If you have a family, you know the excitement that fills the house when the purple and gold catalog, covered with smiling faces and good times, lands in your mailbox. Before it even makes it to the kitchen counter, everyone (including you) is armed with a highlighter and eager anticipation, ready to pick out a favorite activity, sport, or class (or two!) to fill the calendar.
Waconia Community Education and Recreation Director, Steven Jensen, says the program’s goal is just that, “Waconia Community Education is here to provide families with opportunities to explore what they love! It touches all members of the community in some way.” In Waconia public schools, the motto is: Explore Your Passions. Create Your Success. And with all the possibilities available to you through this community-focused resource, that’s exactly what you’ll do.
Opportunity
Waconia Community Education serves the community needs of all ages, from birth to 5 years of age, through multiple programs including Early Childhood Family Education, Wildcat Preschool, and child care. As children enter grade school, they offer child care before and after school and during the summer for families needing daytime care.
“Our enrichment and recreation program serves students from Pre-K through high school, allowing us to provide a wide range of activities and opportunities that students might desire to try and excel in,” Steven shares. “We also provide many opportunities for our adults in the community, such as martial arts, art classes, exploratory classes, trips, and more.”
While Community Education might be where your kids sign up for their yearly flag football team, it can also be a perfect chance to start something new. “Many times, we’ve seen community members bring an idea to Community Education–and watch it flourish into a small business!”
This impactful resource partners with other communities to ensure they’re providing a diverse selection of options. Currently, they’re part of a consortium with neighboring communities offering the program, Magnifying Abilities, where adults with cognitive and physical disabilities can participate in social and recreational activities. They also partner to offer Adult Basic Education courses, providing adults of all ages with opportunities to gain essential life skills and certifications, which you can check out here: https://www.swmetro288.org/288-programs/adult-education.
Collaboration and Growth
“Most of our classes are based on history and what’s worked well for the community,” Steven explains, “and we’re often approached to create new programs.” He adds that oftentimes they’re able to take on an opportunity that once operated under the schools, and continue it through Community Education. It’s also exciting to know this program is part of a larger network, where departments across the state come together in many aspects—sharing what’s working in their communities and exploring if those ideas could positively impact ours.
The Why
“Community Education is extremely important to all communities in Minnesota because it provides a centralized place for families to find the resources they need,” Steven notes. Schools play a big role in why people live where they live, he says, and Community Education, as a branch of the school district, helps keep community members connected to where they live, no matter their age.
Investing in Everyone
Steven highlights that they’ve secured funds through the state of Minnesota for early childhood programming, offering scholarships to anyone who qualifies, including free preschool to families. They also partner with programs like Backyard Wishes to offer scholarships for youth programming. “Meeting the needs of the community is extremely important to us, and that’s why we work to find ways to keep costs down while putting out a high-quality experience.”
Personal Passion
“I take great joy in seeing community members enjoy what they love. I love seeing the smiles on all participants’ faces as they explore, compete, and excel. I’ve dedicated my professional life to serving communities, and Community Education provides the avenue to do this.”
Steven boasts that the department is staffed by an exceptional team who are passionate about what they do and truly care about the people they reach and connect with. “The Waconia Community Education department wouldn’t be where it is without the dedication and love our staff has for the people here. I’d like to thank all of the Community Education staff for their hard work serving the needs of our community.”
The Future
The hope and goal of Community Education is to continue to grow and evolve with the community, while meeting the needs of all. “Waconia is a unique community that truly values the out-of-school time programs, and we are happy to be of service to all. This community is growing, and it’s important that we grow with it.”
Learn more: https://isd110.org/community-education/community-education