Arlington Community Education

Feeling like AI is moving faster than you can keep up? You’re not alone—and you’re not too late. Get comfortable using today’s top tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini through guided instruction and plenty of in-class practice. Learn how to make AI work for and with you, and walk away with skills you can use right away for everyday tasks—organizing, writing, meal planning, and more. Discover how to ask AI the right questions and apply its power to work, volunteering, and daily life. It’s like having a genius personal assistant in your pocket. No tech experience required. Bring your curiosity and your laptop or smartphone. Please note: This class is hands-on; bring your laptop or smartphone to class. You must install ChatGPT on your device before coming to class. Instructions can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u5od2FiGdVNnZnRUTNxDgTuKGnZt5rtKQa0A8hr_4GI/edit?usp=sharing If you have trouble, come to class 15 mins early and we will help you.

Thinking about cutting the cable? With so many ways to watch TV today—traditional cable, over-the-air, streaming services, and live internet TV—how do you choose? Explore the pros and cons of each option and find out whether your TV is smart enough or if you’ll need additional hardware to make the switch.

With both humor and knowledge, two local attorneys and estate planning specialists will address the fundamentals of estate planning. Essentials: We all have assets that will pass to loved ones at the time of our death. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy—or the old. We will start with incapacity planning (appointing someone you trust to manage your finances and health care decision-making if you cannot) and explain the health care proxy, advance directive, and power of attorney. Learn how to keep your assets out of probate court, with its costs and delays. We will demystify trusts: explaining what they are, how they work, and how they protect assets, reduce taxes, and simplify administration. Then we’ll unpack the new Massachusetts estate tax law and show you how to reduce the “death tax,” often by as much as $150,000 to $300,000. Advanced Concepts: This class builds on the foundational concepts covered in Estate Planning Essentials. We will take a deeper dive into incapacity planning with real-life stories from the trenches. We then tackle your possessions and what to do with your social media accounts. Take a deeper dive into tax planning and charitable giving. Explore the difference between a revocable and irrevocable trust, as well as problems with trusts and how to avoid them. We close with thoughtful gifting ideas to make a difference in the lives of loved ones. Prepare for Long-Term Care: This class builds on the foundational concepts of Estate Planning Essentials. As we get older, many of us wrestle with important questions: Do I want to age in my current home or move to a new living environment? What will my health needs require? What can I afford? What resources are available to me to help accomplish these goals? This class will focus on leveraging both human and financial resources to provide for your best possible life and care. Learn about various long-term care strategies and the pros and cons of each. We will discuss reliance on family members for care needs, reverse mortgages, long-term care insurance, public benefits through MassHealth, various estate planning techniques (using wills, trusts, and lifetime gifting), protecting assets for children and other heirs, and pulling together a team of advisors to help you navigate your long-term care goals.

Generative artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, communicate, and create—but what exactly is this fast-changing technology, and how does it really work? Get a high-level look at tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Sora, and newer agentic AI tools that can pursue goals, make decisions, and carry out tasks with minimal input. With up-to-the-minute examples that reflect the evolving landscape, we’ll demystify the technology, explore how it works in broad strokes, and discuss its capabilities, limits, and implications for the future of work, creativity, and society. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or just trying to keep up, this lecture-style class will help you understand what generative AI is and what it means for the world around us.

Are you confident in your current financial situation? The ins and outs of personal finance aren’t something we’re typically taught, yet they are crucial for securing a successful tomorrow while allowing us to still enjoy today. Get organized so you can feel confident about your financial future. We’ll consider topics such as affording a new home or renovation, planning for your children’s college education, making sure your insurance policies are adequate, and securing a successful retirement. Get a comprehensive view of your financial picture and feel in control of where your money goes, rather than wondering where it went.

The economic and investment landscape has changed significantly in recent years, and many near retirement need to understand how to prepare for the future with less risk and volatility. Positioning assets properly creates confidence as people transition into retirement. We will explore strategies for developing a hierarchy of spending and investing, aiming for better outcomes regardless of market performance. Learn how to manage your 401(k), 403(b), and pension as retirement approaches, and what to consider with target date funds. Discover why investment strategies must change in retirement, when a Roth IRA makes sense, the truth behind annuities, common retirement pitfalls, and alternatives to protect your nest egg from long-term care costs. While this class is essential for those nearing retirement, applying these strategies sooner can improve both retirement outcomes and overall financial health.

Google Drive is Google’s free alternative to Microsoft Office. There is no software to install, and you can access the Drive apps and your files from any Internet-connected computer or mobile device. We’ll explore Drive as a file storage option and learn how to create, edit, and upload Office and other files. The focus will be on word processing (Docs), spreadsheets (Sheets), and presentation (Slides) apps. You’ll see how easy it is to share files with others and use it seamlessly on both computers and mobile devices. Note: To use Google Drive you must have a Google account. (Gmail users already have a one.)

If your goal is to help your child get into a right-fit college and receive merit aid, this session will guide you through the process. You’ll gain 7 practical insights from real-world admissions outcomes, learn how to approach college financing conversations with your child, and explore valuable tools for building a thoughtful college application list, complete with current data from the schools themselves. Designed for parents, with or without their student.

Date change from print catalog: Class starts 10/8, no class 10/22. Digital marketing is essential for any business or organization looking to grow its reach and impact. Build a strong foundation in key strategies and best practices, including search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), the customer journey, writing for digital platforms, email and social media marketing, marketing analytics, usability testing, and conversion rate optimization. Put these tools into action by creating a marketing plan tailored to your own business or organization. Plan to spend 1–2 hours per week outside of class on assignments. The course will include a one-on-one meeting with Betsy the week of 10/20, to discuss your marketing plan goal and strategies.

Learn the basics of using Excel, a powerful spreadsheet software developed by Microsoft that is used to perform calculations, data analysis, and data visualization. This introductory course will cover entering data, using formulas, formatting, modifying, and editing worksheets. Engage in hands-on projects such as creating budgeting spreadsheets to track income and expenses for both work and home.

Making the right choices about how and when to access your Social Security benefits is more important than ever amid market volatility and unexpected losses. Learn how to maximize this key piece of the retirement puzzle and integrate it into your overall strategy. Topics include the current state of Social Security, benefit timing, spousal and divorcee options, buy-back and tax reduction strategies, and coordination with state and federal retirement plans. This class also covers recent benefit changes, special considerations for the self-employed, and new rules for municipal, state, and federal employees. This is particularly relevant given the Social Security Fairness Act, implemented in January 2025, that removed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).

Get one-on-one help with your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows computer. Focus on a specific software application (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, email, Facebook, etc.) or receive more general assistance, such as how to organize and find your files, delete unneeded items, and more. Please call, 781-316-3568, or email the ACE office, communityed@arlington.k12.ma.us, to learn more and register for a two-hour in-person or online

Whether you’re delivering a formal presentation, leading a team meeting, or simply want to gain confidence in presenting your ideas clearly and concisely to friends and colleagues, the best way to get more comfortable with public speaking is to practice. You’ll have several opportunities in class to present speeches (both impromptu and prepared), and we’ll discuss the use of body language and voice quality, speech organization, and the best methods to create excitement and curiosity among your listeners. The goal in public speaking is not to deliver a speech like everyone else, but rather to deliver it in your specific and unique style.

Take stock picking and ETF selection to the next level by thinking like a venture capitalist “shark” investor. Discover why most professional money managers underperform the market and develop strategies to avoid similar mistakes. Unpack the top dos and don’ts, such as why to avoid margin, technical analysis, options, meme stocks, and day trading. Then, learn to identify disruptors, “toll roads,” category killers, and companies with economic moats. You’ll also master key balance sheet and income statement items and uncover how to find market-beating ETFs. Please note: The instructor's recently published book "The Shark Investor: How To Apply Shark Tank Principles To Getting Rich In The Stock Market" is an optional add-on. Please select when registering and the instructor will bring a copy.

Led by a state-certified Medicare benefits counseling professional, this class is designed for those who are either new to Medicare, planning for retirement, or caring for elders who need insurance information. Learn how the four parts of Medicare work together to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage; where, when, and how to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B; how to avoid late enrollment penalties; and find the best supplement plans available using the Medicare Plan Finder tool. Receive a SHINE kit with information about Medicare and other health care plan options for Massachusetts residents.

If you’re planning to use your iPad or iPhone to replace your computer, you will likely find that you need to have a word processing app to create and edit documents. There are many options available, including both free and paid apps. We’ll compare the capabilities of the industry leaders, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Apple’s Pages, to find the best fit for you. Learn how to use these versatile word processors on both your iPad and your iPhone. Please note: Bring your fully charged device to class.

Explore how to use your iPhone and/or iPad to its fullest potential and get better organized and efficient. Managing your mail, contacts, and calendars is fundamental to using your devices. We will review the many features of these three apps and reveal handy tips and tricks to help you become a power user. Please note: Bring your fully charged device to class.

Your iPhone or iPad can do so much more than you might realize—if you know where to look. Uncover the settings that let you customize your device to fit your needs, from adjusting font sizes and ringtones to fine-tuning privacy settings, notifications, and battery-saving features. Whether you want to boost security, streamline daily tasks, or make your device work better for you, mastering these settings gives you the power to make your iPhone or iPad truly yours. This course is for individuals who have basic familiarity with their iPhones and/or iPads and want to take the next step. Please note: Bring your full-charged device to class.