Why does Janus Academy exist?
In 1996, five families who all had children diagnosed with autism, sought an education that would help their children thrive. They wanted a supportive teaching environment that was not available at the time. Janus Academy opened its doors in September 1997 with 8 students and 8 staff. This upcoming September, we will welcome 85 students, from grades 1 to 12, and 61 staff to our new campus. It is a school that was built by parents, for parents.
With the prevalence of autism rising at alarming rates, Janus Academy sees the need for specialized education more than ever. The last 3 years have seen a record number of applications and families have moved across the country to access our services. Some of our families commute daily from neighbouring towns such as Airdrie, Bragg Creek, Stratmore, Okotoks and Chestermere.
We meet students where they are at and nurture individual development through our continuum of learning. With care and support, our highly trained staff provide a safe and responsive environment for all students.
What services does Janus Academy provide?
Janus Academy operates as an accredited, independent, non profit school to meet the unique educational needs of school-aged children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), from grades 1 to 12. We also operate a summer camp program for children with ASD during July and August.
Janus Academy is one of the only autism-exclusive schools in Alberta that provides customized educational programming to autistic children with all abilities and across the spectrum. Calgary’s mainstream educational system is not equipped, staffed or structured to effectively support autistic children with complex needs in learning, self-regulation and behavior management.
We believe autism is not an end, but an opportunity to see the unique potential in all children and help them flourish.
Support the growth of Janus Academy students in our new location.
A $2.2M campaign to elevate learning with autism in a larger, state of the art campus with room to grow and flourish, was launched in September 2020. We are in our third and final year of this transformational campaign and to date, have raised approximately $1, 239,000.00. This campaign has been met with significant challenges, such as COVID-19, however, we have managed to weather the storm with the help of a caring and committed community of supporters. Although we still have a ways to go to meet our goal, we continue to push forward, pivot, and advocate for our students and families.
UPDATE: EMERGENY FUNDING NEEDED
In December 2022, Janus Academy received notification that our operating costs were increasing by $41,500 due to building upgrades. Our organizational fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31, which means that these extraordinary costs were not factored in for the nine months that this increase would be in effect. In addition to the building upgrades, we just received notice in March 2023 for an additional $21,500 for the reconciliation of operating costs for the 2022 year, due to underbudget payments for utility costs.
Janus Academy has secured emergency funding in the amount of $21,500, but we are in desperate need of funding for the remaining $41,500 to cover this current fiscal year ending in August 2023.
Help Janus Academy keep our doors open and help more families for years to come?
- One-time gift
- Monthly Giving
- Yearly Pledge
- Legacy Giving
- Gifts in Kind
Donations are appreciated in any amount at anytime to help us continually support our existing families, and welcome new ones.
WATCH OUR 2023 IMPACT VIDEO HERE, showcasing the journey of three of our families.
Investing in families helps Calgary now and for generations into the future. We can build brighter futures TOGETHER.
Make a difference HERE.
If you are interesting in getting involved, please contact Carlene Chrumka at [email protected].
Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Thank YOU.