Alternative Schools for Boys

Have you considered an alternative school for your boy?  Every child is different, and while some boys will thrive in your neighborhood public school, you may need to look farther if you feel like your son is in need of a change. Alternative schools for boys, like Gateway Academy, have unique programming designed for the needs of students who aren’t thriving in typical school settings.

When to Consider Alternative Schools for Boys

The decision to look into sending your son to a different school is not one to take lightly or to make on a whim. As a parent, you are in a good position to observe patterns in your son’s behavior, and the main warning signs are when his behavior changes suddenly. Then you can talk to other adults he interacts with to see if they have additional input to help you get a full picture of what is happening. Here are a few of the main warning signs that your son needs to change schools and potentially make a move to an alternative school for boys:

• Your son is suddenly falling behind in school: Most schools send out regular progress reports in addition to the official report cards at the end of each semester. A drop of an average of one letter grade or more across the board on a progress report is definitely cause for concern, and if these low grades persist for a whole semester or school year, you should be seriously considering a change in schools. The traditional educational system just may not be the best fit for meeting your son’s needs in and out of the classroom. 
• Your son is exhibiting rebellious behavior at home, school, and other settings: Most children go through a time when they test the boundaries you have set and rebel against them. However, many children will respond to guidance and bring their behavior back into line after a short time. If your son has been consistently rebellious, not only at home but also in school, church, or other settings, despite your best interventions, he may do better in an alternative school. The change of setting can be very beneficial for starting over and restoring respect for authority and boundaries.
• Your son has been experimenting with drugs and alcohol and is not responding to guidance: Schools are often the place where boys fall in with the wrong crowd, and that can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol during the pre-teen and teenage years. When you know your son has been using drugs or alcohol and is not stopping, despite your best efforts, it may be time for a change in scenery. Getting him out of his school and into the more structured environment of an alternative school for boys is likely to stop this experimentation before it becomes an addiction.
• Your son is being bullied in school or is not happy in school: When your son is unhappy in school, it not only affects his academic performance, but your home and family life too. Especially if you know your son is being bullied on a regular basis, it may be time to move him into a different school. That way, he can start fresh and be under the more watchful eye of teachers and staff who know the signs of bullying and how to address it before it becomes a problem.

Advantages of Alternative Schools for Boys

Each school has its own unique approach and areas of focus, but you are likely to find some similar threads woven across many alternative schools for boys:

• More personalized attention for your son: Alternative schools can generally offer a much lower ratio of teachers to students, along with additional support staff, including coaches, mentors, counselors, and home supervisors for boarding schools. Each of these individuals will help ensure that your son receives personalized attention and doesn’t slip through the cracks like he may have been at his old school. 
• Intentional family involvement: Typical middle schools and high schools will rarely communicate directly with parents, but alternative schools for boys make it a point to be in regular communication with you. The teachers and staff will reach out to let you know how your son is doing, and the school may also provide you with parenting resources to help you better understand how to support your son and help him thrive. 
• Development of skills that are not strictly academic: Many schools focus on the classic triad of classroom learning, athletic teams, and extracurricular clubs and activities. Alternative schools for boys will often expand their scope to foster development in other areas. For example, boarding schools often have chores and other duties that help develop a work ethic, and some alternative schools offer vocational training in specific areas, which is very helpful for boys who would like to enter the work force after completing high school.
• Christian alternative schools for boys bring an approach centered on Jesus: If you would like your son to grow in his personal relationship with Jesus, an alternative school with a Christian focus can help. Christian schools can use classroom curriculum with a Christ-centered approach, in addition to incorporating other activities to support boys in their Christian faith. It’s common to see schools that have staff who model strong relationships with Christ and offer regular chapel services, small group Bible studies, and even mission trips that students can go on.

Gateway Academy is an Alternative School Where Boys Thrive

Your search for an alternative school should include Gateway Academy for Boys, a Teen Challenge program located in Bonifay, Florida. We are a Christian boarding school designed for troubled boys who are having difficulties at traditional schools. Our comprehensive residential program is 15 months long and offers pace-based classroom learning, competitive sports teams, vocational training, mission trips, family weekends, and supportive Christian teachers and staff to help disciple your son during his time at Gateway.

We are ready to bring your son into our alternative school for boys where he will be able to thrive in a structured environment with personalized attention. Call us today at (888) 452-6811 or email us at gba.admissions@teenchallenge.cc so we can tell you more about Gateway Academy and how we can help provide your son with the support he needs.