An Investment Beyond Today: Kreutzer Family
Donovan and Tara Kreutzer
Tara and Dr. Donovan Kreutzer have seen firsthand the positive impact a Rundle education can have on a child’s success – and their tremendous pledge of $50,000 over five years to the Building Futures campaign will help make these opportunities available to even more students and families.
“It brings us such joy,” Tara says, “because we don’t know where our kid would be if she wasn’t at Rundle Academy.”
In the four years since they enrolled their eldest daughter at the Academy, the Kreutzers have been amazed by just how far she has come.
“She struggles with math,” Donovan explains, “and now she’s getting 80 percent, which is unheard of. She’s a smart kid, she just needs someone to understand her, and to help her engage.”
He says they first noticed their daughter struggling to stay focused in elementary school, where large class sizes and high-energy peers meant that she was often overlooked by her teachers. “We would go to parent-teacher interviews and (they said) ‘She’s doing great, she’s a quiet kid, well-behaved and well-mannered,’ but her grades weren’t keeping up.”
For parents, discovering your child’s learning disability can present an abundance of emotions and questions. After receiving an assessment and Individualized Program Plan, they began to research independent schools offering programs better suited to their daughter’s needs.
“That was a crazy time,” Tara recalls. “I looked at every school in Calgary that was a possibility. It was very stressful, because you apply to schools and see that they have very few spots available.”
Their daughter’s acceptance into Rundle Academy was a huge moment for their family, she says. “You go from being terrified that there’s something not right with your kid to having the perfect place for her. Our anxiety was gone. ‘She’s going to be okay.’”
“Both of us were in tears when we were accepted,” Donovan adds, “and it’s been life-changing for us.”
He says he is impressed with Rundle Academy’s dedication to ensuring students feel at home in their school, classrooms, and community. “You don’t really understand what the day-to-day management is like until you’re physically there. You see how kids connect with their teachers; it’s not just about learning. The teachers are so invested that the kids want to do better.”
This gift represents another treasured contribution by the Kreutzer family. Their history of supporting Rundle started with an annual gift to the school, which was followed by a pledge to provide financial assistance for students who require help with tuition, along with other costs. With their pledge to the Building Futures campaign they are once again proving that each gift Rundle receives makes an enormous difference for students and families.
With their youngest child now attending Rundle College, the Kreutzers are proud to bring their journey full circle by investing in the Building Futures campaign. Thanks to the generous support of our community, Building Futures will help fund a larger and improved facility for tomorrow’s students. “Our kids will have graduated by the time that facility is built, but the cause is amazing,” Donovan says.
Tara hopes their contribution will inspire other Rundle families to give back, just as they hope their family’s story will inspire parents of neurodiverse learners to consider enroling at Rundle Academy.
“I think Rundle is a place where they have wide-open arms, and invite you into their community immediately. It feels like home. it’s a good place to be, and it’s a good place for the kids to be.”
