Choosing the right genealogy software can save time, reduce frustration, and keep your research organized—but with so many options, it can be difficult to know where to start. This session provides a practical framework for evaluating software, including key decisions such as online websites vs. desktop programs and free vs. subscription tools. We’ll review popular platforms like FamilySearch, Ancestry, and Family Tree Maker, and discuss how features like source citations, media management, syncing, and reporting support different research workflows. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of their options and the confidence to choose software that fits their goals and long-term research needs.

This time of year, is an ideal time to reset your home and create spaces that better support the way you live. Whether you're managing a busy household, navigating a life transition, or simply ready to simplify, the challenges of clutter can look different in every season of life. This workshop offers practical, approachable strategies to help you declutter with purpose, create more functional spaces, and build systems that feel easier to maintain.

Save money on your car insurance premiums and become a better driver! Minnesota law requires insurance companies to offer you a 10% reduction for three years if you complete this National Safety Council's Defensive Driving course. The course is one session of classroom instruction - no driving or test is required. You will receive a certificate of completion to provide to your insurance company. Attendance is required to receive your certificate. Bring your driver's license with you to class. The instructor is certified through the MN Safety Council. This class is for both new and returning students. Online classes will take place on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You will need to pick up your materials at the Community Ed office at 17340 County Rd 6, Plymouth, MN 55447 a few days prior to class (wait to pick up until you are notified). You will receive more information by email. If you are unable to pick up the materials call our office for other options.

Save money on your car insurance premiums and become a better driver! Minnesota law requires insurance companies to offer you a 10% reduction for three years if you complete this National Safety Council's Defensive Driving course. The course is one session of classroom instruction - no driving or test is required. You will receive a certificate of completion to provide to your insurance company. Attendance is required to receive your certificate. Bring your driver's license with you to class. The instructor is certified through the MN Safety Council. This class is for both new and returning students. Online classes will take place on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You will need to pick up your materials at the Community Ed office at 17340 County Rd 6, Plymouth, MN 55447 a few days prior to class (wait to pick up until you are notified). You will receive more information by email. If you are unable to pick up the materials call our office for other options.

In what could be the most enlightening webinar you’ve ever taken, our instructor and professional voice coach will show you how you can actually begin using your speaking voice for commercials, films, videos, and more. Most people go about it the wrong way. In this introductory class, you will learn about a unique, outside the box way to break into this creative, fulfilling, and potentially lucrative industry. Voice-overs can be managed on your own terms, on your own turf, in your own time, and with minimal overhead! Whether you choose to pursue voice-overs part-time or full-time, this could be the game changer you’ve been looking for. In addition to online instruction, you will be given the opportunity to book a 1-on-1 script read and voice evaluation via telephone with your instructor for the following day. This class will be presented via Zoom.

Ancestry.com is one of the most powerful genealogical tools we have – but it can be very intimidating. If you have been wanting to jump in but are not sure where to start, this is the class for you! I will explain how to get started, how to search for records and handle hints, what NOT to do when you find a match in someone else’s tree, what privacy settings to use, how to incorporate DNA test results, and how to use offline software like Family Tree Maker to keep your data safe. Enroll now to get a jump start on your research. I wish someone had given me these tips back when I started – maybe I wouldn’t have had to start my tree over from scratch! You can leapfrog those blunders and build a strong, interesting tree that will be a resource for generations to come. Your family history will be safe and sound. Optional: bring a laptop to follow along live. Youth ages 15-17 may register and attend with a registered adult.

Are you interested in building a powerful family tree but not ready to invest in any software or subscriptions? FamilySearch.org is an amazing free resource often overlooked next to giants like Ancestry.com. It is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve important family records and make them freely accessibly online. They go all over the world to scan documents from even the tiniest village churches, and connect researchers working on the same family lines. I will help you understand how to use the different parts of the site, how to add your personal branch to their enormous collaborative tree, how to find and save records, how to use non-indexed resources, and how to take advantage of their powerful wiki instructional pages. Sign up now to make use of this remarkable resource. Too many people think they have to spend hundreds of dollars to piece together their heritage, and they end up doing nothing. With FamilySearch, you can stand on the shoulders of researchers before you, enjoying the fruits of their labor and contributing your own as we all work on “a family tree for the human family”. Youth ages 15-17 may register and attend with a registered adult.

Making decisions can feel overwhelming in our fast-paced world. This interactive class offers practical tools to help you slow down, gain clarity, and make loving choices that feel grounded and aligned with your values. Through guided reflection, simple body-based practices and real-life examples, participants will learn how to move beyond fear and scarcity thinking and approach decisions with greater confidence and care, creating an inspired life in the process.

Curious about your family tree, but not sure where to start? We are lucky to have hundreds of amazing resources available, but it can feel overwhelming to just dive in. I will hold your hand and get you started down the right path. We will go over what you need you get started, software to use, where to find records, how to keep track of everything, and how DNA testing fits in. You won’t need any special tools or software for this beginner’s class. I will be introducing concepts that can be applied wherever you end up doing your research. Enroll now to save yourself years of wasted work! There are so many things I wish I had known when I began. I don’t want you to learn them the hard way, too! We will go over everything you need to build a tree with strong roots so that someday, you can sit down with your grandkids and tell them your story. Please note the class date of Wednesday, September 9 (please disregard the date originally listed in our catalog).Note class location: Ridgedale YMCA, 12301 Ridgedale Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55305 (class participants do not need to be a member of the YMCA)

Taught by certified Safe Sitter® Instructors, you will learn how to provide the best and safest care for your grandchildren or other young children in your life. You will also learn the latest information on how to safely care for infants and children and how to manage the behavior of children of all ages, in addition to life-saving skills such as choking rescue, first aid, and injury management. Learning tips on creating a good relationship from the start as well as learning to say no to every request to babysit will help grandparents and other caregivers enhance their relationship with their children and create lasting memories with their grandchildren. Grandparents: Getting Started is a program of Safe Sitter® that is medically accurate and contains the most up-to-date information on child care skills. Course content includes: Child Development Child Care Duties Behavior Management Injury Prevention First Aid Choking Child and Infant Rescue Child and Infant CPR Communication and Expectations This class will take place within the Early Learning School building attached to Oakwood Elementary. Bring your drivers license or other state issued ID to sign in at the front desk.

Growing up can be exciting, confusing and scary - all at once! Join educators from myHealth for Teens & Young Adults for a fun, informative workshop that will take some of the mystery out of puberty. Prepare to laugh, question, learn, and grow - TOGETHER! Kids ages 8-12 and their caregiver will engage in fun and thought-provoking activities to help them learn all about puberty including what is normal (and amazing!) about growing up, how to have great communication, and maintaining family bonds.When registering, please register under the caregiver's name.

The Heartsaver CPR AED course trains participants to give CPR, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a safe, timely, and effective manner. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC). The AHA Heartsaver CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory, or other requirements. Registration includes a certification card and CPR/First Aid Manual. This course takes place within the Wayzata Early Learning School at 17340 County Rd 6, Plymouth, MN 55447.

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity and enjoy working with children? Join us to learn about the Wayzata Public Schools' Elementary Literacy Volunteer program and if it is a good fit for you! Literacy volunteers read one-on-one with students for 20-30 minutes once a week, during the school day throughout the school year. There will be a short presentation followed by plenty of time for questions. By attending this informational presentation you are not committing to volunteer. The online session will take place on Zoom. If you are interested in learning more but unable to attend either session, contact Julie at 763-745-5207 or Julie.Menk@wayzataschools.org. More information can also be found on our website.

Even with the best of intentions, most people struggle to find the right words or deeds to support those they're close to who are grieving a loss. Feeling uncomfortable, or fearing they'll make the person feel worse, they simply do nothing - which adds a sense of abandonment to the grief and leaves the griever struggling even more. This workshop will help people be more comfortable and better able to support the grievers they care about. It is intended for friends, family, or community members who want to learn how to support children, young adults, or adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. This workshop will: Provide an understanding of what grief is and how it manifests. Introduce meaningful steps for supporting someone who is grieving Inform as to what to say and what to avoid, and suggest actions that are truly helpful. Youth ages 12-17 may register and attend with a registered adult.

This non-certification course will cover infant and pediatric CPR for parents and caregivers, following the Heartsaver® curriculum from the American Heart Association. You will learn how to respond to an infant or child who is choking, how to perform CPR, and steps to follow during an emergency. This class is designed for parents and other caregivers and is sponsored by Wayzata Community Ed.

Kindred Circles is a small, facilitated conversation group designed for women in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are seeking deeper connection and meaningful dialogue. Each circle brings together a small group of participants for guided discussions around topics such as life transitions, friendships, identity, and personal growth in a warm and respectful setting. The goal is to create a space where participants can reflect, share perspectives, and build genuine connection with others navigating similar stages of life. The program is secular, structured, and focused on thoughtful conversation rather than therapy.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers will learn and practice applying Dr. Hoy's research-based mental fitness framework that they can use as an ongoing reference point with children to help them succeed in school and life. This course was developed to assist parents and caregivers in getting ahead of the mental health crisis that tweens, teens, and young adults are experiencing. Module one: Introductions and a brief overview of the current state of our children’s mental health. Introduction to foundational skills and their relationship to mental fitness. Strategies to help kids learn and practice healthy nutrition habits, physical activity, sleep, time, and money management. Module two: Introduction to emotional intelligence (EQ) skills and their relationship to high performance in school and life (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, managing social lives, empathy, and motivation). Learn how to assess your child’s needs along with Dr. Hoy’s mental fitness framework. Practice motivational and goal-setting techniques with children. This program is made possible through funding by the Partners for Healthy Kids grant and the Wayzata Public Schools District Liaison Committee. Each registration includes a copy of David Hoy's book, Mental Fitness for Tweens and Teens: Coach Your Child to Thrive. Limited spots available - please only register if you can commit to attending both sessions.

Your child’s development is both dazzling and puzzling. You love them dearly, and it’s been really hard. The “standard” approaches have not worked. You may find yourself overwhelmed, angry, or worried. Join local practice owner and national expert, Dr. Megan Helmen for an overview of ADHD. Gain practical strategies through relatable examples and actionable guidance. Each session is designed to foster a better understanding of your child, which informs effective supports and allows for more compassion.

Your child’s development is both dazzling and puzzling. You love them dearly, and it’s been really hard. The “standard” approaches have not worked. You may find yourself overwhelmed, angry, or worried. Join local practice owner and national expert, Dr. Megan Helmen for an overview of autism. Gain practical strategies through relatable examples and actionable guidance. Each session is designed to foster a better understanding of your child, which informs effective supports and allows for more compassion.

Your child’s development is both dazzling and puzzling. You love them dearly, and it’s been really hard. The “standard” approaches have not worked. You may find yourself overwhelmed, angry, or worried. Join local practice owner and national expert, Dr. Megan Helmen for an overview of giftedness/twice exceptionality (gifted + has a disability). Gain practical strategies through relatable examples and actionable guidance. Each session is designed to foster a better understanding of your child, which informs effective supports and allows for more compassion.