WESTON — The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) will make Emmanuel Episcopal Church a buzzing hive of activity for four consecutive Mondays next month.

“We are thrilled to be holding Bee School in this beautiful setting alongside so many like-minded people,” said Andy Hatt, a Master Beekeeper who will be leading Bee School this year. It is expected that the course will not only attract aspiring beekeepers who will be given valuable basic information and advice, but also individuals who are working to support pollinators.

Classes will take place at the church, 285 Lyons Plains Road in Weston, on Mondays, January 8, 15, 22 and 29, with a snow date of February 5. Cost is $60 for the instruction, which includes one year membership to BYBA (cost for current BYBA members is $30).

Sessions will run 7-9 pm each week.

Hatt has kept bees for over 35 years. He is a certified Master Beekeeper through Cornell University and is also involved with the Cornell University School of Agriculture, teaching the opening class to its Bee School undergraduates.

The sessions will be co-hosted by David Blocher and Chris Rountos.

Rountos taught last year’s Package Installation & First Hive Inspection Workshops, and is excited to be joining the Bee School Team this year. Blocher is an Eastern Apiculture Society certified Master Beekeeper with long experience with honey bees.

Videographer Robin Hodgkins will be filming each class so that recordings can be made available for students a few days after class.

Bee School is just one part of a network of supports which are so essential for new beekeepers. Hobbyist beekeepers nationally suffer nearly 60 percent losses annually due to a variety of threats to honey bees. But 95 percent of hobbyist beekeepers do not belong to any club or association where they can share information and techniques. Bee School students are on the right track.

After their basic instruction, BYBA students will make contact with an experienced mentor who will be available for advice and guidance. Bee School grads will also have access to multiple local workshops in Back Yard Beekeepers Association bee yards.

They will also be invited to participate in monthly New Bee Zoom meetings on seasonal topics, and attend regular monthly meetings, which feature regional and nationally known speakers. Largely because of these supports, BYBA members typically have a much higher success rate than the national average.

The takeaway is BYBA Bee School students will be joining a large network of seasoned beekeepers. The Bee School curriculum will help them make better beekeeping decisions early on by making the students aware of equipment options, techniques for ordering and installing bees, and protecting them against threats. They will start ahead of the game, and have BYBA support to continue their success.

“They will be working together, taking our cues from the bees in a hive,” said Hatt.

Instructors and mentors will share the wonder they feel each time they open a colony of bees.

Visit backyardbeekeepers.com to learn more about Bee School and to register.