Four campuses, two programs, over 1,000
students and 26
years of experience — meet Rundle College and Academy. Founded in 1985, Rundle is a non-profit society in
Calgary built to prepare students for higher education and life’s many challenges. The college is open to
students from preschool to Grade 12, whereas Rundle Academy caters to students between Grades 4 and 12 with
diagnosed learning disabilities.
Q&A: JASON
ROGERS
Rundle Academy’s assistant
principal, Jason Rogers, explains how this Calgary school excels at education and student
development.
The school is said to have
a nurturing, positive learning environment. How is this achieved?
By constantly
revisiting and reinforcing our core values — communication, respect, responsibility, wellness, creativity and
understanding.
Children with
learning disabilities often face social and academic challenges that others might not. How are students
encouraged to boost confidence and motivation?
Rundle Academy
starts each year with an “Orientation Camp” with objectives to encourage students to meet and get to know
each other outside of a classroom and help students understand that thinking different doesn’t mean you think
wrong. We then shift gears and work with our students on self- advocacy skills that give them success beyond
the “safe and caring” education at Rundle.
One of the methods
used to overcome learning disabilities is intervention. How does this work at the
school?
When our students
are in Grades 4 to 6, we put a lot of work into reading and math remediation, which includes a lot of one-on-
one assistance and a comprehensive assistive technology approach. From Grades 7 to 9, we use remediation and
accommodations such as digital textbooks, audio books, text-to-speech software and speech-to-text software.
From Grades 10 to 12, the curriculum moves quickly and all material is accommodated when
necessary.
How are parents
involved in the progress of their children?
They get involved
in the Parent Advisory Council and attend Parent Information Evenings. Rundle Academy’s Parent Advisory
Council meets on a monthly basis and there is a Parent Speaker Series each month, which allows parents to
come in and see a presentation on a topic that is of interest to parents of children with learning
disabilities.
An Individualized
Approach
In 1996, Rundle
Academy was created to provide specialized education to students with diagnosed learning disabilities, which
may affect the way they acquire, organize, think, reason, retain or understand information. Learning
disabilities range in severity and affect different areas such as writing, reading, mathematics and oral
language. Following the Alberta curriculum and program of studies, the school’s individual instruction
technique and nurturing environment help students realize their potential and dreams of post- secondary
education.
“We have great success in identifying the individual needs of each of our students and delivering the
curriculum in a way that promotes success, self-confidence and the love of learning,” says Leslie
Tecklenburg, Rundle’s director of alumni relations and development.
There are currently over 200 enrolled students enjoying the benefits of small classroom sizes ranging from
six to 12 students. The Rundle Academy program does not modify the rigorous Alberta Education curriculum; it
makes accommodations in its delivery to meet the individual learning styles of each student.
For more
information on Rundle Academy, call 403-291-3866 or visit » rundle.ab.ca •