Changing Lives for 40 Years
by Rennay Craats photos by Courtney Lovgren
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here is nothing parents won’t do for their children, and when Bill and Beth Mackasey’s son was struggling with a Learning Disability, they sought out special needs professionals Gordon Bullivant and Tom Aylesworth for support. After extensive research, the team set out to open Alberta’s first school for students with Learning Disabilities, Foothills Academy. The private school opened with 33 students in 1979 and since then has become a registered charity, built and moved into its current Parkdale location in 1990, expanded to nearly 300 students and became an LD leader in the community.
“The growth is indicative of a need that hasn’t really changed,” says Simon Williams, Co-Executive Director of Foothills Academy Society. “We still have parents like the Mackaseys coming to us in crisis because their children are struggling. They know their children are smart but they are struggling greatly in school. We figure out what specialized instruction they need to support their Learning Disability so they can succeed.” The support reaches far beyond academics. Approximately half of Foothills’ Grades 3 to 12 students have ADHD as well as a Learning Disability, and the staff
Fothills Academy • Celebrating 40 Years
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