Conejo Adult School offers something for everyone

Conejo Valley Adult School (CVAS) launched the 2000/2001 school year with an eclectic selection of classes and workshops that run the gamut between serious education like GED exams, Microsoft and Cisco systems certification programs, to fun workshops on learning how to make your own sushi or the benefits of aroma therapy.

Twila Cook is the CVAS publicity coordinator and community service coordinator responsible for bringing classes such as investment planning, the art of massage, guitar lessons, and how to play bridge to adults in the area who are interested in learning something new.

According to Cook, the CVAS parenting program reaches 850 families and offers several classes from birth through kindergarten where the parents are the students.

More than 900 students in Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) use English as a Second Language (ESL), and ESL students attend English tutoring classes at the Old Farm Road facility, where most of the classes are taught.

CVAS is the official General Education Diploma (GED) test center for the Conejo Valley.

The test is administered once a month, and Cook estimates that 25 or 30 people will take the test this month.

She said for $10 a GED candidate may take a mini-GED test that will show the student’s weak areas. Participants use the CVAS learning center to study before taking the official GED, which costs $60.

The school recently offered a Saturday workshop on SAT review, and two more SAT workshops will be offered in the spring for students who want to improve SAT scores.

CVAS is a Microsoft Certified Training Center and offers certificate programs for Microsoft Certified Engineers and Programmers who require A+ certification.

It’s also a CISCO networking training center for those training for another job. Cook said it’s possible for students who don’t have college degrees to complete one of their certificate programs and land a job with a company that pays a $50,000-a-year salary.

Students may take a six-month class and log more than 500 hours learning different programs and also participate in internships at different companies for on-the-job training.

Classes are also offered in Web page design and computer programming. CVAS is a professional development center and training is available for medical assistants and pharmacy assistants.

Classes are taught by industry experts.

For instance, Christine Cole owns her own bakery and catering service whose clients include Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, and teaches several cooking classes at CVAS.

According to Cook, Cole usually prepares appetizers for the Academy Awards and is one of the guest chefs at the Vanity Fair party at Morton’s.

"She does a very interesting holiday tamale class and a dessert class," Cook said.

CVAS offers classes in playing the stock market, estate planning, making pizza and foccaccia, Cajun cooking, a holiday Victorian tea and scones class just to name a few. There are classes that deal with health-related issues like menopause, Indian head massage, aromatherapy, anger management and a class on how to study smart for success.

"We even offered a class on making homemade baby food," Cook said.

CVAS is also home for the independent study program that’s run by Alan Kirsch, coordinator of counseling and administrative services. Students who are in the entertainment industry, for instance, can come to the adult school one hour per week and work on their own for 20 to 40 hours each week to complete their school course requirements.

Brochures are mailed in August and January. For more information call CVAS at (805)497-2761.