Arlington Community Education

Are there pros and cons to applying Early Decision, Early Action, or Restricted Early Action? And what’s the difference between all the options? Spring is the perfect time to start planning to meet the November 1, 2023 deadline. This workshop offers concrete steps including: finalizing college lists, visiting (or revisiting) top choice colleges, finishing the personal statement, and advice for completing the supplemental essays. Preparing in the spring and summer will make applying early a lot less stressful. Open to families of juniors.

Experiment with games, improv, voice, and movement to learn basic acting skills and build confidence, all while having fun. Each class begins with warm-up games followed by acting exercises—ranging from silly to serious—that build focus, confidence, and communication skills.

This program is designed to better prepare you to become a capable, caring, and responsible babysitter. Understand the responsibilities and skills—including basic first aid and what to do in an emergency—and develop confidence in handling situations you may encounter when caring for young children. Upon completion, your services will be in high demand in the neighborhood! Please note: the printed schedule for this class has changed. It will now run in March as listed.

Considered one of the greatest games ever invented, chess teaches many important life concepts such as how to win graciously, how to accept defeat with dignity, concentration, and sportsmanship. Learn chess rules, positional tactics, and basics to more advanced moves with the guidance of an experienced chess master. We will divide into groups according to experience and end the program with a mini chess tournament. All levels welcome.

Begin by learning Scratch, a block-based programming language, where you will learn key coding concepts and build a small video game or a cool animation. As you advance, you can begin to apply these same coding concepts in Python. You will experiment with variables, conditionals, and loops, and combine these elements to create a second video game. Advanced students will be given the chance to tackle additional challenges.

DATE CHANGE: Please note that this class has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 9. Get a general overview of the college athletic recruitment process for qualified student-athletes. Although each sport has its own nuances, there are some recruitment standards that apply across the spectrum of collegiate sports. From honest self-assessment and discerning the appropriate level of competition, to the preferred timeline for outreach and ultimately making a commitment to a college coach and program, we will guide interested families through the ins and outs, as well as the dos and don’ts, of this significant element of the college admission landscape. We’ll dispense knowledge and dispel myths at this insightful, informative program, including ample time for Q&A.

Test your art-making talent as you learn to use detailed computer art programs. You’ll learn how to make awesome images, and then we’ll show you how to modify them so that they can be turned from 2D art into 3D sculptures. Using laser and vinyl cutters, you’ll make cool and useful objects to take home.

Increase your flexibility and strength as we explore movement, body awareness, and space. You’ll be introduced to foundational dancer skills and use them to build improvised routines. Together, we’ll choose music that moves us, learn from each other, and choreograph a final class dance.

Are you a fan of mythological creatures, such as dragons, unicorns, and hippogriffs? These fantastical creatures have details and textures that can make them challenging for even the most experienced of illustrators. We’ll draw our own versions of these ancient and elusive creatures, learning more about their legends and fascinating histories while exploring techniques to make the illustration process easier.

(Note - Information only) All Driver’s Ed registrations must be done online through CS Driving School. To Register, please visit CS Driving School. Select Locations then click Enroll under Arlington Community Ed. $799 This class is for students who have reached the minimum age of 15 years, nine months by the first day of class. Fee covers online classroom hours and in person Behind-the-Wheel instruction. All Driver’s Ed registrations must be done online through CS Driving School at csdriving.com. Online | $799 Two-Week Sessions: Monday–Friday | 5:00–8:00 pm Nov. 7–18 *Please note this class will meet on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11 December 5–16 January 16–27 Vacation Session: Monday–Friday | 10:00 am–4:30 pm December 26–30 February 20–24 April 17–21 Location of classes (online vs. in person) may be subject to change based on requirements of the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Learn French vocabulary and sentence building skills, while smiling your way through oh-la-la vocabulary challenges, creative conversations, and lots of interactive games, crafts, and musical moments. Cet hiver (this winter) we will focus on la vie à la maison (life at home). Instruction is adapted for a variety of levels, making this an excellent introduction for beginners as well as an opportunity for more fluent students to expand their proficiency. Classes include a weekly take-home book to help students remember what they’ve practiced in class.

Our Live Action Role Play (LARP) games class is an introduction to LARPing and is perfect for beginners and casual players. Each week you will be led through tournaments and mock combat challenges using padded foam props. These games encourage critical thinking skills in addition to being a fun way to exercise. Prior experience is not required, nor are costumes or characters, so it’s easy to jump right in and give LARPing a try. LARP Adventure Program’s Heroes Academy® is a combination of theater, martial arts, and costume/prop/stage design. We combine these arts with critical thinking, creative problem solving, and community leadership skills. For more information about our curriculum please visit our website: https://www.larpadventureprogram.com/curriculum

Role playing games give players experience with a variety of skills including improvisation, critical thinking, math, and public speaking. We will use Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition rules to create characters and then test their might through an interactive story. Everyone will be taught—at a comfortable skill level—how to make characters and even run their own games as dungeon masters. Please note: We discourage students from creating characters before the first day of class. Instructors and students will collaborate to determine what kind of story they will create and in the past, students who arrived with a character in hand have been disappointed if their character doesn't fit the group decision.

Knowing when a child is ready to stay home alone is a challenging decision, but preparation can make this milestone much easier for your family. Home Alone Safety is a readiness program that builds self-confidence, a sense of responsibility, and stronger decision-making abilities through a variety of fun, interactive activities, discussions, and situational role-playing. It is a stepping stone for younger grades as they explore and become comfortable with the idea of being home, and for older grades to better understand and gain confidence with being home alone. Topics include: ● Confidence & Readiness Strategies ● Trust, Communication, & Good Decision Making ● Creating a Safe and Positive Environment ● Checking-In with Parents ● Walking Home & Arriving Home Safely ● Securing Your Home ● Someone is at the Door ● Handling Real-Life Situations and Emergencies ● Safe Snacks & Activities ● Taking Care of Siblings & Pets ● Creating an Emergency Contact List ● Creating Action Plans Guidebooks and parent handouts will be provided via PDF attachment prior to the course. Materials will be included for parents and guardians to create safe environments and family emergency action plans. "Frank was an excellent instructor. He responded well to children's questions and comments, was inclusive of different home situations and made sure that children were prepared but not anxious. It was awesome that he laid out various situations in such a clear way. I definitely recommend this class for other children in our community!" –Fall 2021 parent