Welcome
In our Community Education department, we continue to offer a mix of classes led by fantastic district teachers as well as community partners. We have listened to you, our customers, who have expressed interest in expanded after-school classes. You will see that we have a wide variety of classes offered throughout all of our elementary buildings, ranging from two-week sessions to the entire school year. We hope you find something engaging for your student!
As always, please feel free to contact our team. We welcome your feedback on how we can continue to grow Waukee Community Education to better serve our students, families, and community members.
Registration
Below you will find different categories of classes offered through Community Education. Click the header to see the different classes available and click the link to register.
If you have questions about any of the classes offered or how to register, please contact Community Education at communityed@waukeeschools.org or by calling 515.987.2761.
Estate Planning 101
Even everyday folks need an estate plan. A well-crafted estate plan saves your family undue grief and cost by ensuring your assets are distributed as you wanted. Whether your assets are worth thousands or hundreds of thousands, it’s important to protect everything you worked so hard to earn. Learn how to avoid unnecessary expenses and fees, how to reduce or eliminate taxes and how to maximize the transfer of your real estate, investments and personal belongings to your loved ones and/or charitable organizations. Taught by a financial advisor with additional support of an estate attorney.
Click HERE to register.
How Color Affects You & Your Home (NEW)
Whether it be a new, bold color on your front door or a light and airy refresh in your living room; this class will teach you color theory, psychology of colors, color trends and where you can find color inspiration along with other fundamentals that go into choosing just the right color for you and your home. With nearly 20 years of experience and in-depth knowledge of color, Kara can help you embrace a new way of looking at color for your home.
Click HERE to register.
Let’s Play Bridge (NEW)
Learn to play the world’s favorite card game – start from the beginning or jump in anywhere you’d like! Upon completion of the course, participants will know the mechanics of how a game of bridge works, how to value their hand for bidding and complete bidding sequences with a partner, and use strategies for maximizing their ability to make contracts (or defend against contracts). Instructor is an experienced bridge player, instructor, and certified bridge club director, as well as a Northwest High School math teacher. Ages 12+ are welcome.
Click HERE to register.
Retirement Planning 101
Afraid you can’t afford to retire? We will explore this question along with social security, Medicare, how to convert a 401(k) plan to an income stream you won’t outlive, ways to minimize your taxes in retirement, and options to help protect your investments from market fluctuation. This seminar is relevant to anyone who wants to become more empowered in today’s financial world. Course taught by a financial advisor with over 35 years of experience.
Click HERE to register.
Starting Your Novel (NEW)
Have you ever thought about writing your own novel? Students will be led through brainstorming activities to build characters, setting, and plot lines, while incorporating literary elements to make their novel more complex. Students will receive in-class feedback from a professional writer and teacher of writing. Students will walk away from the class with the essential elements and start at least one chapter of their novel. Students should bring their own computer. Ages 16+ are welcome.
Click HERE to register.
ACT Prep – English (Grades 9-12)
Instructor teaches high school English in Waukee. This class will focus on test taking strategies for the English portion of the ACT. We will review English concepts commonly found on the ACT and take and discuss several practice exams. Students need to bring an independent reading book to class. Students can purchase the 2023 workbook (Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies) online through Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/059351632X?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QAW7QDGHRF8KJ0C4QYGB
The workbook also is used for the other review courses.
Click HERE to register.
ACT Prep – Reading (Grades 9-12)
Instructor teaches high school English in Waukee. This class will focus on test taking strategies for the reading portion of the ACT. We will review reading concepts commonly found on the ACT and take and discuss several practice exams. Students need to bring an independent reading book to class. Students can purchase the 2023 workbook (Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies) online through Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/059351632X?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QAW7QDGHRF8KJ0C4QYGB
The workbook also is used for the other review courses.
Click HERE to register.
Instructor: Melissa Chia
ACT Prep – Math (Grades 9-12)
Instructor teaches high school math in Waukee. This class will focus on test-taking strategies for the math portion of the ACT. We will review math concepts commonly found on the ACT and take and discuss several practice exams. Students can purchase the 2023 workbook (Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies) online through Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/059351632X?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QAW7QDGHRF8KJ0C4QYGB
The book also is used for the other review courses.
Click HERE to register.
ACT Prep – Science (Grades 9-12)
Instructor has a Master’s Degree in Education, experience in teaching ACT test preparation and high school science teaching experience for over seventeen years in Waukee. This class will focus on test taking strategies for the science portion of the ACT. We will review science concepts commonly found on the science portion of the ACT: Charts and Graphs, Experiments and Fighting Scientists. We will take and discuss several practice exams during this review. Students can purchase the 2023 workbook (Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies) online through Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/059351632X?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_QAW7QDGHRF8KJ0C4QYGB
The book also is used for the other review courses.
Click HERE to register.
PSAT/SAT Prep (Grades 9-12)
The Preliminary-SAT (PSAT) is essentially the same test as the SAT, without the essay component. Students who take the PSAT exam generally do so for one of two reasons: To compete for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship or to gain realistic practice for the SAT college admissions test. This test-preparation seminar provides students with highly effective tips and strategies to prepare them for success on the PSAT (as well as the SAT), regardless of their motivation for taking the exam. Students will take shortened practice tests, receive a study guide and practice-test workouts, reduce their test anxiety and gain confidence. All materials are included in the registration fee.
Click HERE to register.
Create Your Own Board Game (Grades 3-5)
Want to create your own board game? This after school opportunity is designed for you. Explore the basics of game design through group mini games, individual design time, and group lessons. Class focuses on fostering a designer-friendly environment that encourages students to try, fail, and fix on their journey of bringing their epic ideas to life in the form of a board game. Our goal is to help students take a step away from consumerism and instead step towards a lifelong journey of creating, making, and designing. Fee includes all materials needed to make board game prototypes. Students will be able to take home their board game creation from week to week to playtest and improve their games.
Click HERE to register at Walnut Hills.
Click HERE to register at Grant Ragan.
Chess (Grades K-5)
New and returning students invited. Each Youth Enrichment League (YEL) Chess class follows four basic components: teaching, practicing, puzzles and playing the game. Students are taught different chess concepts and coached to implement those concepts into their chess games. Students practice positions set by the coach to improve their understanding of the concept. Students are given chess puzzles and work with coach guidance to solve them. Each class ends with students playing 20-30 minutes of chess. Coaches often feature in-class tournaments during the session. Registration fee includes: ChessKid.com membership for the chess session, prizes and puzzle sheets. Sign up today to think, learn and play well with YEL! Click the class links below to register.
Radiant Elementary Sessions:
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Sugar Creek Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Woodland Hills Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Maple Grove Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Waukee Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Walnut Hills Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Eason Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Brookview Elementary Sessions
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Building Young Artists (Grades K-5)
In this fun art program, students will learn the basic concepts of drawing and painting three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional paper. These objects include basic shapes, cubes, spheres and cones. Eventually students will learn to draw and paint still life based on a step-by-step process. The class will help improve student’s patience, observation and creativity. Students will take home all of their masterpieces throughout the class. The instructor owns and teaches at the Sunflower Fine Art studio in Waukee, has received awards for her artwork, and has a degree in Art. Supply list available online.
Click HERE to register at Walnut Hills.
Click HERE to register at Brookview.
Click HERE to register at Woodland Hills.
Monsters Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Monsters! Just in time for Halloween, bring your little goblin to a Halloween-themed art class. Students will draw, outline in black marker, and paint with watercolors several monsters on thick cardstock. Students will be shown different ways of drawing monsters, which they will practice on scratch paper first, but they are allowed to use their own imagination. Students will be using markers and watercolor paint for their projects. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for painting in. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Halloween Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Students will make a fun Halloween-themed project where they spell the word “Halloween” then make a Halloween-themed drawing out of each letter. Ideas will be given, but students can use their own creativity. Students will be using markers and watercolor paint for their projects. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for painting in. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Thanksgiving Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Gobble gobble! Students will make a fun Thanksgiving-themed project where they spell the word “Thankful” and then make a Thanksgiving-themed drawing out of each letter. Ideas will be given, but students can use their own creativity. Students will be using markers and watercolor paint for their projects. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for painting in. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Turkey Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Just in time for Thanksgiving, have your tiny artists make two different artful turkeys. Students will paint and decorate two turkeys and use a variety of mixed media to decorate their artwork. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for painting in. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Santa’s Workshop: Winter Wonderland Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Send your artistic little elves to a Christmas art class where they make their own festive toy fueled with imagination and fun! In this whimsical world, children will make their own toy Winter Wonderland, which is made on a board that they paint to look like a winterscape. Students will paint and decorate imaginative holiday-themed peg doll people to play in this land. They will make a gingerbread house (non-edible) and decorate it with artful goodies and create another small decorated home for the tiny dolls to live in. This playset comes complete with a light-up stone fireplace, which the children make. Your child will make a variety of fun items, such as a snowman and Christmas trees, sleigh for Santa, and tiny gifts for the dolls to receive. Sign up your artistic Santa’s elves for this two-week holiday class to make their own colorful, artful toy that will provide many hours of imaginative play. Students will bring their whimsical toy home at the end of the second class. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for art class. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Christmas Art Class (Grades 1-5)
Let it snow! Students will make a fun Christmas-themed project where they spell the word “Christmas” and then make a Christmas-themed drawing out of each letter. Ideas will be given, but students can use their own creativity. Students will be using markers and watercolor paint for their projects. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for painting in. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Christmas Fun: A Christmas Tree and a Reindeer (Grades 1-5)
Christmas fun! Let it snow! Let’s get out the art supplies, which the teacher provides. In this class, students will make a fun, antlered, reindeer face out of cardboard and will decorate it using a variety of multi-media, including paint, recycled items, sticks, beads, pompoms, and more. The second project is making a fun, wonky, Christmas tree out of cardboard, then decorating with paint, puffy paint, Christmas decorations, sequins, and more. Please have your students wear clothes that are OK for art class. Students will take their projects home. All supplies are provided.
Click HERE to register.
Genius Hour Essay Writing (Grades 6-7) NEW
This course will incorporate student interest, motivation and real-world purpose with the development of essay organization and writing skills such as conventions, paraphrasing and sentence structure. In addition, non-fiction comprehension, finding important ideas and details, and researching content will be areas of focus. An optional project to accompany the essays will be discussed in class then completed outside of class if the student decides to complete such a component for our sharing day. This is an extremely engaging learning time, as students pick their topics and the passion behind the interest drives the purposeful learning experience in challenging areas of language arts. All student instruction in the course will be differentiated to meet the individual needs of the learners. Course taught by a Language Art Teacher with 10 years of experience from South Middle School.
Click HERE to register.
Start Smart with Study Skills (Grades 5-8)
Get ready to start the school year off right! The biggest hurdle to academic success after elementary school seems to be poor study skills. During these sessions, your child will be introduced to excellent strategies! Topics include: organization and time management (Nov. 6); note-taking strategies (Nov. 7); test-taking strategies (Nov. 8); reading and study strategies (Nov. 9); learning styles and study habits (Nov. 10). Set your child up for success in middle school and high school! *Register for the entire week ($145) or individual days ($34 each).
Click HERE to register.
Fencing (Grades 2-5)
New and returning students invited! Join this fast-growing Olympic sport. Hall of Fame Olympic Fencing Coach Ro Sobalvarro crafts our lessons and curriculum; students pair up and practice the fencing move or concept, rotate partners and repeat; students then participate in fencing matches using only the moves taught so far; 10-15 minutes each class students fence with multiple fencers at their skill level. All equipment provided.
Click HERE to register for the Tuesday class.
Click HERE to register for the Wednesday class.
Fencing (Grades 6-12)
New and returning students invited! Join this fast-growing Olympic sport. Hall of Fame Olympic Fencing Coach Ro Sobalvarro crafts our lessons and curriculum; students pair up and practice the fencing move or concept, rotate partners and repeat; students then participate in fencing matches using only the moves taught so far; 10-15 minutes each class students fence with multiple fencers at their skill level. All equipment provided.
Click HERE to register.
Bricks 4 Kidz (Grades K-5)
Bricks 4 Kidz® offers project-based programs designed to teach basic principles of engineering and architecture using LEGO® bricks and proprietary model plans. These activities are designed to trigger your child’s lively imagination and encourage problem-solving while exercising fine motor skills and spatial intelligence. Participants build a different simple machine each week using a motor and battery or rubber band system. Each model has various levels of complexity so that we are able to offer age appropriate projects. Every participant will be assigned their own project kit and materials that only they will use over the session. Click the class links below to register.
Monday Classes:
Tuesday Classes:
Thursday Classes:
Friday Classes:
Robotics (Grades 1-5)
Build a spy-bot, satellite or design your own earthquake alarm. Then program the spy-bot to be sneaky, the satellite to orbit, and the alarm to…be alarming. Students LEARN basic engineering and computer coding concepts; BUILD multiple LEGO® Bricks projects; EXPLORE how the projects and programming complement each other; and PLAY with different building and programming options. Click the class links below to register.
Monday Classes:
Tuesday Classes:
Thursday Classes:
Friday Classes:
TESTIMONIALS/QUOTES:
Our kids love B4K! They always have a fun time and the instructors are so great!
- Bricks 4 Kidz
Paula Gray-Dietz and her staff go above and beyond to help students feel welcomed and provide an environment of FUN and learning.
- Bricks 4 Kidz
Excellent class! We would highly recommend Ting to anyone. Our son enjoyed one-on-one time with her. She took the time to get to know the students.
- Drawing & Painting for Fun
My daughter LOVED this class and we hope it is offered again! She doesn’t have a huge interest in extracurricular activities so this has been a GREAT fit! Thank you for offering it.
- Fencing
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. Our son enjoyed his experience. The instructor is knowledgeable and good with the kids. We look forward to the next session. Thanks!
- Chess
Our son enjoyed this chess class and came home each week excited to show us what he had learned.
- Chess
My son loved this class. We plan to sign him up again!
- Robotics
Very helpful for the ACT test.
- ACT Prep
What a great class! My son was a little hesitant at first but after the first night he didn’t balk at going at all.
- Start Smart with Study Skills
We found answers to questions and resources to use in the planning of our estate.
- Retirement Planning 101
Kelley is amazing and this is our second class with her. We will sign up for more!
- Christmas Fun: A Christmas Tree and a Reindeer Art Class
Mrs. Stahl is awesome!! Great projects for the kids!
- Thanksgiving Art Class
