Levittown adult education program brings community together with courses on yoga, painting and pickleball

In Levittown, you’re never too old to learn a new skill.

The Levittown school district has restored its Adult Continuing Education Program, which had been a pillar in the community for years before it was discontinued in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The program, now in its spring semester, offers a smaller selection of classes compared to pre-pandemic years, but program coordinators Vincent Causeman and Brittany Cirrone expressed hope that it will be expanded in the future.

“We kind of started out just to ease back in,” Causeman said of the program, which was reinstated last fall, “and get the community familiar with the program and get the word out there, and hopefully it will get bigger as we go on.”

“It was just so nice to have the community members back in and joining together with common interests,” Cirrone said.

According to Cirrone, public demand spurred the program’s comeback after Covid restrictions around the state were lifted. Parents often brought up the program at school board and PTA meetings, and Cirrone said it became a consistent talking point in the community. When the program returned, it was obvious why so many people were excited about it, she said.

“When you walk the halls and see the high-energy in every classroom, you’re like, ‘Of course, this is exactly what we needed,’” Cirrone said. “It gives everyone something to look forward to throughout their week.”

The programs are offered at Levittown Memorial Education Center on Abbey Lane on Monday and Wednesday nights. The spring semester runs from March until May and offers a variety of courses for people who registered, such as painting, hula-hoop fitness, yoga and Zumba.

According to the program coordinators, pickleball, a sport described as a combination of table tennis and badminton, is their most popular program. When pickleball was introduced in the fall semester, 36 participants had enrolled, Causeman said. For the spring semester, an additional class was slotted in, and around 70 spots sold out within 24 minutes after registration opened.

“It was almost like Taylor Swift tickets on Ticketmaster,” Causeman said. “It was kind of rapid.”

“We’ve had emails and voicemails of people asking to get on the waitlist, so that is a high-interest class,” Cirrone said of pickleball.

Erica Bleimeyer, an instructor for the pickleball course, said the experience has been fun. She teaches a course with around 38 participants who are split into three skill levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Bleimeyer said experienced players would occasionally ask questions about specific rulings, while beginners require more in-depth teaching.

“We’re really sitting with our beginners to go over how to serve, scoring, and all those pesky pickleball rules,” Bleimeyer said.

Bleimeyer added that beginners love watching advanced players, and the goal is to eventually integrate the groups when everyone is familiar with the rules. She said that she has the beginners taking the court and playing, correcting them as they go.

“There’s a big sense of community here,” Bleimeyer said. “The people got here 30 minutes early just to knock the ball around. It’s so much fun.”

In addition to the eight-week courses, the Levittown program offers one-night financial seminars, where participants can learn about investing their money after retirement or helping parents save money for their children’s college education.

Also available are CPR and notary public courses, both of which lead to certification after completion. Cirrone said notary is a self-paced online course, where an instructor provides the materials and participants have access to them for 90 days, allowing them to go at their own pace, which is convenient for busy adults.

“It’s nice for people who have work,” Cirrone said, “because if it’s stressful to get to a class, and if this is something they want to do, then they have the option to still make that happen.”

Courses, such as pickleball and painting, have a wide age range, and Cirrone said she enjoys seeing community members share similar interests despite generational differences.

“In the fall we saw people exchanging numbers and becoming friends, it’s so nice,” Cirrone said. “You’re taking a class with people who have similar interests. So, they may not be your physical neighbor, but obviously it’s a small community, so it’s nice that everyone gets to make a friend.”

Cirrone added that people are excited about the courses and the program is taking a close look at what the community wants. Before coming up with the courses, the district sends out surveys to get an idea about the courses the community wants to see.

“We wanted to make sure it was meaningful for our community members,” Cirrone said, “and we want to make sure everyone who signs up wants to be here.”

For Causeman, the program has been unbelievable, especially as a Levittown native. The 47-year-old instructor graduated from MacArthur High School in 1997 and has taught social studies at the school for the last 23 years.    

“To be able to offer these types of classes to people that I know personally, members of the community I grew up with, their parents, friends, and to see that they’re really enjoying it, it means a lot,” Causeman said.

Registration for the Spring 2024 semester has closed, but the coordinators are looking forward to registrations in the fall. Fees for the spring courses ranged from $55 to $90, while the one-night seminars cost $20. Senior discounts are available. For more information about the Adult Continuing Education Program, visit levittownschools.org.