Vashon-Maury Classes | July 9

Breathing class

A Transformational Breath workshop will meet from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 9, 16, 23 and 30, at the Hanna Barn on Point Robinson Road.

Participants will learn a breathing technique for improving and increasing their energy level and sense of well-being. They will also learn how to correct constrictive breathing patterns and how transformational breathing can help them have a healthier lifestyle.

The cost is $30 per session or $25 if people sign up for the subsequent four or five Wednesdays. Each session builds from the one before. Contact Susan Cassaro to register and for directions at 406-8442.

Summer art camp

Vashon Youth and Family Services will offer a summer art camp from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, July 15 to Aug. 19, in the VYFS Playspace (the former YMCA).

There will be painting, puppets, music, found art and more for kids ages 6 to 11.

The cost is $75 with sliding scale scholarships available.

For more information, contact Jeffrey Zheutlin at 436-5511.

Garden art

The Vashon Library will offer “Garden Art from Found Objects, Salvage and Really Good Junk” at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 20. It will be presented by Beth Evans-Ramos from the Salvage Studio.

People have heard about how to reduce, reuse and recycle, but what about “repurposing”?

Islanders can learn secrets and practical tips for reinventing found objects and discover the satisfaction of finding something discarded and turning it into a whimsical piece of garden art.

The Salvage Studio is devoted to finding a new purpose for castoffs.

Registration is required. Call the Vashon Library at 463-2069 to register.

Dig class

Dig Floral & Garden will offer the class “Hearty, Hardy Fushcias” at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 26. The class is free with a $10 plant purchase.

Fuschias can be the main event in the late summer garden; they’ll bloom until frost, and the varieties are endless.

The group will discuss their favorites in this workshop with tips on placement and pruning. Many unusual and hard-to-find varieties will be on hand.

Call Dig to register at 463-5096.

Student workshops

The workshop, “Strategies for Success in Middle School,” will be held this summer for incoming sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

One of the benefits of taking the workshop in the summer, instructor Devon Atkins said, is that the skills become part of everyday life as well as making things easier at school.

Children learn how to pay attention, including to track assignments, use a syllabus and a school planner, manage time well, improve their listening and note-taking skills and read with purpose. Students also learn how to do the work, including how to develop and maintain a learning log, organize and complete long-term assignments and learn test-taking strategies.

Parents receive daily e-mails about what their children will learn, and, this year, a companion two-hour workshop will be offered to all parents to teach strategies that encourage better communication and support among students, parents and teachers. The tuition for the parent workshop is $20 for one or two parents.

Tuition for the student workshop is $90 ($45 for returning students), and thanks to a grant from PTSA, students who receive free or reduced lunch may attend for free. Registration is limited to 12 students for each workshop; materials and snacks are included.

Workshops meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon for incoming sixth-graders, 1 to 2:30 p.m. for seventh-graders and 3:30 to 5 p.m for eighth graders. Dates are Monday through Friday, July 28 to Aug. 1, or Aug. 18 to 22.

The parent workshops are 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, or Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Pre-registration is advised. Registration forms are available in McMurray’s main office or by calling Devon Atkins at 353-9227.

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