The Magic of Rundle: A Parent’s Reflection

The Esfarjani family

Before they found Rundle, Mike Esfarjani’s daughter, Diara, would cry at kindergarten drop-off. “I’m not as good as the other kids,” she would say. It was heartbreaking. Mike knew how hard it was to not feel at home at school.

As a young kid growing up in a small town in Iran, Mike says “I was one of those kids who played around in the classroom instead of paying attention.” After years of hating school, he called it quits and dropped out in eighth grade.

Fast forward to 1994, 23-year-old Mike left his home and family to immigrate to Toronto. Things didn’t work out as planned, and after a few years, he moved west to Alberta looking for a new start. In 1999, he drove to West Edmonton Mall and sat down at Harvey’s restaurant to reflect on his path forward. He was looking for a small town with job opportunities—Grand Prairie or Fort McMurray. “I flipped a coin,” Mike says.

The coin pointed at Grand Prairie. Mike had never been there, nor did he know anyone there, but he took a leap of faith, drove out and landed a job as a rig welder. He immersed himself in Canadian culture. Hard work, courage and tenacity paid off and over the next two and half decades, Mike went on to build EPFC Corp and WOW Global Solutions, Inc., Calgary-based businesses that design, manufacture, and construct natural gas plants. He also started a family and had two girls. 

When it was time for his girls to head to school, the family enrolled them in public school. While his older daughter, Ryah, was doing ok, his younger daughter struggled to keep up with reading and writing.

"She lost interest,” says Mike. “It brought her down.” After many anxiety-filled mornings, tear-filled drop-offs, and a change in schools, Diara’s teacher recommended a psychology test. Her teacher suggested that Diara would benefit from small classes, a more individualized approach to learning that they wouldn’t find in the public school system. The family made the decision that Rundle was the right place for both of their girls. Diara was accepted to Rundle Academy in Grade 4. Ryah was accepted to Rundle College for Grade 7.

Their lives changed immediately. 

The small class sizes were a gift, allowing both girls to work closely with their teachers. The school was incredibly organized and made a concerted effort to reach out, communicate, and keep Mike and his wife apprised of how the girls were doing. The Esfarjani’s were amazed by Rundle’s welcoming, friendly, and genuinely caring community.

“The transition was positive and had an immediate impact.” says Mike, “Now, Diara loves school. I’ve seen so much growth in both of my girls. The education is so much stronger. The school has improved life for our entire family.”

Diara’s reading, writing, and math skills blossomed. So has her confidence and her motivation to learn. Rundle has also challenged Ryah to push herself to new levels. “Rundle has taught Ryah to be more organized and put more time and effort toward her education,” says Mike. “She has really taken those lessons to heart.

“When I see the growth in my kids and what’s happened in the last couple of years, I feel a responsibility to support Rundle. A good start with education was what I was missing when I was a child. When I see the results in my kids, I know how meaningful a Rundle education is for students and our community.”