The Josephine Rudd Learning Center (RLC) is a well-established academic support program that has been working with young men since the 1950s. Over the past 50 years, the program has grown to become one of the leading learning centers in New England.
Our Program and Mission
The RLC is designed to provide academic support in one-on-one tutoring or small group sessions to help Salisbury boys become independent learners in a traditional boarding school setting. At the core of RLC curriculum is the development of study skills for all of our tutees. Our charge is to equip every student with the tools to find success in academic areas. The RLC tutors reinforce and teach study skills by using the content that our students are learning in the classroom from their teachers. Formerly called the Rudd Reading Center, the RLC focuses on the development of reading skills as key to overall support that we offer. By developing reading and study skills, tutors support students in all content areas so that they can succeed in their classes at Salisbury School and beyond.
Enrollment
Students are enrolled into the RLC by two different methods. First, the directors of admission, studies and the Rudd Learning Center meet to determine if a student should be a candidate for the program. The student’s file and transcript are read by all three directors and, if it is determined upon enrollment into Salisbury School, they would recommend that the student enter the RLC for academic support. Second, parents who are interested in having their son enroll into the RLC can contact the director of the center directly to determine the level of support for their son. The RLC services 25%-30% of the student body at any given time during the course of the school year.
Tutorial Offerings
In the RLC we offer two types of tutorial support for our students. We offer intense one-on-one sessions with a qualified tutor for those students who have diagnosed needs documented through psychological-education evaluations. Students are scheduled for the trimester to come to the RLC two-to-three times a week. During the time a student spends in the RLC, the tutor will address his learning needs and will work with him to improve his study skills and develop his skills in reading, writing, math, and/or subject specific areas.
In addition to the one-on-one tutoring, we offer tutorials in Study Skills and Time Management for those boys who do not have documented learning needs or who do not require intense tutoring. This type of tutoring provides students with a quiet environment where they receive instruction in and support for their study skills and have the opportunity to study and complete assignments three times a week with a tutor. These sessions meet on a regular weekly schedule for the trimester. Our hope for these students is that they will transition out of the RLC program and become independent learners who advocate for themselves in the classroom.
While we do accept students with a wide range of learning styles, we cannot service all students. In other words, we do not have a team of specialists in the RLC to meet all students’ needs. The RLC does not provide remedial support for students. We have a very talented and gifted department with a wide range of abilities and expertise to support the students accepted at Salisbury School.
Educational Testing and Accomodations
Some of the students enrolled in the RLC have psychological educational testing that provides a blueprint for a student’s learning style. At Salisbury, it is critical that we have all pertinent information to support our students to the best of our abilities in the RLC and in academic classes. The psychological educational evaluation is synthesized and condensed into a one-page document that is called a “Student Profile.” This profile provides the faculty with an understanding of a boy’s diagnosis, strengths, weaknesses, recommendations and accommodations. The profile is meant to be helpful and supportive of our students as a guide for teachers and tutors alike. The information in the educational evaluation is vital to the academic success of a student.
Salisbury School offers some accommodations to students who qualify through their psychological educational evaluation. The major accommodation that we provide to our boys is extended time on academic testing. Other accommodations that have been granted to students at Salisbury School include use of a calculator, use of a laptop during testing and institution language waivers.
Transition in the Program
As students make progress in all of their academic areas they are transitioned out of the RLC. The tutor, teachers, and parents of the boy are consulted as a group to discuss an exit plan. The criteria for a student exiting the program varies from student to student, but the main focus for moving a student out of the program is that the student has a firm understanding of his learning style, that he has mastered the study skills to succeed in a rigorous academic setting and that he has become an independent learner. Many of our students in the RLC who receive one-on-one support may transition into the Study Skills and Time Management tutoring sessions where they continue to develop their skills and become independent learners.
Instructors and Facilities
The RLC has a talented group of tutors and a state-of-the-art facility. Our tutors come from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of teaching abilities. We have tutors with more than twenty years of experience to tutors who have just graduated from some of the most highly competitive colleges in the country.
In addition to having a dedicated and caring department, the School’s commitment to the facilities in the RLC is second to none. We are located in the Centennial Humanities Building, and we occupy the entire east wing on the second floor. The tutoring offices are brightly lit rooms with all of the resources and tools needed for the tutors and boys to work effectively during their sessions.
Technology
Implementing assistive technology has become an important initiative in our program. Kurzweil and Inspiration software programs are available in the center to be used by the boys in tutoring and on their own. Many boys also use recorded or downloaded books for their classes. As the School’s technology plan continues to grow, so does the assistive technology offered in the RLC.
The Rudd Learning Center is a well established program that is integrated into the fabric of the school curriculum. We know the type of young men we can support and service here on the Hilltop. We have a team of qualified tutors that provides guidance to the students who enroll into our school. The program nurtures our students while they develop the skills necessary to advocate for themselves and to be independent learners. The RLC is a place where Salisbury students can enhance their scholarly aptitudes for high school, college and beyond.
For further information, please contact Director of the Rudd Learning Center Linda Ryan.