Adventure schools world wide offer different.

Boarding school for senior high years, 15+ has been a tradition for many families. 

• Wise parents recognise Fledging time, letting go, cut the branch story is essential for youth. 
• Some parents encourage the GAP Year after completion of high school
• Some disrupted teens need cut the branch earlier in their school life.
• Some nations make this older teen fledging time "Compulsory National Service" in a range of community services, not just preparation for war.

Aerie College provides similar "Fledging Time to leave home" for families with Teens who want, or need, different.

The essential SACE subjects continue for the Aerie "TIME OUT" Cruise:- English, Maths,  Activating Identities and Futures (AIF), Research project.

New Aerie subjects are continuous though Aerie years:- Personal Log, Cookery, Outdoor Recreation, Boat License, Life saving, First aid, Boat water rescue, etc.

Aerie College "Time Out," is a complete change, to reset teen's mental health. - - - Get them out of their unhappy schools, even their family home, for a while to let it all calm down. We use a 10 week "Time Out" River cruise to change their lifestyle, smooth their feathers, and put them back on track for a happy productive future.  Parents with boats can tag along and join in with us when appropriate. The kids stay on "TS Aerie" for a full time learning program. We welcome parent help but not interference. Aerie teachers are skilled in working with both eaglets, and doves.

Children who push the limits are the potential dropouts or school refusers - - - these are the wild young birds who want their life to be different. - - - When children push the limits in a busy or disrupted family, they cause:

• CONFLICT at home and school
• ANGER in the wild children, the Eaglets.  
• DEPRESSION in the compliant ones, the Squabs. 

Sometimes, the brilliant child who can do no wrong needs a push  "Mummy's spoilt child",  

•  The beautiful "Sleeper" - COMPLIANT, head down, not doing the hard learning. - - Can fly but refuses = too comfortable. 

Push them out of your nest to try Aerie College. - - Child Anger? - - - Perhaps, but the change will give them an essential life lesson.

YES. The law says they must attend SCHOOL to age 17.  

How good is their school?  Is it preventing them from fledging when they need it? 

The most important result for every child from schooling is happy confidence. - - - Is your child getting happy confidence at their school?

Strong children who push the limits because they are unhappy, cause conflict within their unsuitable schools and with parents who force them to go to those local schools because the law says they must.  War is declared. Adults have the stronger hand. Teens fall into depression.

• Most existing School classrooms create "chicken shed" conflict - The angry and depressed little birds want to escape the cage, school or home, for many reasons, mostly through bullying, by both parents and other students. 
• Free range chickens produce better eggs.
• Some wild young chicks jump out their nest too soon to test their wings, create rumpus and sometimes crash. -They need gentle pickup.
• The quiet doves, the squabs, are unable to see the way out, enter depression and think of suicide.  cut the branch and they will fly.

The large State Schools dropout rate is currently 24% and increasing. The unhappy children are unable to cope in the chicken shed and need to change. These schools are too large and not nimble. Government policy is making it worse with larger numbers in high school factories. YES they keep the costs down, BUT at what risk?

SA Government sees an economic future in building weapons of war (Nuclear Submarines) and pushes schools to train good engineering worker fodder. 

Is this a good future for every child?  

Some kids think different BUT are unable to change. They take the depression/suicide track. --- they can see no other options. cut the branch 

Time is critical for your teens. Their growth cannot stay and wait. Aerie College can change their mental health.

CHANGE to Aerie College, small and nimble, can be the change your child needs - - - cut the branch 

Aerie Residential College is a safe refuge, in wilderness, away from the stressors,  on the river Murray, swag camp cruising and kayaking, with skilled outdoor teachers maintaining the curriculum requirements and providing time for many chats to help the disrupted teens reset their flight path after the parents cut the branch. 

The Aerie College free range chickens, away from the Large school chicken shed, are much happier, more productive and produce better results. - - - They will return to family as competent young adults. 

Aerie College Community encourages parents to join community and enjoy the wilderness with their young ones when they have time.

The river has a calming effect. We focus on water safety including swimming, life jackets and water rescue skills. CPR and first aid skills are essential. We use a fast safety escort tug boat for all kayaking events and PV Mundoo as home base for swag camping, catering and cruising, to provide safe reset and rest time to preen their wings.

Aerie can help the family and the teachers  cut the branch 

• School Teacher action:- recommend students to Aerie College for help (= teachers find help for their problem student and relieves their classroom disruption.)
• Parent action:-  ask the school to nominate their child to Aerie College for help (= parents help their child to escape to a better future away from their school agony,  AND stops parent/child conflict). 

Parents are welcome to tag along in their own boat for part or all of the "Time Out" cruise. They can join in with activities but must play to the Aerie College rules. At any time they can take their child and leave. This is a come and try school camp event, not an enrolment in Aerie College. Principal, Capt. Bouc will be with the time out cruise for most of the time. Chat is always welcome.

AT THE END OF TIME OUT CRUISE- - - - Aerie Principal, student and family meet to make a decision. 

• Stay with Aerie Collegiate Community - - - for the long haul to VET Diploma
• or leave - - -  decision is parent choice before age 18 years.

Parents, when was the last time you pruned your tree?