Can you see yourself doing something different? Trying something you haven’t done before? Are you motivated to learn a new skill, or revisit something from your past? The Community Ed programs, located at 30 Cumberland Ave. in Great Neck, might have a few class options.
The Community Ed Spring/Summer 2018 Catalog has been mailed out, and registration is in progress. If you haven’t received your catalog, please call (516) 441-4949, or email gncontinuinged@greatneck.k12.ny.us, and the Great Neck schools will send one out. The catalog can also be found online by clicking on the Community Ed icon from the scrolling menu on top of the page at the school district’s webpage, www.greatneck.k12.ny.us.
This season’s catalog includes 32 brand new courses. Most classes begin in late-April.
Day Trips
All trips include luxury coach bus transportation, gourmet meals, and private, docent-led tours.
Among the museum trips and history tours are: The NYC Transit Museum in Brooklyn (April 24); The Whitney Museum: American Gothic (May 3); Alexander Hamilton’s NYC Downtown History Tour (May 10); The National Museum of American Jewish History and Leonard Bernstein Centennial in Philadelphia (June 3); and The Museum of Moving Image: Jim Henson and The Louis Armstrong Museum (June 21).
Additionally, the following spring trips are scheduled: Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Cairnwood Estate, Philadelphia (May 8); The Best of Boston: a 3-Day, 2-Night, Art, History, Culture Tour (May 8-10); New York Botanical Garden: O’Keeffe (June 5); Princeton University Art Museum, Roosevelt, NJ (June 12): Green-Wood Cemetery and Brooklyn Museum (June 7); and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY (June 28).
Theater Trips
Recent theater trip offerings have included My Fair Lady, Carousel, Three Tall Women, Pretty Woman, Hello Dolly!, The Band’s Visit, Come From Away, Little Foxes, War Paint, and Dear Evan Hansen. Some trips include meals before or after the show; others, with meals on your own. Due to time constraints, theater trips are announced through email only – be sure the school district has your email.
Special Events
An upcoming special event includes a Mah Jongg evening with dinner at New Fu Run (May 2).
Creative Arts & Crafts
The Cumberland building has its own stone, pottery, painting, jewelry, and weaving facilities. It offers courses in calligraphy, fused glass, painting in several different media (pastel, acrylic, oil, watercolor), pottery on the wheel and hand building, printmaking, silversmithing, and sketching.
New offerings in Creative Arts and Crafts include “Paper Charm Peonies,” “Classical Painting: Techniques & Tricks,” “Kumihimo Braiding II,” “Learn to Crochet a Triangular Shawl,” “Learn to Knit Workshop,” “Matisse: Summer Fun Painting,” and “Aromatherapy II: Blending.”
Fitness and Movement
Get moving with aerobics, weight training, water exercise, yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi, and meditation. Special courses are offered for all fitness levels, including “Gentle Stretching,” “Movement for those with Parkinson’s,” and “Seated Exercise.”
“Flamenco Dancing” and “Bollywood Dancing” are two new additions to the dance offerings, which also include ballet, line dance, classical dance (Duncan), and modern dance.
Foreign Languages
Beginner through advanced courses for foreign languages, including “Chinese for Travelers,” French, Italian, Hebrew, Spanish, and Yiddish are offered.
Enrichment & Learning
New art history courses include “American Artists,” “Sculpture through the Ages,” and “17th Century Dutch Artists.” Book groups will read Arthur Miller’s Manhattan Beach, Voltaire’s Candide: or Optimism, and Jessica Shattuck’s The Women in the Castle. New programs with a historical focus include “The Age of Jackson” and “The Post Civil War Era.” These courses join a popular line-up of book clubs and writing workshops, as well as group discussions about current events, sports, and more.
Technology
Become more tech savvy with programs focusing on social media, website design, Google Docs, cartoon animation, and iPhone basics.
Games
Bridge, Canasta, and Mah Jongg, for beginner and advanced levels, are offered.
Music & Performing Arts
Enjoy “Singing for Fun” or “Cabaret Singers,” join the Cumberland Singers, or learn to play the piano. New offerings include “A Star is Born Theater Workshop,” “Best Actress: Women of The Oscars,” and “Gene Kelly: Dance for the Common Man.”
Personal Development
“Dating Transformation,” “Personal Reinvention,” “Defensive Driving,” “7 Steps to Strengthening to Memory,” and “REAP” (Retired, Energetic, Active People).
Classes for Teens
Offerings for teens include speed reading, ACT and PSAT/SAT preparation, and NYS-approved Driver Education.
Registration and additional information are available by calling the Community Ed office at (516) 441-4949 or visiting our website at www.greatneck.k12.ny.us
