About — Driftless Reading Academy, Inc.

About Driftless Reading Academy

What we do

The Driftless Reading Academy offers phonics-based weekly reading lessons for families of students age 3 and up. The lessons are tailored to the individual student. We start with pre-reading activities for the youngest students, and these lead to more advanced lessons over time.

The comprehensive, sequential curriculum provides reading lessons for students while helping families learn new ways to encourage skill building outside the classroom.

The DRA believes that parent involvement is important to the student’s education, and that strong language skills are one key to students’ overall academic success.

Call, text, or email to schedule a tour and see the hands-on learning materials!

Three Year Old Students

Our youngest students are offered four weekly classes, 30-45 minutes each. The cost is $60. The child and parent and instructor participate in sound games, vocabulary-building activities, and practical life lessons. Families gain ideas to use at home that follow the child’s interest and skill level.

Getting Started

To start your student at the Academy:

Take a tour of the Academy classrooms
Schedule a day and time for weekly classes
Complete two forms and submit the fee (cash, check, or Square)

You’re ready to start!

Program and Fees

The cost to families is kept low thanks to funding from foundations, our board members, other generous donors, and our volunteers.

A limited amount of need-based assistance is sometimes available. Classes are held weekly.

Fall 2025 (13 classes): $195, payable the first week of class

Spring 2026 (15 classes): $225, payable the first week of class

Summer 2026 (if offered, 6 classes): $90, payable the first week of class

See our calendar for more information. Classes last from 30 to 45 minutes.

Our Facility

We are located in the Argyle Lutheran Church at 100 East Street in Argyle. There is usually plenty of on-street parking. Look for the three doors on east side of the building - the Academy is the one with the little footbridge.

Parent Conferences

Parents have the option of meeting with the instructor (without the student present, no childcare is provided). This is a time for the instructor to share observations and the next steps in the curriculum, and for the family to ask questions and gain new ideas for learning activities.

What Our Families Say

“Wow, this program is making a difference!”

“My son really likes coming to reading classes!”

“This classroom is beautiful!”

The Instructors

Lynn Rossing founded the Driftless Reading Academy in 2023. An AMI-trained Montessori teacher, she taught in mixed-age classrooms for 20 years in Madison and Portland. In addition she is a certified adult literacy tutor. She has served on the boards of the Argyle Public Library and Sunstone Montessori School.

Michelle Harrigan began teaching at the Academy in April 2025, bringing her strong background in education to the program. She is a Librarian at the Argyle Public Library where she enjoys designing creative programs for patrons of all ages. She and her husband operate Food Web Farm outside of Monroe.

Lynn and Michelle enjoy watching students become strong, confident readers, and believe that a love of reading is a great foundation for all their future endeavors.