Gateway is a military-like Christian boarding school that helps difficult teenage boys who have gotten off track in life and need discipline and respect for authority.
When boys get off track in life they need discipline and they need order. They need to learn a trade and begin to show respect for authority and for their loved ones. And most of all, they need to learn the importance of having God in their lives. From its military school roots, Gateway remains regimented, but it now blends a character-enriching and vocational program into its military-like decorum. The boarding school has eliminated the meaningless drills of typical military schools and boot camps while adding vocational and faith elements. Gateway features all of the elements that will have the most positive life-long impact on boys in the shortest possible time, administered by loving mentors and peers who encourage them to succeed.
The accredited school, working ranch and farm, counseling and mentoring, competitive team sports, a spiritual emphasis, and our hands-on outreach to the community and missions trips to third world countries all combine to make young men all they can be, and more. Gateway Boys Academy is made up of caring, concerned staff, many of who have been in your situation with their own children. Their purpose in life is to help teenage boys turn around and begin looking at life differently.
Boys are given a new purpose, a new drive, and a new passion for being a better person and serving others. If you could see the before and after pictures of boys who have come through Gateway’s program, you would see a striking change to confident, happy young men. You would see selfish boys with a chip on their shoulders that are now ready to give the shirt off their back to someone in need. You would see boys without purpose who now have solid goals and direction for their life.
Gateway is not new at this. They know what works, and we see lives changed every day. They’re not making robots out of these kids, but building up young men with confidence, who thoughtfully consider their options, having learned that making bad choices leads to bad outcomes. Developing leaders of integrity and men of strength from foolish boys who were weak and headed for disaster is what Gateway does. 
Seldom is there an opportunity for a young man to lead five, ten, twenty, or more peers while in high school?
Young men at Gateway can reach positions of responsibility and learn leadership skills, which often transfer to college and the world beyond. Engaging academics in a structured environment is often easier for most, and it helps young men see a brighter future in terms of applying to college. Challenging a young man while his thoughts are big and his future is open is a wonderful part of what Gateway does.
Activities
Participation in athletic activities is strongly encouraged at Gateway. Sports teach teamwork and camaraderie. These are invaluable interpersonal skills for a world absorbed by computers and gadgets. Knowing how to work with others is a critical skill taught by our military school. We have a beautiful gymnasium and large grounds for the boys to enjoy.
Academics
Gateway is a Department of Education registered non-public school. Our teachers assist students in two available self-paced Christian curriculums (Accelerated Christian Education and Edgenuity), offering tutorial help when needed. A high school diploma is awarded upon graduation and assistance in obtaining ACT and SAT testing in the local schools.
Accreditation and Dual Enrollment — Students at Teen Challenge’s private Christian School are simultaneously enrolled in Edgenuity’s Online school. Edgenuity is fully accredited by Cognia, the world’s largest educational community with over 27,000 public and private schools. It gives students courses through an accredited program that will help them transfer credits, apply for federal grants, and pursue admission to colleges or universities while still being enrolled at Teen Challenge’s private Christian School. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has also approved the Edgenuity instructional model and curriculum for student-athletes online instruction.
Students to achieve phenomenal progress towards high school completion and beyond. Our partnership with Edgenuity produces an educational atmosphere that spurs a desire to succeed, which gains momentum and encourages students to reach their full potential. We use a fully accredited online middle and high school curriculum facilitated by our own classroom teachers. Edgenuity is certified by COGNIA, the highest accrediting body for schools in the United States. Our commitment to quality education is a top priority.
While the Edgenuity program is intuitive and self-paced, our own certified classroom teachers make sure that our students keep up their coursework, offer to tutor, answer any questions, and give each student plenty of encouragement. Our teachers and parents can see at a glance how well each student is doing through the online Edgenuity portal. Students who fail to keep up or are having difficulty with a certain topic are specifically helped, but if they are dragging their feet out of rebellion, they may lose out on some privileges like outings and fun times until they choose to get caught up.
- Multi Award-winning platforms for virtual learning.
- Fully accredited by COGNIA (formerly known as AdvancEd).
- Three levels of Internet filtering/monitoring for a safe & secure online learning experience.
- Flexible course options.
- College courses are available for those that graduate from HS while in the program.
Some of the more difficult courses requiring teacher and class feedback are taught in a traditional teacher-led daily class, including Algebra I, Spanish I, and Anatomy/Physiology.
At Gateway, we emphasize individual learning. Once a student has individually mastered one concept, he may move ahead to the next concept without having to wait on a classroom of students, so many students are able to either catch up or get far ahead in their studies. School officials maintain professional transcripts and progress reports for record-keeping. Teachers at Gateway are accessible to parents on family weekends and by phone or email for updates on their son’s academic progress.
Our mission is to assist young men in setting and pursuing personal, educational goals. Because we are a year-round alternative type school, semester dates may not coordinate with traditional schools. Gateway Academy provides Florida state-mandated curriculum for middle grades 6-8 and high school grades 9-12. Every student has the opportunity to earn the required high school credits needed for graduation.
Students receive annual standardized testing with the Terra Nova CTBS (California Test of Basic Skills) test. The results are provided to the parent and the receiving school to which a student returns.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
Gateway Academy’s policy is to provide standardized testing for each student after 6 months of attendance in school. Gateway Academy uses the CTBS Standardized Test (Terranova) to test and evaluate students adequately.
Tests are completed 3 – 4 times each year to accommodate all students since this is a 15-month residential program. Test results are discussed with parents of students during Parent Visit Weekends, and a copy of the test results is placed in the students’ school files.
ACT TESTING FOR COLLEGE PLACEMENT
ACT testing is scheduled twice each year, April and October. The administrator selects students as candidates for the ACT Test according to grade level. A letter will be sent to the student’s parents giving them information concerning how they are to register their son for the ACT if they desire their son to take the test. Students must be in 11th or 12th grade and 2nd Platoon.
Once the parents have registered their son, they will contact the school secretary to notify the registration secretary. The school secretary will print out the ACT Testing Ticket a few days before the test is taken.
When a student has been signed up for the ACT Test, he is given an ACT Preparation Workbook to work through. This book will provide pertinent information that may be found on the ACT Test. Every 3 pages of work in the workbook will count as 1 goal. Every 25 questions on mini-quizzes will count as 1 goal.
GED TESTING PROCEDURES
Requirements for Candidacy for G.E.D. (High School Equivalency Exam)
Any student who is 16 years of age or older, has 6 or fewer high school credits, will not complete 12th grade by the age of 19, and has attended Gateway Academy for a minimum of 6 months is considered a candidate for the GED track. Students must try to get to the 10th-grade level before beginning the GED track. GED testing is administered at the Washington County Technical School. GED testing is conducted monthly.
Teachers should submit the name of any student who qualifies as a candidate for the GED to the administrator. The administrator will contact the parent(s) of the student to acquire approval for the student to pursue the GED track. Once parental approval is given, the parent will be required to fill out the appropriate paperwork for written permission and registration for the GED test.
Once all paperwork is turned in by the parent(s), the student will be pre-tested by the administrator or teacher of the student. Pre-testing will determine what subject areas the student should focus on the most. The student will be given a GED Preparatory Workbook to prepare for the test. Most students are given 4 months to prepare for the test. Every 3 pages of work in the workbook will be counted as 1 goal. Students may also be assigned GED Prep lessons.
A few weeks before the GED test, the student will be post-tested to be sure of his readiness for the test. All pre-test and post-test results will be made available to both the student and his parent(s).
Gateway Boys Academy
1213 Hope Ln, Bonifay, FL 32425
(850) 547-9011
WEBSITE: ChristianMilitarySchool.org
Effective, Affordable Help for Troubled Adolescents
