Reis Learning Center

Had Reis Learning Center been in our lives during our school years…well, who knows how many A’s we would have achieved! We visited this warm and welcoming hub on Bank Street in New Milford to observe kids learning academic things, then had a turn at learning something new ourselves, American Sign Language.

Post sponsored by Reis Learning Center

Reis Learning Center specializes in 1:1 individualized tutoring services. And at the heart of it is the mission to work with each student individually to foster both academic and personal growth.

Owner Jessica L. Reis and a hardworking student

The learning center assists students in developing a positive inner dialogue so that they know they can be successful, equipping their students with the confidence and valuable skills to self-advocate.

And sometimes Jessica’s bunny comes to classes for a little extra motivation!
Jessica and Penelope, the occasional visiting bunny

The A+ Team

Mike Hager, Nicole Thorp, Lizz Terlizzi, Sam Hopkins, Jessica Reis

RLC was founded in February 2014 in New Milford. Most of the staff have been with Jessica since the start and form an especially close-knit team who have been working together for over five years.

Exam prep. Glad those days are behind us!

For those who still have tests to contend with, Reis Learning Center has a rich and successful exam prep program. In 2018, they maintained their track record of increasing every student’s exam prep scores (SAT and ACT for college entrance and SSAT for private high school admissions). Additionally, students often return to work on their applications and the pivotal essays that accompany them.

Most recently, the mother of an SSAT prep student proudly and happily reported that her daughter got into her first choice high school with a $10,000 scholarship. Woop!

American Sign Language

Besides tutoring services, they also offers small group classes and workshops, most notably American Sign Language. In 2018, their American Sign Language classes grew three-fold. They welcome both hearing and deaf participants. ASL classes at RLC open up communication between strangers of varied ages, from surrounding towns, and with diverse backgrounds.

As we found out when we joined a class!

ASL instructor Nicole Thorp (left) and Jessica Reis

Class began with learning to sign the words to “What a Wonderful World” and continued with the students who have been learning longer than us, sing/signing the entire thing as we looked on! Consider us impressed!

Next, we partnered up to sign and interpret four things we did that day, including two things we ate. Our sentences were:

  • I was on TV this morning
  • I touched a rabbit
  • I ate a fluffernutter sandwich
  • I ate olives and chicken
These two were doing an ASL/husband+wife-language combo
This student ate a salad

As instructor Nicole stated on American Sign Language, “We not only learn how to communicate with our hands, we learn to listen with our eyes. Deaf culture teaches us to let our walls down. We become sensitive to reading emotions and accept this form of communicating, which, for some, is the only way. What better to teach our children, our adults, our society? We can all benefit from learning this beautiful language. Let us connect the world a little more.” Well said!

“Fluffernutter”
She was way better at fingerspelling than us

Continued enrichment

Jessica believes in collaborating with other local small business owners and loves to open her doors to her neighbors by hosting workshops. These have included creative projects for children, teens, and adults such as fairy house building, custom wood sign painting, vision boards, and more.

Find out about upcoming workshops and classes here.

Look who found a prop from a previous Harry Potter themed summer camp
And look who’s an educational Vanna White
View from the roof of Reis Learning Center on Bank Street, New Milford. Classes are occasionally held up here in the warmer months.

Thanks so much to Jessica, her team, and the ASL class! We’ll keep practicing!


Reis Learning Center

65 Bank Street, New Milford, CT 06776

860-354-0854

Pics: Lora/ Words: Bev

This post has been sponsored

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