Shattering School Norms: Introducing Rundle Studio

Have you ever wondered what you would get if you mix Canada’s premier program for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD with the limitless opportunity provided by an online learning platform? The answer is upon us, Rundle Studio. In September of 2021, Rundle will “open the doors” to its third branch of schools.  

In 1985, Rundle founded what has become Alberta’s top academic university preparatory program. Just over a decade later, in 1998, Rundle expanded to include Rundle Academy, which quickly became the leading program in Canada for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. 

Now, in 2021, Rundle is preparing to open the virtual doors to what will become a world leader in teaching and learning for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD in an online environment — Rundle Studio.

Rundle Studio will use a proprietary teaching system that not only allows students to learn from the province’s best “Lead Teachers”, but will also allow them to forge deep and meaningful relationships with “Teacher Advisors” and their classmates.

Rundle Studio will adhere to Rundle’s core tenant of small class sizes and will continue to use time-tested techniques currently used at Rundle Academy to unlock the potential of students with learning disabilities. Rundle Studio will open with grades 7–8 and will expand up to grade 12 in the coming years.

Pathways to Online Learning

As entrenched in all Rundle programs, Rundle Studio will implement Rundle’s Pathways to Learning model to ensure our online students receive a “whole school” experience, even while online.

Character

At Rundle Studio, character still comes first. We believe it is our moral obligation to develop young people with fine character who are ready and willing to positively give back to their communities, province, and world.

A required element of our program is that each Studio student must give their time in their home community. Rundle Studio’s teachers and leaders will network with local communities to provide high-quality student volunteer experiences.

Academics

At Rundle Studio, academics are at the core of our program. Students will receive an unmodified Alberta curriculum program of studies in a universally designed manner that allows them to reach their individual potential. We will extend the core curriculum to allow students to explore the importance of emergent trends such as programming, coding, financial literacy, and global issues. 

A core element of the Studio mandate is to invite world experts into our learning community to enhance and deepen our students’ understanding of these critical concepts. Similar to the Rundle College and Rundle Academy programs, our goal will be to see 100% of students graduate and 100% of students achieve entrance to their post-secondary learning opportunity of choice.  

Co-Curricular

At Rundle Studio, co-curriculars will balance the school experience. An integral element of the Rundle program is the opportunities to get involved in areas of personal passion. 

To support our online students in these pursuits, we will be offering a wide range of co-curricular opportunities including esports teams, cooking classes, digital music mixing, and leadership training. Students will engage with their coaches and teammates to build skills and relationships for a lifetime.

Rundle Studio is uniquely positioned to offer a whole school experience to students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD across Alberta. You can learn more about the limitless possibilities of this exciting new Rundle program here and we look forward to connecting with you — online.

Written by: Jason Rogers, Head of School