CCNS students receive certifications for courses such as CPR and Reiki, and for other classes, they can request a Certificate of Attendance, something an employer might require in the case of an employee taking a computer class for their job. In other instances over the years entrepreneurial career moves were sparked by the courses, as was the case with a dance studio owner, a flower shop owner, and a party entertainment business owner, the latter having taken an intriguing sounding CCNS course called Clowning Around. The school also provides an opportunity for professional teachers to keep their skills sharp outside the regular academic year, and there are several for whom it has become a regular gig. “We have many teachers who have been with us for over 25 years,” Jill said. That “frequent flyer” inclination extends beyond the instructors to the students as well, many of whom regularly sign up for classes. Bette Ferris is one such student, having first taken a dance class with her husband back in
the eighties. She is now taking a threelevel American Sign Language class via CCNS. “ASL is just something I’ve always wanted to learn, and I’ve tried to learn it on my own and failed,” Bette told us. “A class setting like this is really the best way to learn a language, and Bobbi Caley is a fantastic teacher.” Bette was able to later use some of what she learned in that dance course back in the eighties to teach a high school social dance class at her own job some 30 years later... and her dad even taught several landscape design courses at CCNS some years back. For those interested in a bit of a less-structured learning opportunity, the school provides learning via local (and sometimes international) excursions. Present offerings at press time include Second Friday Walking Tours of West Chester, and an Appalachian Trail Day Hike, starting at Warwick Park in Pottstown. “Our local trips are extremely popular,” Jill said. “For example, this semester our Come Away Broadway show sold out within a few weeks of the catalog distribution, and Philly Pops is close to a sellout.”
By the way, if you’re looking for something truly unique for that tough-to-buy for person in your life, you might want to consider purchasing a gift certificate to the night school. They’re available in various denominations, they are definitely classier than cash, and besides, learning a new skill is a gift that’s always the right size, and it basically lasts forever.
I believe Chester County Night School is one of the unrecognized gems that we have available to us in Chester County... I was absolutely delighted when they were recognized by the local chamber recently and given an award for their hard work. MAY 2019 THEWCPRESS.COM
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