Alumni Stories, Parent Stories
Johnson Family
The Johnson family’s connection to The de Paul School spans three generations and began with Michael’s (the father’s) own struggles to read as a child. After being told by a doctor that he was “mildly retarded,” his parents refused to accept that diagnosis and instead enrolled him at the newly founded de Paul School under Sister Anne Rita. There, Michael discovered not only how to read, but also how to learn with confidence. Grateful for the transformation, his father joined the school’s board and his mother volunteered as a tutor. Years later, when Michael’s sons David, Matthew, and Wyatt each showed signs of learning differences, he and his wife turned again to de Paul—where each child flourished academically and personally before moving on to St. Xavier High School and successful college and professional careers.
The family’s story came full circle when Michael’s granddaughter Ava began to struggle with reading; after tutoring and eventually enrolling at de Paul, she rediscovered her joy for learning. Michael sees this as proof that learning differences, like other hereditary traits, can run in families—but so can resilience, hope, and success when the right support is available. Today, he proudly advocates for de Paul, urging others to help make its life-changing education accessible to every child who needs it. And his wife, Leslie, serves as the school’s Chief Financial Officer. For the Johnson family, The de Paul School didn’t just teach them to read—it changed their family’s future for generations.
