Janus Academy

Calgary, AB

Sam, a first-grade student who has autism, would bang his head against tables and walls hundreds of times per day. This occurred regardless of whether he was happy or angry. Fortunately, Sam was enrolled in Janus Academy, a nonprofit independent school for children with autism. Janus Academy takes a positive approach to supporting its students. It implements proactive strategies that focus on teaching self-regulation and coping skills. The work Janus Academy does wouldn’t be possible without donors, so staff uses banners and custom T-shirts for nonprofit organizations to spread the word. Thriving and learningTwo women wearing logoed T-shirts standing next to a banner. The staff at Janus Academy work diligently to create a safe and productive learning environment. They provide individualized programming and adapted learning environments to better suit the needs of students like Sam. Staff meet the students where they’re at to nurture their development. They also provide positive reinforcement to motivate learning. Over time, Sam’s self-injurious behavior began to decrease, and thanks to the support and guidance from Janus Academy staff, the behavior completely stopped. He became fully engaged in class and learned how to read and write. Sam stayed at Janus Academy until junior high school. At that time, he successfully integrated back into his community school. Now an adult, Sam is still in contact with Janus Academy and is doing amazing things. He plays multiple instruments and performs as an artist, living his best life. “We’re very proud of Sam and what he’s been able to accomplish. It’s wonderful for our staff to see him now and know we were part of his journey,” said Teresa Reynolds, director of fund development and communications. Grabbing attention with custom T-shirts for nonprofit organizations Seventy-five percent of Janus Academy’s budget goes to pay the salary and benefits of the educational team who supports students and families. There’s very little room for marketing and outreach, so staff were thrilled to learn they were awarded a one by one® grant. “The grant was amazing. We used part of it to get a promotional banner. We can take the banner to events to raise awareness about our school and impact. Being able to share information about the services we offer is really important,” Reynolds said. “The other part of the grant was used to get summer camp promotional T-shirts for staff. We take campers out in the community to have fun while still being in a supportive environment,” Reynolds continued. “If we’re out in the community and a situation arises, it’s important for people around us to see that we’re a school for kids with autism and that we know how to handle the situation. It’s also important to us to raise awareness for autism in the larger community, not just for our school.”

For more information about Janus Academy, please visit https://janusacademy.org/ opens in new window