Access At CVUHS

Your donation to community education helps sustain, grow and improve our program. We rely solely on the program fees to run our program and pay our instructors. We also have a limited sponsorship fund that supports community members in need. Your kind contribution helps to keep class fees affordable so we can continue to make community education accessible to all. Thank you! If there is an amount you would like to donate, but it is not listed in our options below, please contact us at 802-482-7194 or email access@cvsdvt.org to arrange payment. Checks payable to: Access CVU, 369 CVU Road, Hinesburg, VT., 05461

Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite people? Purchase an Access Gift Certificate and support Community Education! Select the amount and check-out online. Your Gift Certificate will be emailed to you or the recipient; just let us know where to send it during checkout. If you would like a different amount, or you have a special request, please call us at 802-482-7194. Thank you for your support of Access! Note: An Access Gift Certificate never expires and is transferable!

Access Tote Bags by Donation

If you have taken the ACCESS ASL for Beginners Level 1 course and want to continue to build a deeper understanding of deaf culture and language then this next level is for you! You will learn to form sentences, increase your vocabulary, and there will be an emphasis on more conversation during class. ASL is the visual gestural language used by the Deaf community and practicing this with facial expressions takes time. Your instructor, Don, is of the deaf community and promotes the technique of immersion as the best method of learning ASL. This class will be fun and filled with plenty of conversation as well as practical exercises. Some homework will be assigned to help you progress through these 10 sessions with ease. Recommended minimum age: High School "This class was truly an enriching experience. My husband and I took it together, and we were eager to go every week because the class was extremely engaging and useful. The teacher gave great lessons, and he gave us both a new passion to learn sign language. Thank you very much for this opportunity!"- GS

Join Sally and learn the art of baking and decorating delicious cookies in this 1-night class. You'll start by mixing and baking "slice and bake" sugar cookies, making delicious icing, and then decorating your treats to bring home and share with friends and family. Each student will bring home a selection of decorated cookies. Students aged 13 and over welcome; younger students should be accompanied by an adult. This class will meet inside CVU.

Come learn the art of baking and decorating the perfect cupcake! Sally, our resident cake decorating instructor, will walk you through baking and decorating cupcakes in a 1-night class. You'll start by baking vanilla cupcakes and making delicious icing, and then you'll decorate your treats to bring home and share with friends and family (or eat them all yourself- we won't tell!). Each student will bring home a half dozen decorated cupcakes. Students aged 13 and over welcome; younger students should be accompanied by an adult. This class will meet inside CVU.

Ruah Swennerfelt, a homesteader and sourdough lover will share about the magic of sourdough in this two-part course. Sourdough becomes your yeast for bread, and so much more. Dream of wild yeasts living all around you! You'll go away with starter, recipes for bread and more, and the hands-on knowledge to create sourdough baked goods at home. On the first night you will get your starter going, taste some artisan sourdough bread baked earlier that day, and see the dough in action, readying for a loaf to be baked the next day. Walk away with a recipe for how to make your own starter, how to take care of it, keep it alive and play with it. Take home a bread recipe to try. We’ll look at various resources and items to have in your kitchen to make sourdough successfully at home. Between classes you'll have some homework: keep your own starter alive using Ruah's expert tips and the instructions provided. In the second class you'll bring your starter and make some yummy baked goods like coffee cake and more. This class will take place inside CVU.

Have you thought about keeping bees? This is the opportunity to learn more about these vital and fascinating creatures providing so much of our food. The instructors, or apiarists, have over 40 years of combined experience and will pass along not only the facts, but also tips from hands-on experience in the field and many years in the beekeeping business! Learn more about your bee passion from Vermont based beekeeping experts at this popular Access class. These three sessions will enlighten, and maybe even inspire you to start a few hives of your own! Plenty of question-and-answer time and all the info needed to start your own operation. A "possible" 4th field session may be offered at a future time. Date, time, and location to be determined based on weather. Deborah and Rick tending to bees at a hive.

Have you always wanted to learn how to block print? Join us for two evenings to learn how to transfer your image to a block, carve it, and then print it into cards or artwork! This class is designed with the beginner printmaker in mind but all levels of experience are welcomed to join. All high quality materials are included in class fee. For students aged 13 and older; younger students should register with an adult who is also joining the class. This class will meet inside CVU.

Are you concerned with what goes on your skin and scalp? Are you looking to make your own natural body care products? Join Kelley Robie, from Horsetail Herbs, as we dive into the world of healthy skin & hair care! In this class we will be making a Solid Shampoo Bar and Conditioner Bar for soft and silky locks. For the skin, we will be making an Anti-Aging Lotion with popular vitamins and minerals and a Soothing Face Wash for all skin types. We will discuss the skin microbiome, safe, clean ingredients, and the importance of sustainable packaging. Leave with recipes, products and gift making ideas! This class will meet inside CVU.

Terri will guide students through her artistic way of creating compositions through collage. She’ll share how to turn this art into greeting cards for any occasion, though it can be a wonderful framed art piece. Follow your inspiration! This is an art class. If you’d like, bring your pencils or pastels. Ages 15 and older; younger students may attend with a caregiver who is also registered. This class will meet inside CVU.

Join Bob, an experienced educator and woodworker, as he provides a hands-on presentation on how to carve correctly with quality tools. Bring in a pie pumpkin of your choosing and an aluminum tray to carve in. You will carve pumpkins like you never have before, using wood carving tools. The results will be frightening! Carving tools will be available during class, as well as choose from different templates. Minimum age requirement is 13. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Join Bob, an experienced educator and woodworker, as he provides a hands-on presentation on how to carve correctly with quality tools. Participants will start with a softwood blank, and leave with a perfectly usable Spoon and matching Fork. Great to use as servers! Personalize the handles with a wood burning design or non-toxic paint for your next holiday gathering or for gifting! Wood carving gloves as well as high quality carving knives and chisels available for use in class. Minimum age requirement is 13. Option to bring your own tools or purchase our premium tool set ($40) at registration or after class (check/cash only).

Join long time master-carver and woodworker, Bob Lindemann, as he teaches the principals of safely carving wood, using the tools correctly and efficiently, while creating objects to display or use. Looking to make a heartfelt unique gift, tree ornament, or keepsake for the holidays? Participants will start with a softwood blank and leave with a small hand-carved and painted tree ornament such as a snowman or bird. High quality carving knives and chisels available for use in class. Option to bring your own tools or purchase our premium tool set at registration or after class (check/cash only). $40 per set. Minimum Age Requirement is 13 years old.

In this online 1.5 hour presentation, Alana Stevenson, feline behaviorist and author of The Good Cat Parent's Guide to Feline Behavior Modification shows you how to recognize common feline communication signals so you can better understand and communicate with cats. Learn why cats are often misunderstood and maligned, and why popular training approaches frequently recommended fail to work with cats. When you understand cat psychology, behaviors that were seemingly complex becomes less of a mystery. Photos and video clips of feline body language and inter-cat dynamics will be shared. There will be time after the presentation for Q&A. This class will meet online. Look for an invitation to be sent a day or two before the class starts.

Benvenuti in Italia! “Conversational Italian” is dedicated to your needs and wants in this beautiful language. For this reason, the preliminary assignment for the first class is for you to prepare a realistic list of things you would like to learn given the number of sessions we will have. This is the ideal equation: Beginning of class + End of class = I learned what I wanted to know! If you wish the class to be conducted in Italian or have a hybrid approach (Italian and English) you must all agree to this for obvious reasons. Having a hybrid approach is beneficial and Cinzia will explain her philosophy in this regard. Not sure what level of Italian you are at? No problem! Sign-up and decide after the first class if this will meet your needs. This is an online class. A Zoom or Google Meet invitation will be emailed prior to the start date. All handouts will be emailed directly from the instructor. "I have taken this online Italian conversation course with Cinzia for three years, and it is a great touch-point every week to practice the language and even meet new friends in Vermont who also have an interest in the language. Some of these friendships from the online class have transitioned into real life friendships, as we continue to meet after the class is over to practice Italian together!" "I really enjoy these classes with Cinzia. They provide an opportunity to practice Italian in an informal, friendly and chatty atmosphere. Cinzia sends materials between classes but homework is more or less at the individual's discretion. It helps me keep on my Italian and especially practice my listening and speaking skills with a native speaker. Cinzia is funny, warm, and great at teaching colloquial details."

Join us for a delightful hands-on experience of crafting a uniquely designed geometrical wall art made from beautiful recycled woods taken from pallets. In this hands-on class, you will learn how to layout your design, choose your wood, and cut and prepare each piece for assembly. A wide variety of new and repurposed fine *woods will be available to create a visually stunning piece that can last a lifetime. If you have wood pieces you would like to use, please bring them to the first class. Prepared pallet *woods may include Maple, Ash, Purple Heart, Walnut, Birch, Australian Eucalyptus, Brazilian Cherry, Oak, Coconut Wood, Ipe, and others. All materials are included in the fee for this course. Week 1: Students will decide on the design they wish to use, select woods and start cutting. Various sized large precut backings will be provided as your template. Sizes will vary but at a minimum pieces will be between 2-3 feet wide and tall. Tools used: mitre saw, table saw, planer, and clamps. Week 2: For this class, the students will finish cutting their wood, sanding will commence, and start to assemble the wall art using a brad nailer and glue. Week 3: Students will finish their boards, and may have time to oil or whitewash pieces if desired. Note: The electric tool usage can create a bottleneck in the workshop, so please be patient and use this time to learn and help others during class time. Please bring safety glasses and a dust mask if you have one. We have a small supply on hand if you need one. Long hair will need to be tied back and no open toed shoes.