Executive Directors' Message
Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year, this will be the 45th school year for Foothills Academy!
This will also be our 10th year as Executive Directors, which is a good time for us to reflect on how incredibly proud we are of what Foothills Academy Society contributes to the community. Our School continues to enhance best practices to serve students and families, and our Designated Special Education Private School (DSEPS) status remains unique as we are the only agency solely serving the LD population. As a leader in the field, we have been recognized through the Calgary Herald / Calgary Sun Readers’ Choice awards for the past four years in a row.
Foothills Academy Society has evolved into a centre of excellence, unparalleled in Western Canada. Community Services provides distinctive, wrap-around programming not found elsewhere, with supports through a large Psychology training centre; literacy and numeracy remedial interventions; online courses and workshops, as well as the unique social skills-based camps and recreational opportunities through Amicus.
What we provide is even more impactful because of the way in which we all work together. Our professional collaborations across disciplines in the School and Community Services are unique, and provide maximum impact to the young people and families we serve.
Our theme this year is Challenging Expectations for 45 years.
“Challenging Expectations” refers to the way in which Foothills Academy challenges the expectations of what individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (such as LD and ADHD) can accomplish. It also refers to the way in which we have been consistently raising the bar for school and intervention models in Alberta and well beyond.
We will have various opportunities over the course of the upcoming school year to celebrate our 45th Anniversary with different stakeholders that comprise the Foothills Family – donors, the Board of Governors, staff members, and the families we serve - including a 45th Anniversary Charity Gala on November 9, 2024 at the Palliser Hotel.
With heartfelt appreciation for your support,
Simon & Karen
Mr. Simon Williams & Dr. Karen MacMillan
Executive Co-Directors
| Mr. Simon Williams, MSEd | Dr. Karen MacMillan, R. Psych |
|---|---|
| Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (LDAA), Board of Directors (Past President) | Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada (CADDAC), Board of Directors |
| Alberta Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta (AISCA), Board of Directors (Past-President) | Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC), Professional Advisory Committee |
| Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC), Board of Directors | Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary |
The Learning Disabilities & ADHD Network is a collaborative initiative of a broad group of organizations, which is operated through Foothills Academy