This year, 2020, I made a really tough choice for my son’s education and wellbeing – to send him to Robert Land Academy. I’ve read those horrible reviews from former students. I tried to read about any facts to support that negativity. I found many rambling, highly emotional and incoherent reviews. And although they did make me nervous, the lack of any reference to facts encouraged me to send my precious son to RLA. Now, four months into the school year, I am so happy that I’ve made this choice.

My son is in grade 7 now. This year he started at Robert Land Academy in Wellandport, Ontario. This is a not-for-profit private MILITARY-inspired boarding school for boys.

A Little background: Since the start of grade 1, my son was diagnosed with ADHD, got pigeonholed into that category of boys and struggled with schooling for all of 6 years being in public schools. I hardly ever seen a mark on his report card above C+ in any substantial subjects. We have had special education teachers assisting him in writing, he was given “special” breaks during class, he was put on medication, special diets, psychologist etc. etc. Nothing worked: my son was failing school or the school was failing him. Never a trouble maker, but never excelling at school.

This semester, at RLA, we already have 4 As: French, Math, Physical Ed and Arts. The rest of the marks are hard Bs! What’s more, I’ve always thought that my son had no leadership instincts, oh boy, was I wrong! He is now a house warden, which means he is in charge of everything at his “house” and 3 other boys that are part of his house. His manners have become impeccable, in his boots, I can see my own reflection, his room is organized. Moreover, the self-reflection that I get from my son about his own progress, shows amazing maturity and growth. He now has big ambitions to become a company IC (in charge)! His self-esteem has shot up, sense of responsibility improved immensely. He is now able to control his impulses and emotions. All that in just 4 short months!
In addition, my son says that he loves RLA, misses it when he is visiting home. Mainly for the reasons of fun and activities that he gets to do with his friends every day at school. I highly recommend and endorse this wonderful school and am willing to personally discuss our experience with anyone who is looking for a reference.

Our son graduated from Robert Land Academy after two years at the school. We can only say that his experience there was transformative. Before entering the school he did not have a sense of self or purpose. Two years later, with the close involvement and guidance of faculty and his rediscovered capacity for hard work, he graduated high school, with numerous academic awards and other distinctions. As of this writing he has finished his first undergraduate year at a reputable university, and has earned placement on the Dean’s honor list. This outcome was something we could not have imagined or dared to hope for, only two years earlier.

We believe that Robert Land Academy’s approach to its students is unique in the world of schools dedicated to helping young men through a troubled adolescence to a place in the adult world. The curriculum is rigorous and challenging, with no recognizable grade inflation and provides every resource for meeting university entrance requirements. The school’s highly structured, “military” environment removes any possible ambiguity between students and academic staff. What the entering student learns first is that he has to earn the respect of others and his position within the community. Through this process, he comes to respect and value himself. The teaching staff are both experienced and extraordinarily dedicated, and they helped our son form his first adult relationships based on mutual respect and admiration. Relationships with peers were formed that may last for the rest of his life. He had his first experiences with leadership and responsibility for others at Robert Land, and they were powerful and gave him first awareness of abilities and strengths he never imagined he had. The school location is very isolated and the facilities are spartan but adequate and the absence of luxury gave our son a renewed appreciation for the comfort and privilege he had enjoyed at home.

We recognize that the Robert Land Academy is not necessarily the answer for everyone with a young man in need of redirection. But we do think this school is a hidden gem with a unique approach to helping kids who have lost their way to build an identity, and to find their place in the world.

My name is Leonard and I am a retired dentist living in Montreal. My son Ryan attended your school probably 25 years ago; it wasn’t always easy but the fact is you probably saved his life! When I asked him to attend, I explained to him that as a parent I may have failed him in that I had almost no understanding of limit setting and living within boundaries in society. I treated my son as a friend growing up when he needed a father, a recipe for disaster in his case. I explained that we as a family needed a complete reset; reluctantly he went, and the journey was indeed tortuous; after his first year he was invited back as ‘head boy’ (typical for Ryan) but the bumps in the road continued anyway; we all stuck with the program (detours included) but today Ryan is in his early forties, comfortable in his own skin and a successful member of society; attending Robert Land was absolutely instrumental in his evolution and it’s something I will never forget. Please accept my sincere thank you for helping my son and my family.

As a graduate from 2018/2019 I can say with the utmost sincerity this place changed my life and set me on the right direction. Before I went to this school I had no prospects, ambitions, or goals for my future. At the end of my two years here I was graduating with honours and an armful of awards and university acceptances, thanks to the stellar structure of the program here and the extensive dedication the staff and faculty show in their work every day. To anyone, especially those like myself at my time of admission who are in their later years of high school and mulling over the seeming impossibility of doing anything significant after your diploma, look into this place. I remember touring a boy in my last year who, like me, was in grade 11 and had a gnarly looking transcript, but had big dreams of going to U of T. I assured him without a doubt he could get there. Two years later when he graduated, I saw that he had been accepted to his dream school. Anything is possible.

Alumni here. I am going into second year university, and this school has changed me for the better. I honestly wish that I had gone to this school far sooner. The teachers and staff are all kind, but use every opportunity to mentor the students in discipline and self-control. Not only this, but I felt that I could always go to staff with any problem that I had, no matter how small or personal. The classes were thorough, and the teachers very good at explaining ideas in ways that supported each student’s needs. The ideals that built the foundation of the school (loyalty, labour, courage, commitment, and honour) were the kind that, if given a chance, cement themselves in students’ minds, and can persist even years after graduation. I have seen this same phenomenon from many of my fellow alums. The student experience was very difficult. A challenging environment and demands to fulfill your potential: both are not easy to cope with, but students come out stronger because of it. I fully and unhesitatingly support the school and its ideals.