• The Home School Class program this year will be operated in accordance with COVID Safety Procedures.
• Each participant enrolled in the home school program must read and agree to abide by the Code of Conduct.
• Each season, a Participant Information Form must be filled out for each child participating in homeschool classes. The form should be brought to the first class of the season.

What to expect this year due to COVID:

• Meet your Teachers - This year, we've recorded short, 2-3 minute videos to let you meet and get to know your teachers. Click on each link below to find out more about your teachers:
  • Kaitlyn Murphy - 4-5 year olds
  • Jessee Standbridge - 4-5 year olds
  • Josh Detweiler - 6-8 year olds
  • Jessie King - 9-12 year olds
  • Ellen Reinecke - Take Nature Home (kit/videos) 4-5 year olds and 6-8 year olds
  • Tracey Gelner - Take Nature Home (kit/videos) 9-12 year olds
• Sign-In/Sign-Out - You, or the parent/guardian responsible for your child, must sign the child into and out of class. Sign-in/Sign-Out will take place outside on the Mezzanine patio behind the Nature Center. Please park at the far end of the parking lot and use the sidewalk to get to the patio. The front doors of the Nature Center will not be open. Photo IDs are required to be shown at pick up.
• Younger siblings - Younger siblings are are not allowed to sit in on classes this year due to COVID group size restrictions but are welcome in the parent lounge, nature place, trails, or green roof patio with an adult during class time.
• Options for parents - Due to COVID restrictions on group sizes, we will not be able to accommodate parents attending class with their child(ren) this season. While your child is in class, you’re welcome to leave the Nature Center and return for pick-up at 4:00 PM, explore our trails, sit upstairs on the Green Roof, enjoy the Nature Place, or relax in our “Parent Lounge”. The Parent Lounge will be set up in the south end of the Auditorium. There will be a limit of 20 people allowed in the parent lounge. Everyone will be required to wear a mask and socially distance in the parent lounge. We kindly ask that you do not utilize the mezzanine patio during class, as it will be utilized heavily this year by the classes themselves. 
• Photography - From time to time, you may notice a photographer in the home school class. When enrolling in the program, all participants must agree to the Howard County Recreation & Parks waiver that allows Recreation & Parks to photograph its programs and use those photos for marketing purposes. However, if you are a parent that is uncomfortable with the idea of your child's image being used in a printed brochure about the program or in any other marketing material about the program, please simply notify a staff member of your child/children's name, so that we may remove your child from any photos that might be used for marketing.  
• Special Accommodations - If your child requires any special accommodations or has any severe allergies/health issues we need to be aware of, please call the Nature Center at 410-313-0400 and request to speak to your child's teacher so that they can discuss how we can best accommodate your child's needs. For Howard County residents, please visit the following link to provide information about your child’s needs/complete your accommodation request. https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Therapeutic-Rec