Our Story & History
A School Built on Belief
About The Laureate® Academy
A School Built on Belief
The Laureate® Academy was founded on a simple but powerful belief: bright, capable students who learn differently deserve an education designed for how they learn, rather than a system that asks them to adapt or fall behind.
For nearly 40 years, The Laureate® Academy has been a place where students rediscover confidence, dignity, and the joy of learning, often after years of frustration in traditional classrooms.
The Beginning
The Need That Started It All
In the mid‑1980s, Winnipeg families and educators recognized a growing and unmet need. Many students with learning differences, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and non‑verbal learning differences, were bright and capable, yet chronically underachieving in conventional school environments. These students were being misunderstood, labelled, or left without appropriate support.
Families were seeking something different: a full‑day, highly individualized program for Grades 1–12 students that focused on skills, confidence, and evidence‑based teaching rather than accommodation alone. That need became the foundation of The Laureate® Academy.
Our Founding
Founding The Laureate® Academy
Co-Founders Edward Scully (Laureate educator) and Barbara Butler (school administrator) opened The Laureate® Academy in the fall of 1987. The Laureate program was inspired by Edward Scully’s various teaching experiences and graduate study in the field of learning differences. This background culminated in a structured, multisensory educational mode specifically for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and ADHD.
From the beginning, The Laureate® Academy committed to an approach grounded in
Evidence‑based teaching methods
A skills‑first focus on literacy, numeracy, and metacognitive strategies
Small class sizes with individualized pacing
Teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn
This approach created something rare: a school where students with learning differences could thrive academically while rebuilding confidence and self‑belief.
Our Culture
A Culture of Calm, Care, and Belonging
As the school grew, so did its reputation. Over time, The Laureate® Academy became known for its calm, emotionally safe environment and deeply relational approach to education. Students were known by name, understood as individuals, and supported by teachers who had the time and expertise to meet them where they were.
Families consistently describe The Laureate® Academy as a turning point, where stress and struggle gave way to hope, progress, and possibility.
“Total transformation… we’re going ‘who is this kid?'”
About The Laureate Academy
Key Moments in Our Story
The Laureate® Academy Opens
Drawing inspiration from prospective parents and members of the Winnipeg community, The Laureate Academy formally opens its doors in Winnipeg, MB — dedicated to students with learning differences in Grades 1–12.
Friends of The Laureate Academy Founded
Friends of The Laureate® Academy Inc. is established to raise funds for bursaries, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent students from accessing this specialized education.
Relocate to New Campus
In September 2008, The Laureate Academy relocated to its current campus in St. Norbert. Set on 10.5 beautifully landscaped acres, the Academy offers a serene and welcoming environment that is ideally suited for learning.
Our Legacy
A Legacy of Transformation
For nearly four decades, The Laureate® Academy has changed life trajectories, helping students, who once doubted themselves, move forward with confidence, capability, and pride. Alums go on to high school, post‑secondary education, and meaningful careers, carrying with them a strong understanding of how they learn best.
As The Laureate® Academy approaches its 40th anniversary, its story remains rooted in the same belief that started it all: every child can learn, when given the right environment and support.
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