Rundle at 40: An Idea that Sparked a Community

In the early 1990s, as the Rundle College program expanded, it became clear that a growing student community brought with it a wider range of learning needs.

At Rundle College Elementary, Principal Marianne Johnston observed that a number of students were struggling with reading and writing in ways that exceeded what the traditional classroom could address. In response, school leadership created a “resource room,” led by then-teacher Pat Olney, to provide additional targeted support.

As the team continued to explore how best to serve these learners, Rundle founder Dr. Collett consulted with expert Dr. Steve Truch. What began as a conversation about improving support soon sparked a transformative idea: the creation of a dedicated school for students with learning disabilities.

Vision Becomes Reality

From here on, Dr. Collett, Marianne Johnston, and Steve Truch worked together to develop a proposal for a new school within the Rundle brand that was specifically designed to support students with learning disabilities: the Reading Foundation School. 

The proposal for the school vision was approved by Alberta Education in 1995, thus beginning a legacy of a school that has supported thousands of students Calgary-wide. Originally launched with only seven students, the minimum requirement for school status in Alberta, the Reading Foundation was a tight-knit, impactful program for the students who attended.

This period marked rapid growth. After moving to the Carl Safran campus alongside the College Elementary division, the school expanded to 20 students in 1996 and 47 students in 1997. Once word spread that the school could effectively support students with learning disabilities and help them reach their full potential, the program grew quickly.

(Rundle Academy’s 34-Student Graduating Class of 2025)

Defining Identity

As with all great ideas, growing pains are inevitable, and this school was no exception. With its unforeseen success came a number of challenges. The school quickly ran out of admissions space, bottlenecking program growth and creating unexpected increases in administrative workload. Parents were vocal in ensuring that leadership and resources were prioritized to help the program flourish. 

Monumental decisions regarding the program needed to be made and, in 1998, Rundle’s leadership did just that. After discussion and debate, Rundle founders Drs. Collett and Conklin made three pivotal changes to the school:

1. Move in with the College program into the larger Barlow Trail campus;
2. Divide administration to increase better oversight; and
3. Rename the school to align with the Rundle brand, creating its own identity and long-term purpose: Rundle Academy.

(Rich Lawson and Cheryl Phillips, added to Rundle Academy
staff in 1998 and are still at the Academy today in 2025)

Settling In

By 2001, with continued growth and further facility constraints, it became clear that the Academy needed its own home. This realization led to the acquisition of a former baptist seminary school in Altadore, renovating it into classrooms and adding an external gym space.

(Dave Hauk, left, and Bob DeMerchant, right, hold the ribbon as Linda Stanger, Rod Conklin,
Doug Hodgins make the cut at the dedication of the new Academy school, 2003)

In 2002, the Academy opened its doors, and remains the current home for the program.  This move represented more than just a new space, but a foundation of stability that allowed the Academy to grow and evolve into a community that has allowed hundreds of graduates to reach their full potential.

(Rundle Academy–junior/senior high, 2004)

Building Brighter Futures

Today, the Academy is home to 285 students and more than 620 alumni. The Academy has a storied legacy of excellence and achievement, from students reaching new levels of academic success, and discovering their passions, to the everyday acts of kindness, curiosity, and wellness shown by our students. Rundle Academy continues to inspire achievement while nurturing the sense of belonging that makes this community so exceptional.

Similar to 2002, when the program expanded into a larger space to accommodate more students, Rundle Academy now stands on the frontier of a new beginning. As of 2024, the school is working to grow its student population by more than 65% by providing a larger, updated, purpose-built space that further enhances students’ ability to reach their full potential. The Building Futures campaign maintains its goal of fundraising to create a new facility that continues to offer a supportive community and personalized pathways to success for every student.

(Renderings of New Rundle Academy Building, 2025)