District highlights community education classes; partners and enrollment noted

Jan Stanton, a district community-education presenter, told the Board of Education on July 16 that the district’s community education program offered a range of classes this year including arts, baking and cooking, floral design, jewelry making, origami and alcohol-ink painting. Stanton said the program maintains partnerships with outside instructors and Moraine Valley Community College for parent and community English classes. "It's worked out really well," Stanton said of the move to virtual English classes after the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said allowed broader participation from Spanish- and Arabic-speaking parents. Stanton also reported that, across a decade of programming, about 2,193 people have completed CPR training through the program and 172 have completed first-aid training. The classes are promoted on the district website and in printed newsletters; registration typically opens about six weeks before each session. Stanton said fall and spring classes planned so far include sun-catchers or stained glass for kids, calzones for adults and chocolate-chip muffins and fruit skewers for children’s breakfast-themed cooking classes. Board members asked where schedules and photos are posted; Stanton said staff member Dan uploads pictures and the registration schedule to the district website when fall and spring sessions are confirmed. The board did not take action on the report; the presentation was informational.