Darby Adult Ed calendar is up

I have contributed numerous classes to the community, most through the Darby Adult Education program in southwestern Montana. An interesting array of people share their skills and passions with others in this nice little community.

This Spring Semester is no exception. We have many nice choices in front of us for new experiences, knowledge, training, friendships and fun.

I am bringing my first-level Amateur Radio class back by popular demand. I must be nearing 50 people I have helped earn their FCC Technician or General Class licenses.

My guarantee: If you attend every class and study a few hours a week, you will pass the FCC Technician Exam at the end regardless of your technical background or lack thereof.

I have evolved my HAM class to include two follow-up sessions in the weeks after testing. At the first each student gets the radio I programmed for them and an introduction to its operation. The next Saturday we practice with our radios and using our new FCC-licensed transmission privileges.

The link to the Darby Adult Ed website where you can sign up for classes online:

Darby Adult Ed

Spring 2020 Course Calendar

We are excited to announce our Course Calendar! Please read below for course descriptions.

Course Registration Deadline is Friday January 10th. Course prices are $2/hour and $1/hour for seniors, to be paid to the Darby School District. Some classes include additional Material Fees, which are to be paid to the instructor. Contact Dawn Ringer at adultedu@darby.k12.mt.us if you have any questions.

Here is our Spring lineup:

Health and Wellness

Walking the West Fork

Instructor: Alice Greenlee. Alice has 33 years experience as a High School Biology teacher.

Mondays 10:30 am – 11:30 am

March 23rd – June 22nd

Location: Various FS Roads, you will be provided weekly instructions

$28/$14 (60+)

We will walk the dirt roads from Painted Rocks to Chaffin Creek. You will receive an email each week letting you know the meeting point for that particular week. We will provide exercise and companionship, where you can walk at own pace and always have someone to walk with. Our first meeting will be at the corner of Levens Road and the West Fork Road, across from the Conner Cut Off.

Fitness Walking

Instructor: Lisa Poe. Lisa has hiked and biked the Bitterroots for the last 27 years. When she is not at her job she is outside enjoying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Most days of the year she is walking with her k-9 companion.

Wednesdays 3:30 pm – 5:30pm

Mar 18th – May 13th (no class April 1st)

Location: Various Local FS Roads from Lost Horse to Lost Trail

$32/$16 (60+)

This class is similar to the popular Darby Adult Ed Class Walking the West Fork. In this advanced class we will walk up to two hours and go a little deeper into the forest for some steeper climbs. The walks will be on various local FS roads. You will receive an email each week letting you know the meeting point for that particular week. Please wear comfortable shoes, proper clothing for all kinds of weather, maybe a small pack to carry gear, trekking poles (optional) and water.

Total Body Strength on the Ball

Instructor: Heidi Kaminski. Heidi has Masters degrees in exercise physiology and nutrition. She is a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor.

Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Feb 4th – April 30th (no classes week of Feb 25th)

Location: Darby Clubhouse, 106 N Main Street

$48/$24 (60+)

Get in shape with this total body strength workout! We will use exercise bands and Swiss balls to work core strength, balance, flexibility, and head to toe strength. Be ready to sweat!

Bring your own ball and mat. Bands will be provided

Pilates

Instructor: Heidi Kaminski. Heidi has Masters degrees in exercise physiology and nutrition. She is a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor.

Wednesdays 4:00pm -5:00pm

February 5th – April 29th (no class Feb 26th)

Location: Darby Clubhouse, 106 N Main Street

$24/$12(60+)

This class follows the classical Pilates format. We will work on core strength, flexibility, balance and breathing. Whether you have never done Pilates and want to try it out or have been doing Pilates for years and want to deepen your practice, this is a great class for all. Students must provide their own mat.

Yoga for Men Only

Instructor: Wendy Davis. Wendy has over 30 years experience teaching and training individuals and groups. She holds certifications in personal training, group fitness, Pilates, Yoga, and cycle coaching.

Monday and Thursdays 5:00 pm – 5:45pm

January 20th – March 26thth

Location: Wendy Davis Training Studio, 115 N Main Street, Darby

$30/$15 (60+)

Maximum Students: 15

Materials: If you have your own mat, bolster, block or strap, please bring them. Otherwise they will be provided.

Although we can all suffer from poor flexibility in some areas, men tend to experience tightness in the lower back, hamstrings and chest. This class will address those areas and others men find especially challenging. The class will consist of basic poses making it available to beginners as well as advanced practitioners.

Pilates on the Ball

Instructor: Wendy Davis. Wendy has over 30 years experience teaching and training individuals and groups. She holds certifications in personal training, group fitness, Pilates, Yoga, and cycle coaching.

Wednesdays 4:30pm – 5:30 pm

January 15th – February 5thth

Location: Wendy Davis Training Studio, 115 N Main Street, Darby

$8/$4 (60+)

Maximum Students: 15

Materials: A 55 cm Stability Ball

A unique and challenging method of exercise that combines the use of the stability ball with classic Pilates exercises.

Cross Country Ski Group

Instructor: Lisa Poe. Lisa has hiked and biked the Bitterroots for the last 27 years. When she is not at her job she is outside enjoying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Most days of the year she is walking with her k-9 companion.

Wednesdays 3:30-5:30pm

Feb 5th – Feb 26th

Location: Various local locations from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass

$16/$8 (60+)

We will meet in various locations from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass depending on snow conditions. This will be a self paced out and back ski and is for experienced cross county skiers who have their own gear. You will receive an email each week letting you know the meeting point for that week.

Snow Shoe Group

Instructor: Lisa Poe Lisa has hiked and biked the Bitterroots for the last 27 years. When she is not at her job she is outside enjoying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Most days of the year she is walking with her k-9 companion.

Fridays 3:30-5:30 pm

Feb 7th – Feb 28th

Location: Various local locations from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass

$16/$8 (60+)

We will meet in various locations from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass depending on snow conditions. This will be a self-paced out and back snow shoe and is for experienced snow shoe-ers who have their own equipment. You will receive an email each week letting you know the meeting point for that week.

Mountain Biking Group

Instructor: Lisa Poe. Lisa has hiked and biked the Bitterroots for the last 26 years. When she is not at her job she is outside enjoying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Most days of the year she is walking with her k-9 companion.

Fridays 3:30-5:30pm

April 24th – May 15th

Location: Various local locations from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass

$16/$8 (60+)

We will mountain bike on various forest service roads (no single track) from Lost Horse to Lost Trail Pass. This will be a self-paced, non-technical, out and back ride and is for experienced riders who have their own equipment. You will receive an email each week letting you know the meeting point for that week.

Arts/Crafts/Special Interest

Learning to Weld

Instructor: Max Fiedler. Max has been trained in MIG, ARC, and TIG welding and teach these welding practices daily at the high school level in Darby. Max has over 10 years of welding and metal working experience both in school and privately. The school welding shop where the class will take place is equipped with top of the line Miller Welders and metal working equipment.

Wednesdays 6:00-8:00pm

January 15th to Mar 11th

$36/$18 (60+) Class will be capped at 8 students.

Location: Darby High School Welding Shop (Across from Baseball Fields)

Material Fee: (paid to instructor) $20 Covers Practice Steel, Gas, Consumables

Materials: Safety glasses and ear plugs recommended though I do have some available. All other safety gear provided.

This course will teach the basics of MIG (wire feed) and ARC (stick) welding. Students will learn proper set up, safety, equipment, technique, and best practices for welding mild steel. As part of this course, students will create a project to take home. Students may have the opportunity to work on individual projects though must provide their own materials for such projects.

The Mystery of Lost Trail Pass

Instructor: Ted Hall. Ted Hall, author of the overland trail portion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition book, THE TRAIL BETWEEN THE RIVERS and also the only book on the ascent and descent into Montana on those 1805 days, titled LOST PASS 1805, will lead the hikes.

Classroom: Thursday May 28th 6:00pm-8:00pm

Field Trip dates: “In the footsteps of Lewis and Clark” Hike 9:00am to 2:30 (Pick one) June 6th, June 17th, June 27th, July 4th, July 15th, July 25th, or Sept 4th

Location: Class: Darby High School Classroom 108, 209 School Drive

Field Trip: Meet at Lost Trail Hot Springs at 9:00 am date of field trip.

$12/$6 (60+)

The Lewis and Clark expedition passed over the “Dividing Ridge” from Idaho into Montana just south of Darby, Montana on their westward trek to the Pacific Ocean on September 3rd and 4th, 1805. The Corps of Discovery ascended to near the Dividing Ridge on September 3rd and then completed the ascent and descended into the Sula Basin of Montana on September 4th, 1805.

The Lewis and Clark class will explore both the September 3rd ascent and the September 4th descent.

Lost Pass 1805 also identifies a Ponderosa Pine that was the age of Sacajawea “The Teenager” as the Corps descended Camp Creek Ridge on September 4th, 1805. This large Timber thicket is recorded in both Whitehouse and Ordway Journals. Ted really wants you to understand the importance of this living monument to the Lewis and Clark Expedition that is right in our backyard. You will be challenged to hug a “Witness Tree” along the route that is actually certified by the USFS.

ArtVentures 5.0

Instructor: Deborah Rogala. Deborah has been a lifelong art venturer – as a working artist, gallery owner, art instructor and world traveler with a focus on arts and culture.

Material Fee: Fee for tour and or performance, nominal. (To be paid to instructor)

$80/$40 (60+)

A collection of cultural outings to Missoula, including:
January 30, U of M Art Walk, 1-9 pm
February 23, String Orchestra of the Rockies, 4-11 pm
March 10, Metropolitan Opera at the Roxy, 3:30-11:30 pm
April 30, U of M Dance Showcase, 4-11 pm
May 9, Garden of the 1000 Buddhas & St. Ignatius Mission, 10-5 pm

Outings typically last for 8 hours, including bus ride. Participants responsible for meals (approx. $25 per trip). Transportation provided. You will receive an email with instructions before each outing.

Mud Made Mankind

Instructor: Sean Bryers. Sean is a contemporary artists and art teacher working at Darby High School. This is his 5th year as the Darby JH and HS Art Teacher. Sean graduated from the University of Montana in 2012 and has experience with drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and 3-D sculpture.

Wednesdays 5:00pm -7:00pm

February 5th to March 4th

Location: Darby High School Art Room (near baseball fields)

$20/$10 (60+)

Material Fee: $20 (paid to instructor)

Transform clay into pieces of art that make you smile. We will make cups, bowls, plates, sculptures, vases, planters, and anything you can think of. Bring your ideas, your patience, and your skills and I will help you build something spectacular.

Bitterroot Wildflower Field Trip/Walk

Instructor: Blaine Furniss. Blaine is a retired Professor of Botany. He worked for 38 years at BYU

Saturday June 6th

9:00am to 12:00pm

Location: Tin Cup Trailhead, meet at 9:00 am.

$6/$3 (60+)

Come join us for a Spring hike to identify the flowers in the Bitterroot. This will be a walking field trip starting at the Tin Cup Trailhead to identify spring flowers in the Bitterroot.

Become a Licensed HAM Radio Operator

Instructor: Ted Dunlap

Saturdays 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Feb 1st – April 18th (April 4th is FCC license testing session – not a class)

Location: Darby Public Library, 101 South Marshall Street

$44/$22(60+)

Material Fee: $30 ARRL Technician Manual (to be paid to instructor)

Handy in many situations, radio communications can be life saving when phones are down or out of reach. Ham radios start where walkie-talkies leave off, with licensed radio operators communicating around the corner, throughout the Bitterroot, and around the world.

No electronics background or other prerequisites are needed to complete this course of study and pass the FCC exam to become an amateur radio technician-class operator. This 12-week class will develop the basic level understanding of the ham radio world, and enable you to become part of it.

Financial Peace University

Class Moderator: Dawn Ringer

Mondays 6:00-8:00pm

March 2nd to April 27th

Location: Darby Schools, location TBD

$36/$18 (60+)

Material Fee: 99.00 (per family) which is a family membership, it includes your workbook and a one year Financial Peace membership. The membership will give you access to a Budget App, access to Coaches for tough questions, tools that work the plan, Additional Courses, and Livestreams

Are you ready to take control of your money? Financial Peace University (FPU) is a nine-lesson course designed to help you build a budget, dump debt, grow your wealth, and leave money stress behind! Each lesson, taught by Dave Ramsey and his team of financial experts, is based on biblical wisdom and common sense.

Financial Peace University includes nine video lessons featuring Dave Ramsey, Rachel Cruze, and Chris Hogan. Follow along in your workbook as they teach you:

· Lesson 1: Build a Starter Emergency Fund and Learn How to Budget

· Lesson 2: Pay Off All Debt

· Lesson 3: Save a Fully Funded Emergency Fund

· Lesson 4: Invest for the Future and Build Wealth

· Lesson 5: Buyer Beware

· Lesson 6: The Role of Insurance

· Lesson 7: Retirement Planning

· Lesson 8: Real Estate and Mortgages

· Lesson 9: Living and Giving Like No One Else

Beginner ASL Class (American Sign Language)

Instructor: Jennifer Hall. Jennifer is a Darby resident who is deaf and an ASL instructor.

Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 7:00pm

January 29th – April 29th

Location: Darby High School Classroom 108, 209 School Drive

$28/$14(60+) Class will be capped at 10 students

Material Fee: None, Instructor will suggest books if students want to purchase.

Have you always wanted to learn American Sign Language (ASL)? This course will introduce you to ASL at a beginner level. Here’s your chance to learn a new language through full immersion experience with a deaf instructor.

Dawn Ringer
Darby Adult Education Director
Darby Public Schools
209 School Drive
Darby, MT 59829
Tel: (406) 821-1306
adultedu@darby.k12.mt.us