The New Paltz Central School District (NPCSD) is opening its doors this fall for a robust program of continuing education courses, with options available for kids and adults.
“The idea is that we have beautiful facilities at our school districts and we would like to create opportunities for community members and students to take more advantage of them and to learn some new things,” said superintendent Stephen Gratto.
Over the past few months, the district sent out an appeal to the community asking for continuing education proposals and were pleasantly surprised by the response.
“We’ve had lots of people reach out and say, ‘I’d like to offer this selection or I’d like to offer that selection,’” Gratto said. “And some people are doing it for free and some people are charging a nominal rate so that people can come do it.”
Most offerings are on NPCSD campuses, with the high school, middle school and both elementary schools hosting courses, with the fall schedule running weekly somewhere between early September and mid-December.
A district-produced brochure says, “The mission of our continuing education program is to build community and provide wellness opportunities and activities to promote lifelong learning.”
The continuing education program came through the districtwide wellness committee.
“The wellness committee was talking about how they want to make more options for people, healthy eating, exercise, learn to do things — which, by the way, are basically our three categories: healthy eating, exercise and learn to do things,” said Gratto. “And they thought it was a fun way to increase the wellness of our community and our students, and it seemed like the way to go.”
Among the fitness offerings for kids are Fighting Spirit Karate class for Duzine Elementary students, held on Mondays from September 9 through December 16 after class in the school’s gymnasium; and Fighting Spirit cardio boxing/mitt work for New Paltz High School students, held after class on Thursdays from September 12 through December 19. Both courses are taught by Fighting Spirit Karate instructor Shihan Sean, and both cost $120 for the full program.
Free fitness courses for students include first Friday basketball open to middle and high schoolers and run by Jim Tinger of the New Paltz Youth Commission in the middle school gymnasium on October 4, November 1 and December 6. A free weekly recreational Frisbee course for youth and families will run every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. between September 17 and December 17, and will be held in the middle school gymnasium during disagreeable weather and outside when it’s nice.
There are also weekly pickup basketball nights for both adults and students 16-and-up held at Lenape Elementary, with the $3-per-night covering insurance. Yoga courses and a women’s self-defense program are also available in the fitness category.
Elsewhere the course offerings cover a broad range of interests, some — the two self-explanatory high school-focused classes tips & tricks for algebra 1 and tips & tricks for algebra 2; and wild twig stars, which will show 13-year-olds through adults how to create and decorate rustic stars from mulberry twigs — are one-night-only courses.
Others, like life drawing for anyone aged 15 and older; chaos to calm — parenting skills for today’s families for anyone 18-and-up; and B&W wood workshop: custom shelving and storage solutions for 15-and-up; are weekly courses over weeks or months.
“I think people are excited,” said Gratto. “And I know the (school) board is very supportive of it.”
Detailed information on the district’s fall 2024 continuing education offerings will be made available soon.
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