The Role of the Village

Kim Morton
Director of Advancement‍

At many schools, the campus experience begins and ends at the front gates. At Rosseau Lake College, it has always been different. The school and the village have grown alongside one another for generations, and that connection continues to shape the experience our students have here every day.

The village may be small, but the role it plays in the lives of our students is significant. Students walk into the General Store, Loretta's, or the Village Bakery and are greeted by name. Local residents stop to ask about school events, athletic games, or weekend activities. Staff from Hilltop Interiors, or Crossroads Restaurant, neighbours, and community members all contribute in small but meaningful ways to creating an environment where students feel welcomed and known.

There is an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. At RLC, we see the truth of that every day.

While teachers, coaches, and staff guide students academically and personally, the surrounding community helps shape the broader sense of belonging that is so important during adolescence. For many boarding students those connections matter deeply. A familiar face in the village, a casual conversation at Second Story Book Shop, or simply feeling recognized within the community can help transform an unfamiliar place into one where students feel comfortable and connected.

What makes Rosseau special is not simply its natural beauty, though the lake, forests, and changing seasons certainly leave a lasting impression. It is the people. There remains a genuine sense of neighbourliness here that students quickly come to understand and appreciate.

That relationship between school and village has existed for decades. As someone who attended RLC as a day student in the late 1980s and grew up in Rosseau, I have watched generations of students become part of this community. While much about education has evolved over the years, one thing has remained remarkably consistent: the village continues to embrace the school, and the school continues to be part of the village.

That spirit of partnership will be visible once again during this year’s RLC Community Day. As students, staff, families, alumni, gather at the Rosseau Village Beach, Rosseau Pizzeria will generously provide lunch for the RLC community.

Boarding schools often speak about creating a “home away from home.” At RLC, that feeling is strengthened by the fact that students are part of a real community where relationships extend beyond school walls.

In many ways, Rosseau helps teach the same values we hope students carry with them long after graduation: kindness, connection, responsibility, and care for others. For many alumni, the village becomes just as memorable as the school itself.