By Amy Baskin

Director of Community Education and Communications

Community Education is an opportunity for local citizens and community schools, agencies and institutions to become active partners in addressing education and community concerns.

Community Education brings community members together to identify and link community needs and resources in a manner that helps people to help themselves raise the quality of life in their communities.
The statewide Community Education delivery system serves 1.7 million school age youth, nearly 300,000 children age 0 to 4, and over 900,000 adults each year. This efficient system is able to generate $6 for every $1 of aid/levy it receives, extending the impact of programming dollars well beyond their initial potential. 
Community Education is a unique education concept that embraces these beliefs:

— education is a lifelong process;

— everyone in the community — individuals, businesses, public and private agencies — shares responsibility for the mission of educating all members of the community;

— and citizens have a right and a responsibility to be involved in determining community needs, identifying community resources, and linking those needs and resources to improve their community.

Austin Community Education is proud to collaborate with a number of community organizations and neighboring communities to provide opportunities for the residents of Austin. The fall book will arrive in the Mower County Shopper around the third week of September and will include a number of new opportunities in addition to community favorites.

New this year will be the opportunity to do some extended travel to new and unique locations. Also new this year are classes in the hot new Microsoft 365, bee keeping, birding and early childhood music from MacPhail.

Austin Community Education is always looking for new class ideas and instructors. If you have ideas to share with us please give us a call at 507-460-1704 or email teri.wermager@austin.k12.mn.us. You can get current information from our Facebook page www.facebook.com/austincommunityeducation and register for classes online at https://austin.revtrak.net.

As Benjamin Franklin once said “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Come experience Community Education this fall.