6727 South Chippawa Road, Wellandport, Ontario, L0R 2J0(MAP)
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Our Perspective
How we see Robert Land Academy
Our Kids Feature Review
The 50-page review of Robert Land Academy is part of our series of in-depth accounts of Canada's leading private schools. It provides a unique and objective perspective on the school's academics, programs, culture, and community.
"Robert Land Academy is a not-for-profit, private boarding school for boys between Grades 5 and 12. The Academy offers a holistic, values-based education in a distraction-free environment with small class sizes and academic tutoring. The highly structured military model and diverse extracurricular programming help students develop self-discipline and confidence to achieve their academic, moral, and physical potential."
A Boys Only Boarding School
Military Inspired, Grades 5-12
Extensive Academic Remediation
Safe, Rural Setting
Structured Program
Clear Expectations
Self-Regulation
Physical Fitness & Healthy Lifestyle
Extracurricular Clubs, Sports & Adventure Training
Addressing ADHD, ODD, OCD, LD, NLD, High Functioning Broad Spectrum Aspergers and Autism
What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"The Academy's structured program prioritizes student growth and development. The disciplined daily routine provides students with a predictable framework for success. Students often flourish within an environment that provides supervised, mandatory study halls, plenty of physical activity, time for extracurricular interests, and healthy sleeping and eating patterns. This structured program revolves around students reaching their academic, physical, and moral potential."
What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
"The Academy's values-based education prioritizes responsibility, accountability, and self-discipline. As a result, the Academy's daily routine is highly structured and lacks flexibility. Instead, the school's structure provides a predictable framework for student success, ensuring students dedicate sufficient time towards academic achievement and daily physical activity."
What type of student is a good fit for your school?
"Many students, particularly boys, benefit from a highly structured environment with mandatory physical activity and extracurricular participation. These features of our program help build a student's self-confidence and sense of self. As a result, the Academy would benefit a student who requires less time on a screen, more time engaged with activity, and more focus on academic success.
The Academy's values-based learning further instills responsibility, accountability, and self-discipline. By externalizing motivation, the academy helps students realize their academic, physical, and moral potential. A bright but undermotivated or underachieving student often flourishes at the Academy because of our small class sizes, mandatory study halls, and teacher-led tutorials.
RLA also offers unique, diverse extracurricular programming, including adventure activities. Athletic students who appreciate the opportunity to challenge themselves physically often excel at our school."
To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"Change. Our program is unique and can provide a transformative experience. Our students are accepted based on their perceived potential, not past performance. Many of our students have not thrived within the traditional school setting - socially, academically, or physically. As a result, we emphasize progress and development. We challenge our students to reach their potential and develop genuine self-confidence."
How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
"There are many misconceptions about a military-inspired school. Often, the perception is that the environment is punitive and intimidating. However, that's not true. The Academy challenges students and supports their development by providing a stable, predictable, distraction-free environment. The staff are caring and empathetic, devoted to helping students realize their potential."
What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
"The Academy supports a student's social skill development. Our students demonstrate greater maturity, responsibility, and self-regulation. Visitors often remark on how the Academy's students are polite and well-spoken."
What might families find surprising about your school?
"Families tend to be surprised by our caring, committed staff. There are a lot of misconceptions about military-inspired schools, including the idea that their nature is punitive. We have a dedicated staff whose primary concern is the growth and development of our students. Our staff are passionate about our students and genuinely care about their progress."
Gr. 8 to Gr. 12 — Robert Land Academy truly changed how I view myself and life. To be brutally honest, Living overseas...
School leadership
Top-down influence on the school’s direction and tone
Message from school leadership
Ryan Smid, Headmaster
Robert Land Academy is a military-inspired living and learning environment intended to provide the structure and support that adolescent males require to meet their potential. We believe strongly in personal responsibility and individual accountability as being the basis for development of the self-discipline so necessary to succeed in life.
Our founding values of courage, commitment, labour, loyalty, and honour remain unchanged and permeate every aspect of our program. Boys are given the opportunity to earn leadership positions, ranks, and awards based entirely on merit. They quickly learn the value in working hard to accomplish goals and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they have earned whatever it is they have received, good or bad.
The Academy is not for every boy. They have no access to the internet and personal phones are not permitted. Every hour of the day is accounted for and a routine quickly established. Many find it difficult. However, our graduates all come to recognize the value of the program in assisting them in meeting their academic, moral, and physical potential. As an Academy, we certainly take great pride in knowing that we are helping to produce excellent leaders and citizens who positively contribute to the society in which they live!
