Aug. 8—The new cosmetology school in the former Blossom Basket shop space at 2522 Village Green Place, C is licensed and ready to roll, co-owner Rod Sickler said.

The first students will begin classes there Monday, he said.

The owner of Rod Sickler Salon & Spa next door to the new school, Sickler said the school is opening with cosmetology and nail design programs, and will be ready to add a barber program in four-to-six weeks.

The new school, called Royal School by ID Hair, is being opened in partnership with Chandra and Raymond Niemerg, owners of the Royal School of Cosmetology, Effingham.

Sickler said the 2,000-square-foot space in Champaign, designed by Chandra Niemerg, has a modern decor with some antiques giving it a retro feel.

Metaphysical shop in Danville

Three Crows Emporium, a new shop at 3805 N. Vermilion St., Danville, has merchandise focused on metaphysical health and well being.

A soft opening began this past Wednesday, and a grand opening is set for Aug. 13, according to owner Maxx Lesick.

Three Crows Emporium carries such things as unique stones and crystals, stone bracelets, metaphysical gift items, handcrafted items, local and specialized jewelry pieces, statues, herbal mixtures, incense, oils, household items and works by local artists.

Lesick said he has been a part of metaphysical and Pagan communities since birth, and is the son of a high priestess in Paganism.

Relocated to this area from Florida, Lesick said he was previously working as a Tarot card reader and spiritual advisor, and he'll be available on weekends for Tarot card readings. Along with Tarot, he said his expertise is in runes and lithomancy readings.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Back to work

If you've taken an extended career break and would like to ease back into the workforce, here's a program designed to help.

Carle Health has brought back its Returnship program that was offered for the first time in 2019, then on hold until now due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a 10-week paid program. Selected participants will be paid $25 an hour for 30 hours a week — with four days a week working in a specific department and one day a week spent in training in skill-building, professional development and how to get back to the workforce.

The program will run from Sept. 12 to Nov. 18, and the deadline to apply is Aug. 15.

Paige Parker, workforce development program leader at Carle, said this program isn't just for previous Carle employees but for anyone who wants to get back into the workforce after an extended break, for example, to raise children.

While the program isn't limited to any one field, she said, most of the positions are in office settings.

Carle is looking for applicants with five-to-seven years experience in their fields before taking an extended break, and while bachelor's degrees are preferred, they're not required, Parker said.

In most of the job opportunities in this program, people will be given opportunities to lead specific projects, so candidates should have good communication skills and be self-motivated, she said.

After the 2019 Returnship program, two of the participants were hired by Carle and are now making their careers there, Parker said.

To apply: https://bit.ly/3zviJu7

Private school expanding

Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana has leased additional classroom space to accommodate enrollment growth.

The private school at 1403 Regency Drive East, Savoy, is moving its lower elementary program for students ages 6-9 into part of the Christine Rich Studio Dance Academy building at 1402 Regency Drive West, according to Brekke Day, lead lower elementary director.

The school has leased one dance studio and lobby area in the other building for new classroom space, she said. The dance academy remains open.

"Our program has grown pretty drastically in numbers in the past few years, and we were in need of a bigger space," Day said.

For the upcoming school year starting Aug. 15, enrollment of first-through-sixth graders is 60, compared to the low 20s in 2016, Day said.

Montessori education is focused on the needs of individual children, "so kids move at their own pace through the program," she said.

Students are taught time management and organizational skills and instruction is done in small groups, Day said.

Teachers build close bonds with the students and their families, she said. And since classrooms are a mixed-age environment, she said, older students help guide younger students — which benefits both the younger students and helps build empathy in older students.

Some of the Montessori School's growth came earlier in the pandemic, when the school was able to remain open for in-person instruction and switched to remote learning only if there was a positive case of COVID-19, Day said.

Parents who are interested in Montessori can call for a tour anytime, Day said. The enrollment process for the 2023-2024 school year will get underway in October, she said.