Workshops
Spring 2025 Enrichment Workshops
Registration will open for spring Enrichment workshops on Wednesday, March 19 at 9:00 a.m.
Spring workshops begin the week of March 31, 2025 unless otherwise noted.
Weekly workshops provide students in kindergarten through grade 8 specialized after school learning opportunities with experienced instructors and passionate teaching artists, musicians, and professionals from the greater Portland area. Workshops offer in-depth exploration into the arts, dance, drama/acting, science, engineering, athletics, chef skills, card games, and role-play games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Enrichment workshops are open to the general public and the Waynflete community.
Spring Enrichment workshops at a glance:
Applicable grades are noted for each workshop.
| Mondays | Tuesdays | Wednesdays | Thursdays | Fridays |
REGISTER HERE
Spring 2025 Workshops
ROCK CLIMBING at EVO Rock + Fitness
This workshop is perfect for young climbers who want to have fun and improve their skills. Climbers will scale 24–40 ft. walls under the supervision of EVO’s team and Waynflete staff. EVO will provide belayers, equipment, and a separate space for lunch prior to climbing time. Bus transportation is provided to and from EVO from Waynflete.
Location: EVO Rock + Fitness (transportation provided)
Instructors: EVO team and Waynflete staff
2–5 Rock Climbing
Wednesdays from 12:15–3:15 p.m.
April 2 to May 21 (No class on April 23)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$325 (includes climbing gear) • Register here
NATURE LAB: Science Outing Club
Join Nature Lab! Student scientists will go on weekly adventures to explore the unique ecosystems of Southern Maine. They will learn about the science that is used to study this environment and be given the tools to investigate the intricacies of each site for themselves. Nature Lab is open to any student that enjoys being outside, expressing curiosity, and working as a team to answer scientific questions. Bus transportation provided, and our weekly adventures are rain or shine!
Instructor: Zoë Kennedy, educator at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute
“I grew up in Massachusetts and hold a B.S. in Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont. My passion for teaching students about the environment has led me to work in a variety of places including Acadia National Park, where I recently completed a fellowship in environmental education. After working with Waynflete Eco-Explorers this past summer, I am excited to continue being a part of this community. Join me for awesome outdoor adventures each week with Nature Lab this spring!”
Locations
- April 3 – Phenology (study of the change of the seasons) – Fore River Campus
- April 10 – Ornithology – Maine Audubon in Falmouth
- April 17 – Dendrology and Maple Syrup – Mayor Baxter Woods
- May 1 – Vernal Pools – TBD
- May 8 – Intertidal Ecology – Kettle Cove State Park
- May 15 – Bogs and Peatlands – Saco Heath Preserve
- May 22 – Phenology and Fire Safety – Fore River Campus
3–5 Nature Lab: Science Outing Club
Thursdays from 3:30–5:30 p.m.
April 3 to May 22 (No class on April 24)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$290 – Register Here
COMIC ARTS
Drawing from cartoonist and professor Lynda Barry’s instructional book Making Comics, this workshop encourages students to let go of representation and preconceptions about what it means to draw “well.” Anyone can draw! The goal of this course is relinquishing control and letting the hand go where it wants in ways that might surprise us.
Students will begin with simple individual and collaborative drawing exercises and work up to longer, more in-depth assignments. This course is focused on learning to create characters and settings, as well as thinking about images and text narratively and sequentially. How can drawing and writing interact with and inform one another? What does it even mean to draw a comic?
Instructor: Nix Forest
3–5 Comic Arts
Mondays, 3:30–4:45 p.m.
April 7 to June 2 (No class on April 21, May 26)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$240 – Register Here
CHESS CLUB
The Waynflete Chess Club will cover basic chess playing, including how the chess pieces move, how to win and the rules of play. Students will learn basic strategies with a goal to learn and enjoy the game. This club is open to all levels of ability, beginner through advanced players are welcome to attend.
Instructor: Joe Alex
Joe Alex was the Director of Stillwater Montessori School for 42 years and has been a chess coach and instructor for more than 20 years. He has worked with chess teams that have competed at the elementary and Middle School levels at the Maine State Chess Meet.
Location: CHM-14
6–8 Chess Club
Tuesdays from 3:30–5:00 p.m.
April 8 to May 13 (No class on April 22)
Spring session: 5 weeks
$200 • Register here
CREATIVE DRAMA WORKSHOPS
Instructor: Lower School Creative Drama Teacher Julia Jennings
Instructor bio: Julia Jennings teaches drama in Lower School and serves as the director for the Middle School play. She studied playwriting and acting at Bowdoin College and the National Theater Institute, and trained as a directing and dramaturgy apprentice at Portland Stage. Her work focuses on the intersection between acting and writing for the stage as well as ensemble-driven new play development.
Location: Arts Center classroom
6–8 Middle School Theater Workshop
This semester-long workshop will begin with improv games and acting exercises before students devise and adapt scenes from a book or story. The journey will continue by creating, staging, and rehearsing a play that we will share as an in-studio workshop performance. Unlike the Middle School Play, this workshop is not intended to be a rehearsal process for a fully-produced play. It will instead be a creative journey of acting, improvising, and playmaking.
Fridays from 3:30– 4:45 p.m.
January 17 to May 30 (No class on February 21, March 28, April 25, May 5, or May 9)
Session: 15 weeks. Spring prorated program available; contact us to register.
$350 • Register here
TEAMWORK SUPERSTARS: Social Skills Playgroup
It can be tough out there in the social world. Not all kids naturally know the ins and outs of making and keeping friends, reading social cues, or navigating complex social situations. This weekly playgroup supports children in developing the social and emotional skills they need to thrive. Instructor Xenia Pantos leverages their occupational therapy background to create a supportive environment that nurtures problem-solving, self-regulation, and effective communication. Xenia believes that play can be a powerful tool to support skill-building, so engaging in activities that are enriching, challenging, and fun will be central to this group.
Location: Klingenstein Library Conference Room & K–1 Kitchen
Instructor: Dr. Xenia Pantos, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with more than 10 years of experience in experiential and alternative education. They are the founder of Piping Plover Therapies, an occupational therapy practice focused on providing home and community therapy to children in Greater Portland. Xenia specializes in supporting children with challenges related to ADHD, ASD, sensory processing, executive functioning, and self-regulation. Xenia strongly believes in the power of play as a tool to support independence and skill-building. They are honored to have the opportunity to work with your children as they develop the skills they need to thrive.
K–2 Teamwork Superstars
This age group will engage in collaborative games and activities with support from an occupational therapist to navigate social interactions, utilize self-regulation skills, and practice problem-solving.
Wednesdays from 12:30–1:50 p.m.
April 2 to May 21 (No class on April 23)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$325 • Register here
Students enjoy lunch during the workshop.
3–5 Teamwork Superstars
This age group will discuss challenges, identify tools they can use outside of the play group, and co-create a space to learn and practice strategies to decrease stress and increase joy!
Thursdays from 3:30–4:30 p.m.
April 3 to May 22 (No class on April 24)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$290 • Register here
SPANISH IMMERSION
¡Hola! Join Waynflete Extended Day Teacher and native Spanish speaker Lesley Valadez for an age-appropriate, interactive program that will allow your child to acquire Spanish naturally through a playful, interactive immersion environment. Your child will learn Spanish through indoor and outdoor play, songs, books, and movement! Small group classes run for seven weeks and are offered over our fall, winter, and spring workshop sessions.
Instructor: Lesley Valadez
Location: Klingenstein Library Conference Room
K–2 Spanish Immersion
Thursdays from 3:30–4:30 p.m.
April 3 to May 22 (No class on April 24)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$240 • Register here
STEAM WORKSHOPS (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
Susan Wiemer’s workshops operate at the intersection of science, art, and imaginative play. Throughout the workshop, students explore basic physics concepts while utilizing engineering/design methods and discussing the scientific process.
Instructor: Susan Weimer
Location: Lower School Art Studio
K–2 STEAM: Maze Mission
During this a-mazing spring session students will create their own mazes, build cause-and-effect story boards, and challenge themselves to tackle problem-solving missions as a group!
Mondays from 3:30–4:30 p.m.
April 7 to June 2 (No class on March 31, April 21, and May 26)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$220 • Register here
3–5 STEAM: Crash Party
These spring STEAM challenges are all about studying impact forces and problem-solving! Students will design a spaghetti derby, challenge their building abilities for an epic egg-drop competitionm and work as a group during their final design challenge!
Wednesdays from 12:30–2:30 p.m.
April 2 to May 21 (No class on April 23)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$290 • Register here
Students enjoy lunch and recess with Susan before the workshop (12:30–1:30 p.m.).
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
At its core, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a game of collaborative storytelling. Players will each take on the role of a unique character in a fantasy story and will need to work together to uncover treasure, solve puzzles, and accomplish their goals. Ongoing journeys are led by a highly creative Game Master/Dungeon Master (GM/DM). What path students choose is up to them, but know that the D&D world is full of challenges, danger and adventure!
Locations: CHM-15 (6–8) or 4–5 classroom in the Lower School (4–5)
Instructors: Cora Curtis, Hal Burman, Riss Bickford, and Upper School mentor Asa Adams
4–5 Dungeons & Dragons
Tuesdays from 3:30–4:45 p.m.
April 1 to May 20 (No class on April 22)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$240 • Register here
4–5 Dungeons & Dragons
Fridays from 3:30–4:45 p.m.
April 4 to May 30 (No class on April 25 and May 9)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$240 • Register here
6–8 Dungeons & Dragons
Thursdays from 3:30–4:45 p.m.
April 3 to May 22 (No class on April 24)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$240 • Register here
CIRCUS ARTS with Maine Youth Circus
Embark on an exciting journey of learning, creativity, and exploration within the captivating world of the circus. Maine Youth Circus is ready to guide students through exhilarating circus techniques, nurture their artistic spark, and unlock new realms of self-expression! Students will discover the thrill of acrobatics, master the art of juggling, and delve into a diverse range of circus disciplines.
Location: Sills Gym
Instructors: Michael Trautman and Janoah Bailin from Maine Youth Circus
2–5 Circus Arts
Wednesdays from 12:15–1:45 p.m.
April 2 to May 28 (No class on April 23 and May 7)
Spring session: 7 weeks
$290 • Register here
Students enjoy lunch before the workshop (12:20–12:45 p.m.).
REGISTER HERE
Additional Information:
- Parent pickup location for all workshop attendees: Thomas House Loop unless otherwise noted.
- Workshop start and end dates are noted below.
- All students must be registered to attend an Enrichment workshop.
- Payment in full is required at the time of registration.
- Workshops are open to all students from the greater Portland area.
- Workshops are offered in three seasons: fall, winter, and spring.
- Dance is offered in half-year sessions.
- If a workshop is canceled due to low enrollment, we will notify registered families one week before the first class.
Discount code: Full-time Waynflete Extended Day students receive a 25 percent discount on the price of Enrichment workshops. Use the code “FTED” at checkout.
Questions? Suggestions for new workshops? Email the Auxiliary Programs office at or call 207.774.7863, ext. 1379.
