INFORMATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

“Where there is help, there is hope.” This is the guiding principle at Calgary’s Foothills Academy, a school designed for students anywhere from ages 8 to 18 who face the challenges that accompany having a learning disability. Provincially approved to educate learning disabled children, Foothills is geared specifically towards children who are intellectually bright, but have specific problems with reading, writing and/or math, and as a result are failing in school.

Program co-ordinator Kris Lenehan says that the school’s main objective is to improve the students’ skills and provide them with the strategies needed to enable their full potential, complete high school, and ultimately make a successful transition into post-secondary education. 

“Our mandate is a global one: To provide support for children with learning disabilities,” says Lenehan. “Both Community Services and our full-time school program take children who are often frustrated, frequently anxious and depressed, but bright and capable, and teach them how to succeed in school. We believe that success starts here.” 

One of the school’s founders was the parent of a child with a learning disability. His dream was to establish a school that would help his son to reach the hidden potential that was masked by the academic difficulties he faced on a day-to-day basis in school.

Lenehan says that parents who suspect their child might be in need of a specialized learning environment should visit the school for more information.

“Come to an open house. Hear and see the children we have, the staff who support them and the program we provide. Ask questions,” she says. “The program enables children who struggle with learning problems to develop confidence and competence and reach their potential. The majority of our students will go on to post-secondary studies.”

»  For more information on Foothills Academy, call 403-270-9400 or visit foothillsacademy.org •