves. A portion of them have been described as being ADD, ADHD, ODD, or some other form of Learning Disability.
An overwhelming majority of our students experience a dramatic improvement in their academic performance and success within the first semester of enrolment. Over the past decade, 100 per cent of the graduates who applied to college or university were accepted. In addition to improved academic performance, the average boy’s level of health and fitness is greatly improved through diet, exercise and activity. Issues with weight, poor levels of physical fitness and general lethargy are positively addressed through mandatory participation in all aspects of the program. Improved physical fitness contributes to a more positive outlook towards life, greater self-confidence and higher energy levels. These combined with concentrated remediation and structured mandatory study halls result in a fresh chance for success.
Feedback
Here’s some feedback about our military school for boys from a local school board official.
Unique And Effective Method
“It would appear to me that you have truly discovered a unique and effective method of providing service to this very special segment of student population. In my capacity as teacher, principal and now superintendent I, like you, have seen far too many youngsters ‘fall through the cracks’ of the institutional educational system. Your efforts to provide a safety net for these unique and challenging individuals appears to be well matched to their needs. Congratulations!”
Paul Perron
Superintendent Of Education, Niagara Catholic District School Board
Responsibility and Accountability
Robert Land Academy offers a highly structured environment that is intended to support and encourage boys to reach their potential. Responsibility and accountability are stressed as a means of producing the realization that each action has consequences. Boys who do not behave appropriately are subject to a discipline code that includes physical exercise and loss of privileges. More severe issues can result in loss of rank, loss of weekend leaves or duties around the Academy.
The campus at Robert Land Academy is situated on 168 picturesque acres of rural land in the heart of the historic Niagara Peninsula. It offers a tranquil setting free from harmful distractions and influences. The facilities include an academic building with classrooms and laboratories, barracks-style dormitories, a dining hall, an administration building, and a fully equipped gymnasium as well as outdoor playing fields.
The faculty is composed of dedicated men and women who have an abiding interest in the academic, emotional and physical well-being of their cadets. Teachers not only instruct but also coach sports teams, run clubs, tutor, supervise meals and daily study halls and are responsible for a section of ten cadets. Two registered nurses are on staff, a forensic psychotherapist, sports therapist and a medical doctor make visits to the Academy.
