Mark your calendar! Upcoming brochures will be mailed and available online:

• Summer Camp 2008 - First week in February: for Howard County residents, online registration begins 6 p.m. February 6; all other registration begins February 7. Out-of-county registration begins February 14.
• Spring/Summer 2008 - First week in March: for Howard County residents, online registration begins 6 p.m. March 5; all other registration begins March 6. Out-of-county registration begins March 13.
• Fall 2008 - First week in August: for Howard County residents, online registration begins 6 p.m. August 6; all other registration begins August 7. Out-of-county registration begins August 14.

Copies are also available at Recreation and Parks Headquarters, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, 21046 and at county libraries.

You must be registered to participate, unless a program listing states otherwise.

Register early! We don't like to cancel classes but each one must meet its minimum enrollment. Don't be disappointed, register early and bring a friend! Programs may also be canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, such as loss of instructor or location. If a program is canceled, you will be contacted.

The Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks can provide limited financial assistance to Howard County residents who qualify. In addition to a completed application, you must provide one of the following:

• Proof of assistance from the Department of Social Services or
• Verification of qualifying income level

A deposit of 25% of the program fee is required with the application and registration form. Call 410-313-4659 for additional information and guidelines.

Space is limited in most activities; early registration is advised. If a program is filled when we receive your registration, we will contact you; you may then select an alternate program or place your name on a waiting list. There is no fee to be on a waiting list.

It is the policy of this department to promote customer satisfaction for all programs and services.

• A minimum $5 administrative fee per program per family will be assessed to a refund request for other than medical reasons, or a request due to a changed or canceled program. In addition to the $5 administrative fee, expenses associated with a program or trip (equipment, supplies, tickets, snacks, meals, accommodations, etc.) may be deducted.
• A summer camp refund request must be received at least two weeks prior to the starting date of the camp to receive a refund minus an administrative fee (fee varies); other fees associated with the camp (for supplies, equipment, tee shirt, etc.) may also be deducted.
• There is no fee reduction for missed classes.

Check with your instructor about exceptions to the following circumstances and make-up dates for canceled sessions:

The following rules, in conjunction with the Howard County Board of Education, must be observed while participating in Recreation and Parks programs. Specific rules may be added for individual programs and needs.

• No food or beverages in unauthorized areas; glass containers are prohibited;
• No smoking in buildings or on school property;
• No soliciting or loitering;
• No interference with employee or volunteer duties;
• No harassment or inappropriate or indecent conduct or language;
• No unauthorized use of illegal drugs, intoxicants or weapons;
• No parking in unauthorized areas or driving or parking on field areas;
• No alteration or installation of equipment (such as basketball hoops, fences);
• No defacing of property (indoors or outdoors);
• No conduct that may jeopardize the safety of others.

Accommodations can be provided to Howard County residents at no additional cost. It is recommended that you request accommodations and interpretive services at the time of registration and at least two weeks before your program begins. In addition to your class(es), just register in the appropriate section of program 0012. If registering online, you'll find the program in the category Inclusion Services. Please include information regarding your disability and any accommodations required.

Interpretive services are available for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities. You may use the registration form to indicate your need or call the TTY at 410-313-4665. Taped copies of this guide are available upon request.

Registrants in many programs will be required to sign an Agreement to Participate form at the first class meeting. The purpose of this form is to ensure that participants willingly share responsibility for their own safety.

All activities contain certain inherent risks that each participant assumes. Due to the strenuous nature of some activities, each registrant is urged to consult his or her physician concerning his or her fitness to participate.

A fee may be assessed if your child is not picked up at the close of the program. Neither public school staff nor program leaders are responsible for your children before or after scheduled recreation programs. It is your responsibility to take your child to the leader and pick up your child from the leader immediately after the program.

Additionally, the Department reserves the right:

• to cancel a program for any reasonable cause;
• to deny registration or entry into a program when it deems necessary to assure public safety;
• to suspend a child from a program, with no refund, after notifying a parent of disciplinary problems;
• to photograph programs, participants and volunteers for publicity purposes; and
• to adjust any of the program details listed on any Howard County Recreation and Parks web page or publication, including fees, locations, instructors, times, days, and starting dates.

Recreation Activity Rooms are located in Bellows Spring, Bushy Park, Dayton Oaks, Elkridge, Forest Ridge, Fulton, Gorman Crossing, Hollifield Station, Rockburn, Triadelphia Ridge, and Veterans elementary schools; Bonnie Branch, Ellicott Mills, Folly Quarter and Mount View middle schools; and River Hill High School. The rooms are used for Recreational Licensed Child Care, after-school and weekend activities. Facility construction was a cooperative effort between the Board of Education and the County.

For information about Howard County Recreation and Parks Board meetings, call 410-313-4640. Your comments are welcome at these sessions.

Park Board members are: Chair, Mr. David Grabowski; Vice-Chair, Mr. Tony Brudis; Mr. Lowell W. Adams; Mr. Donald Bandel; Ms. Tammy CitaraManis and Mr. Chuck Parvis/Dr. Janet Siddiqi.