Life at Rundle Academy
Discovering True Potential & Confidence in Learning
Small Class Sizes | Dedicated Teachers | Character Development
Rundle Academy is an independent premier day school for students with diagnosed learning disabilities, with or without ADHD from grades 4 through 12. As a caring learning community, the Academy has become nationally recognized as a leader in education for complex learners. Rundle Academy is an engaging environment devoted to providing an enriched and personalized education to help your child build confidence in their abilities, self-esteem, motivation, and academic achievement.
Small Class Sizes
Our strong focus on relationship building is fostered through our small class sizes where each student is connected with their teacher and their peers. We know complex learners are better able to realize their potential when they build meaningful relationships with supportive teachers.
Excellence of Instruction
Rundle teachers and staff are held to the highest standard. Every teacher at Rundle Academy is dedicated and committed to making a difference in the lives of individual children. Our teachers are certified by Alberta education and receive professional development specifically designed to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities.
Character, Leadership & Citizenship
While academic excellence is important, we strive to develop students who are ready to navigate life and their post-secondary journey with confidence and success. Our objective is for Academy graduates to be globally minded citizens who can make their mark on our ever changing world.
Real-Life Learning Experiences
Our goal is to help students become good citizens and noble human beings of fine character. We know that to achieve this goal that this takes a diverse set of tools — academics, sports, fine arts and volunteer programs. It’s so easy to start to view these tools as ends in themselves. However, we aim to see our programs as a means to develop positive aspects of character and help students see what reaching their full potential looks like.
Enriched Academics
Rundle Academy is one of the premier learning disability programs in Alberta, and provides exceptional educational opportunities for our students. Our individualized academic program encourages intellectual, social and personal growth of our students and is balanced by a variety of experiences in music, languages, technology and physical education. Our dedicated teachers utilize a variety of instructional approaches including assistive technology, differentiated instruction and assessment, and an intensive writing and reading program.
Leadership, Character Development & Citizenship
While academic performance is important, it is only one aspect in our goal of developing well-rounded students. To support this goal, character development and citizenship is integrated into our curriculum. We have designed our curriculum to allow students to learn and develop through active participation in organized service experiences that meet community needs. Through school-related outings, guest speakers and in daily life, we will foster and encourage compassion, integrity, perseverance, involvement, respect and responsibility.
Co-curriculars | Exploring Interests & Passions
How people learn – not only during the school years but throughout their lifetimes – is rapidly changing. Because of Rundle’s continued excellence in education, we believe in expanding the current opportunities for student self-discovery and for being inquisitive. Early in their school lives students must feel empowered to take the lead, seek out answers and learn the core skills necessary to become lifetime learners. Rundle encourages students to take their learning to new levels and in new directions by offering extracurricular activities for all grades that extend beyond the conventional curriculum and beyond the regular school year.
Rundle’s athletics program is a blend of competitive spirit, teamwork and fun. Our students learn much more than physical skills through their participation in athletics. They develop confidence, competence, and a sense of community and connection to their team and school. The experience of working towards a common goal teaches students commitment, resilience and respect for others.
The purpose of our character and leadership education programs at Rundle is to create a kind and caring community organized around developing positive and healthy relationships among and between students, staff, and parents. We believe that social and emotional learning is just as important as academic learning Moreover, we strive to inspire our students to become committed to moral and ethical behaviours and give them opportunities to practice these desired behaviours.
Students at Rundle Academy can take advantage of many clubs and co-curricular activities that encourage curiosity and discovery. From robotics to TedX to drama, we have something for everyone’s interests and strengths.
We offer an exciting variety of opportunities for students to express themselves and interpret the world around them through visual arts, drama and music. Through these experiences, students develop confidence, flexibility, critical thinking and collaboration skills.
In the upper grades, students have the option of pursuing art, drama and/or music as options. In addition to these classes, Rundle Academy has numerous opportunities for students to display their artistic talents in our annual drama productions, talent shows, and art exhibits.
Rundle Academy students use a variety of apps and tools to enhance learning. Dynamic applications, such as Read & Write, IXL, and Fluency Tutor, improve accessibility for our students. In STEM subjects, students are engaged in understanding technology through programming tools like Arduinos, Micro: bits and Makey-Makeys. Academy students and teachers use flexible learning management systems to enhance teaching and learning opportunities – these build student capacity, improve learning efficacy, and of course, prepare students for the fluent use of such tools in the future.
Digital citizenship
Digital citizenship is citizenship. At Rundle, this is the lens through which we facilitate our students’ understanding of how to navigate today’s technology-driven world. Using the five competencies of digital citizenship as defined by ISTE: inclusive, informed, engaged, balanced, and alert, alongside our Rundle values of Being Kind, Being Curious and Being Well, we ensure students are well-equipped to take on the realities of the digital age – and beyond.
As part of our quest to build up Renaissance Students, we firmly believe in the learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. Research, cultural exploration and humanitarian efforts are an extension of the academic and extracurricular programs offered at Rundle. Students have opportunities to take part in many local field trips as well as global travel that enhances their learning and gives perspective of the world around them.
Service learning is the opportunity for students to learn about foundational life concepts such as collaboration and giving; of their time, their talents, or their resources. Not only is service learning effective in preparing students to succeed in the classroom, but provides valuable insights into the needs of their local and global communities.
Our entire Rundle community is involved in volunteerism and has given back 1000s of hours of service within Calgary and around the world.