The regions Rosseau Lake College offers busing from are:
Additional notes: We are flexible in offering new routes to new day students, from areas not currently serviced.
How we see Rosseau Lake College
The 50-page review of Rosseau Lake College 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.
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How Rosseau Lake College sees itself
"Rosseau Lake College is an independent co-ed day and boarding school established in 1967 in the heart of Muskoka, Ontario, a region dotted with pristine lakes and areas of hardwood forest. The lakefront campus provides the basis for an innovative academic program that immerses your child in powerful experiential learning that’s impossible to gain in traditional classroom settings. Our intentionally small school environment ensures meaningful relationships and a deep engagement in curricular and co-curricular life."
"Our intentionally small school ensures authentic relationships and an inclusive community. We realize that capping our tuition forfeits the opportunity for a larger operational budget, but we believe the benefits of a tight knit community, embracing over 20 different nationalities, is worth it. Indigenous culture and learning philosophies are integrated throughout our curriculum, deepening our bonds, and fostering understanding, personal growth and inclusive leadership skills within our students"
"Families choose Rosseau Lake College because we are intentionally small and meaningfully diverse. No other school can match this level of diversity. In our small community of 130 students, we embrace over 20 different nationalities. Our students collaborate within a multicultural environment fostering a global perspective, improving their social and collaborative skills, and building an international network of friends. Learning in this environment is a life-changing experience."
"At RLC, we understand our job isn’t to protect students from every disappointment, defeat, or scary situation - in fact, we often go out of our way to create these challenges. When our students encounter a difficult problem, we want them to have the skills to solve it instead of giving up; when they make a mistake, we help them grow and learn from their mistake. We believe that high school is more than a path to post secondary education. Students leave RLC with a well-developed sense of self."
"In every part of our brand identity, website and literature, we talk about ‘community’ as one of our greatest strengths. Often this aspect of our school is under-appreciate through the admissions process. Our mission states that “RLC is a family with global citizenship that supports one another to be the best of ourselves, throughout our lives.” Parents learn that being part of our community is the opportunity of a lifetime, for a lifetime."
"1. We are intentionally small and meaningfully diverse
2. We have classrooms without walls and learning without limits
3. We are connected to the spirit of indigenous teachings
4. We develop strength of character and a strong sense of self
5. The bonds we build with our community are deep and everlasting"
Music Class
Media lab
Media Lab
Campus in Spring
Campus
Brock House
Brock House
Home away from Home
Media Lab
Dining Hall
Dining Hall
Dining Hall
How people from the school’s community see Rosseau Lake College
Top-down influence on the school’s direction and tone
David Krocker, Head of School
BEd, BA, Masters in Educational Leadership
“We are all one drum and we need each other” – Richard Wagamese from One Drum
Our incredible natural setting along with our small, cohesive community establishes a sense of home, belonging and immersion. We truly live, learn, and explore through authentic relationships.
Nestled among the pines on a pristine 56-acre historic lakefront property in traditional Anishinaabeg territory, Rosseau Lake College offers a boarding and day school experience that is like no other in Canada.
Students at Rosseau Lake College develop transferable dispositions that transcend time and place by understanding who they are and what they can achieve.
Our Discovery Projects represent our student centric beliefs. Students are able to express themselves, explore their passions, and demonstrate their curiosity and intellectual skills.
The Seven Generations and Rosseau Roots foundations are integrated into all we do along with our amazing Outdoor Learning. Students are immersed into academic pursuits that are integrated, meaningful and incorporate values, curiosity, our natural setting and relationships.
Rosseau Lake College is unparalleled in our natural environment and small school size. We truly are connected to each other, our land, and our values. We have without a doubt an extraordinary school and experience that is a privilege to experience.
When students graduate from RLC they have developed the skills, knowledge, and confidence to take on any challenge. They are ready for anything.
“Being immersed in our majestic, close knit campus is an incredible privilege. We are unique, proud, and joyful. Students develop character, personal expression and meaningful relationships with the land, self and others. Learning transcends time and place so students develop an everlasting sense of belonging and an understanding of who they are and what they can achieve.”
– Dave Krocker, Head of School
If you’re considering a small school for your extroverted child, make sure it offers plenty of social opportunities, including the ability to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Since smaller schools have smaller and less diverse student populations than big schools, it can sometimes be more challenging for your child to find a like-minded group of friends—friends with similar interests, values, etc.
“It’s important to look at the social makeup of the school,” says Ruth Rumack of Ruth Rumack's Learning Space. "Is there enough variety that your child will have a group that they feel connected with? Because you want to have friends that are like-minded and you want to be in a social situation where you feel honoured and respected. Variety can also be found in extracurriculars, leadership programs, and sports activities, which tend to have kids with a wide range of personalities.”
Also, make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your social child. “For instance, a school focusing on individual learning instead of group learning may not play into your child’s strengths,” say Ann and Karen Wolff, Toronto-based education consultants at Wolff Educational Services. “You want to make sure the social, emotional, and academic realities of the classroom are a match for your child’s personality.”
At a boarding school, your extroverted child will likely enjoy seeking out and interacting with peer groups from different backgrounds, away from home. In fact, studying and living with other kids for an extended period of time, as many alumni tell us, provides the unique opportunity to form close relationships that can last well beyond the school years. Many boarding schools also have large student populations and more extracurriculars—including activities like student council, team sports, and arts programs—which will give your outgoing child a broader scope of opportunities to feed off the energy of others, and possibly even become a leader, in a dynamic environment.
Keep in mind, though, “Being an extrovert can be a catalyst for getting involved in lots of activities, which can sometimes be hard to manage,” says Joanne Foster, Toronto-based education consultant and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids. “For instance, a particularly extroverted child may try to end up juggling too many people and activities. While they still may thrive at a boarding school, it helps to know your child and how much social interaction they can handle comfortably.”
Smaller schools often have small classrooms and tight-knit communities, which can make it easier for your introverted child to come out of their shell, make friends, and feel like they belong. Since they’re less socially overwhelming, your child should find it easier to navigate their social environment. And since they’re conducive to group work, small classes often have plenty of interaction, which can help your child develop critical interpersonal skills.
Of course, small schools normally have a less diverse student population than big schools, which can sometimes make it more challenging to find a group of like-minded peers—peers with similar personalities, interests, values, etc. This makes it especially important to ask a school about its extracurricular programs, which can help your introverted child establish an intimate social circle.
At a boarding school, your introverted child will be more motivated (and virtually compelled) to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Away from home and in a new environment, they’re more likely to take the initiative to form close friendships, which can boost their independence and confidence, and help them develop critical social skills.
"Consider, though, whether your child will be comfortable and confident while living away from home, and while having to navigate the various, and sometimes unforeseen social-emotional experiences, alongside the academic challenges,” says Joanne Foster, education expert and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids. Finally, ensure support systems are in place to promote their social and emotional development, and that your child is willing and prepared to take advantage of them. Your child will often need to advocate for themselves at a boarding school, and they’ll need confidence and perseverance to do so.
THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Rosseau Lake College
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Continue researching Rosseau Lake College with OurKids.net, or visit school website.