Where Reading Science Meets Every Family
Vienna’s community literacy hub — offering evidence-based programs, expert intervention, and a welcoming space for families who believe reading changes everything.
Every child is a unique piece in life's grand mosaic. Some need careful attention, the right support, and a community that understands how reading really works. Tessera Academy brings the science of reading out of the research lab and into your family's life — through programs, events, and services designed around what actually works.
Something Here For Every Family
Your child is 4–5 and you want to set them up for reading success from the very beginning — not with flashcards and pressure, but with joyful, research-backed early literacy.
Families Getting Started
Your child is struggling with reading and you're not sure why. You've heard terms like dyslexia and structured literacy and want to understand what's going on — and what to do about it.
Families Seeking Answers
You want your kids to grow up surrounded by stories, words, and a community that values reading. You're looking for storytimes, workshops, and a local literacy home base.
Families Who Love Books
Programs and Services
Free storytimes, literacy nights, and family reading events throughout the year. No enrollment required — just show up and bring your little readers. Tessera is building Vienna's go-to gathering place for families who love books.
Community Events
One-on-one structured literacy instruction for students who need expert, evidence-based support. Specializing in dyslexia intervention using Orton-Gillingham methodology, delivered by an CERI-certified Reading Specialist.
Private Tutoring & Intervention
Practical sessions designed for real parents — not educators. Learn how to support reading development at home, understand what structured literacy means, recognize early signs of reading difficulty, and advocate for your child at school.
Parent Workshops
Intensive literacy enrichment to keep skills sharp and growing — without the worksheet drudgery. Short-run camps built around the science of reading, designed for fun and real learning. (Coming soon.)
Summer Programs
A structured literacy PreK for ages 4–5, built on the Joyful Discoveries curriculum from Mount St. Joseph University. This isn't daycare with an alphabet poster — it's a reading-science-based early childhood program designed to build the literacy foundation every child needs. (Coming soon — join the interest list.)
PreK Program
Why Families Trust Tessera
Andrea Zimlicki founded Tessera Academy because she saw a gap in her community: families had plenty of options for tutoring, but no local hub where the science of reading was the foundation for everything — from the earliest storytime to intensive intervention.
She brings almost 20 years of classroom teaching experience, a Master's in Reading Science, and certification with CERI as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist to every program Tessera offers. She's not guessing about what works. She's building on decades of research and evidence — and making it accessible to every family in Vienna.
What’s Happening
From free storytimes to parent workshops and community literacy events — this is where you'll find everything coming up. Most events are free and open to all families. Paid workshops and series are noted in the listing.
Coming Soon
We're putting the finishing touches on our community calendar. Storytimes, workshops, and family events are on the way — and we want you to be the first to know.
Stay in the Loop
Get Vienna's literacy events calendar, reading tips for home, and early access to new programs — delivered to your inbox once or twice a month. No spam, just good words.
