Welcome to
The Guardian Academy
We offer a guided environment for eager minds to escape the challenges of childhood and pursue becoming balanced & empowered human beings. We provide an experience built around a farm, using nature to enhance learning and promote creativity. We encourage entrepreneurship and skills development.
What We Offer
Growing Happy Humans Since 2020
Facilities
Our academy is situated on two beautiful farms surrounded by nature in Charles City County. The 2024-2025 year will be held at a legacy farm overlooking the Chickahominy River. We are renovating another farmhouse to expand our offerings to teens for the 2025-2026 year. We have an abundance of outdoor areas for hands-on, immersive exploration. Our farms provide a unique opportunity for kids to learn about agriculture, construction, husbandry, stewardship, nature and so much more.
Activities
We offer a variety of activities that cater to different interests. Kids will participate in fabrication, arts & crafts, horticulture, animal husbandry and more. We have a focus on entrepreneurship and skills development, with activities on public speaking, business development, and trades training. Our activities are designed to be fun and engaging while also promoting learning and personal growth. We will take regular field trips and will have an overnight campout in the spring.
Schedule
Our academy operates Mondays and Tuesdays, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. We offer transportation from Kidsburg at Veterans Park. Pick up is 8:30 am and drop off is 4:30 pm. Parents may enroll their children for one day per week, but priority enrollment goes to parents enrolling their children two days per week. We are designed as a drop-off academy, but parents are welcome to sign up to volunteer.
For the 2024-2025 school year we will enroll students ages 7 to 12. We will expand age ranges as we grow each year.
Class size will be limited to 20 students per day. Tuition is $500 per month for our two day program and $350 per month for our one day program.
We will be offering a Summer Session for all children ages 7 to 12 beginning the week of June 17th, 2024. The cost will be $100 per week for a two day program. Please visit the Summer Session page for more details.
Food & Drink
We provide daily lunch for our students, with a focus on nutrition and sustainability. Students will be involved in cooking lunch so they can learn about healthy eating, meal planning, meal preparation, and clean-up. Water will always be available. We ask that parents do not send their children with any beverage other than water in their water bottles.
FAQ
What is The Guardian Academy?
The Guardian Academy is a retreat from traditional education for our youth. It is a place where kids can learn critical life skills that are not normally taught in a traditional curriculum. We offer a variety of classes and activities that cater to different interests and encourage hands-on learning. Our focus is on fostering a sense of community and promoting personal growth. Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year will be for children ages 7 to 12.
How big will the class size be?
The Guardian Academy will enroll no more than 20 students per day for the 2024-2025 school year. This allows for individual attention and a more personalized learning experience. Students will be broken up into smaller groups based on that day's activities.
Do parents need to stay during classes?
We are designed as a drop-off academy. Parents are encouraged to take that time for themselves or for their other children that are not participating in the academy. We will have a volunteer list that parents are welcome to sign up for, but it is not required. We believe that education should be a family affair and encourage parental involvement via various events and activities that will be held throughout the year.
What is the cancellation policy?
We understand that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes plans change. We do not require a yearly contract to enroll in The Guardian Academy. Enrollment is on a month to month basis with tuition being due in advance for each month. For example, October's tuition will be due by October 1st. If you need to cancel your enrollment, please let us know before the 1st of the next month. If you must cancel mid-month, no refunds will be issued.
What is The Guardian Retreat?
The Guardian Retreat is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to help veterans and families achieve a healthy, productive and fulfilling life. This is accomplished by offering veterans and families an escape from the stresses of daily life through agricultural and construction programs, structured mental wellness retreats and family connection retreats. The Guardian Academy is a retreat for the young members of our families. It is an opportunity for youth to unplug and recenter their souls by learning to put their minds and bodies to work in a natural environment.