Additional Guide School Information
Entrance Requirements:
The school does not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, ethnic
origin, or disability. To the extent possible, our school will make
reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities to access
our training. The nature of a guide and packer school requires specific physical demands
on individuals and as such, decisions regarding the ability of an
individual to participate will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Each student must
be at least 17 years of age and in good physical and mental health.
Students under the age of 18 must have written parental consent. (A guide
license requires a minimum age of 18). Students must be physically able to
ride a horse, hike and live in high elevations and lift at least 80 pounds of weight chest high.
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Tuition and Fees:
Each student must enclose payment for tuition deposit at the time the
enrollment application is submitted. Tuition includes room and board
and all training materials. Deposit with all guide and packer applications is 50% of class tuition and
balance due 45 days prior to class start date and is
non-refundable and non-transferable.
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Enrollment:
Prospective students may enroll at any time, however the number of
students accepted is limited and students are admitted on a first come first
serve basis.
The enrollment is limited to eight students per class.
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Personal Risk and Liability:
Students are required to sign an "Acknowledgement of Risk and
Assumption of Personal Responsibility" form for accident and/or illness. The form
will be distributed on course start date. Students are urged to carry personal
medical insurance coverage in case of illness or injury.
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Transportation:
It is recommended that students have their own transportation, so that
they may drive to prospective jobs and interviews after the school.
However, if you plan to fly, arrange flights to Missoula, MT (MSO)
arriving the
day before class starts and schedule flights out the
day after class ends.
We would be happy to recommend a quality motel.
Transportation to and from the airport can be provided for a $100 pickup fee.
Philipsburg (pop: about 900) is a twenty-minute drive from base camp.
There is a Laundromat and pay phones in Philipsburg. Once at camp, there
will be no vehicle use except for days off - -
NO EXCEPTIONS. to top
Student Conduct:
Safety is first and foremost in all our activities. Any student who
willfully or irresponsibly causes another student, instructor or
livestockto be placed in jeopardy may be immediately dismissed at the discretion
of the head instructor or school administrator. Students are expected to
cooperate, act maturely and respect other students, instructors and
other staff members at all times. Dismissal may also occur when a student
displays an uncooperative attitude towards the schools faculty or
fellow students. The school reserves the right to be the sole judge of such
conduct, which may be detrimental to the school. Other grounds for
dismissal or termination include but are not limited to:
| a. |
Cheating, dishonesty, stealing, falsifying records. |
| b. |
Excessive absenteeism or tardiness. |
| c. |
Immoral, unprofessional, or unlawful conduct. |
| d. |
Use of intoxicating liquors and/or drugs |
| e. |
Misuse or abuse of equipment, animals or school property |
| f. |
Fighting |
| g. |
Intentional disruption of school activities |
| h. |
Physical abuse or sexual harassment of any person on school premises |
| i. |
Threatening or endangering the health or safety of any person on school premises |
| j. |
Theft or damage to school property or equipment |
| k. |
Unauthorized use or entry into school facilities |
Students dismissed from the course
will not be allowed to re-enter.
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Attendance Policy:
Students are expected to attend classes daily for the full time
allotted. Two unexcused absences will result in dismissal from the school.
Students are expected to be punctual and actively take part in all classes and
training sessions. Students will be expected to stay within the school
perimeter unless student has verbal authorization from an instructor.
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Class Schedule:
Due to our small enrollment and the nature of our subject matter, the
class schedule is flexible and is adjusted daily to meet the needs of
students and other circumstances, such as the weather conditions or unexpected
learning opportunities. Students will receive 60 hours of instruction per week.
The 4-week course offers 240 hours of instruction and the 5-week course
offers 300. The schedule is based on an average of 6 days per week and 12
hours per day of class work, instruction and self-study. Mondays will be
days off.
Representative daily schedule:
5:30 am wake-up
6:00 am - 7:00 am breakfast
7:00 am - 12:00 pm morning instruction
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm lunch
1:00 pm - 6:00 pm afternoon instruction
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm dinner
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm practice and self study
8:30 pm - 9:00 pm daily quiz
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Personal Supplies and Equipment:
The school is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen articles.
Students are responsible to secure all personal items to prevent any
losses. All personal items should be marked with the students name or initials.
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Standards of Progress:
The course is divided into four major areas:
- Horsemanship including horse shoeing
- Packing
- Guide/hunting skills
- Outdoor skills
The school holds all student records. Students may review their records at any time and may
request to go over them with the director of education. The school may
authorize release of students records to employing outfitters.
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Grading System:
Students will be graded on practical tests, a hands on mid term exam, and daily quizzes. Grades are based on the
following:
5 - excellent (A)
4 - above average (B)
3 - average (C)
2 - below average (D)
1 - unsatisfactory (F)
0 - incomplete
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Graduation Requirements:
A final grade in each major study area of 3.0 or better is required to
pass the course and qualify for a diploma certificate. A final overall
grade of 3.6 or better is required for graduates to be eligible for job
placement assistance.
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Job Placement Assistance:
Job placement assistance is offered in the form of job lead referrals.
This is a service provided to you, that was included in the tuition.
We have placed 100% of qualified graduates, however, we make no guarantees, express or
implied, of future employment. Current law prohibits any school from
guaranteeing job placement as an inducement to enroll students.
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Previous Credit Recognition:
No previous credit recognition is needed nor recognized for the successful completion of this course.
A diploma certificate will be issued to each student upon satisfactory
completion of the course.
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Transferability:
The school does not guarantee the transferability of its credits to any
other institution unless there is a written agreement with another
institution.
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Guide License Requirements:
Criminal records or violations of state or federal regulations
pertaining to outfitting and guiding, or fish and game laws may have an affect on
your eligibility to become a licensed guide. Law requires guide license
applicants to be a minimum of 18 years of age. Requirements for guide
licensing varies from state to state.
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School Facilities, Equipment and Faculty:
Royal Tine Guide and Packer School is located on a private ranch near
Philipsburg, MT. The school is conducted on approx. 17,000 acres of
private land; in addition, the school has permits for surrounding United States
Forest Service Lands.
Students are taught in an outdoor setting just as they will be working
as a guide, packer, or cook. The school facilities consist of:
Large cook tent with kitchen facilities for meals and/or classroom
studies
Student tents with bunks, foam pads and wood stoves for sleeping
Shower tent
Tack shed
Crew tents
Outhouse
Corral for livestock
Hitching posts
The camp does have a generator to power a television, VCR and other
necessary equipment.
The training equipment is varied and extensive. It basically consists
of all equipment and stock that is needed and used to operate a
professional outfitting business.
The owners of Royal Tine Guide and Packer School, Cody and LeRee'
Hensen, have a lifetime of combined stock, hunting, business and outdoor
experience in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Alaska. Cody also holds a degree in
business administration from the University of Montana. Cody and LeRee' are
both First Aid certified and are very involved in school instruction.
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Refund Policy:
Most program expenses are incurred while preparing for the applicant to
attend a course. Our cancellation and refund policy reflect the fact
that it is impossible to recover these costs for late cancellations,
no-shows, or withdrawals from the course.
A full refund of the deposit will be issued if the applicant is not
accepted by the school, the course is full, or the course is cancelled. Note;
these are the only circumstances upon which a deposit is refunded.
Refunds for veteran eligible students will be based on the Department
of Veteran Affairs (DVA) regulation 21.4255
Students who leave a course once it has begun, whether it is due to
sickness, dismissal, withdrawal, or any other reason, will not be
entitled to refunds of any tuition, fees or deposits.
Due to the small nature of our business, our refund policy for monies paid is that all monies paid are
non-refundable and non-transferable, and are considered as partial payment for the services of reserving time and
space on the schedule and advance preparation of equipment and supplies.
We recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance, in case of any unforeseen
circumstances. The website for this information is Sportsmans Travel Insurance.
www.sportsmanstravelinsurance.comto top