Registration

On this page:
Procedures Parent Information Forms

Registration for Summer 2010 classes will be open in early May.
Please do not call early – the front desk does not have registration materials yet.

Note that 2010 registrations require a new Year 2010 waiver form (available at bottom of this page).

Please note:

Classes will be held regardless of weather.

Parents and/or siblings, unless registered, cannot attend class due to limited space and supplies.

Refund Policy: Please read the refund policy under Parent Information, below. In general, you must cancel 5 days before class to receive a refund.

Procedures

You may register your child for a class either by phone (using a credit card) or by mailing a check and registration form. (The Program Waiver form (liability waiver) must be signed and mailed [or faxed] in either case.) We do not have an electronic registration system.

NOTE: You should register at least five days before class, as classes may be cancelled or expanded based upon enrollment! If you delay you may find that the class has filled, but with sufficient interest well before the class date some classes can be expanded to two teachers and twice the students. Also, if too many people delay, the class could be cancelled for lack of enrollment.

Whether by Phone or Mail

First call 505-344-7240 for information and to verify that space is available in the class. Tell the volunteer you are calling about the "Nature Discovery for Kids" program, and give the class name and date. (Remember that the Nature Center information desk is staffed by a variety of volunteers with lots of activities to track, and they won't necessarily be familiar with every Nature Discovery class.) Please call between 10:00am and 4:00pm – the volunteers most knowledgeable in our registration process are available then.

By Phone

Give the volunteer your registration and credit card information. Unless you have a current (year 2010) waiver on file for this child, you will still need to print the Program Waiver form, fill it out, sign it, and mail or fax it to the Nature Center. If you have difficulty printing the form, the volunteer will mail one to you.

By Mail

Print the Program Registration form and mail it with your check to the Nature Center. Also print, fill out, sign, and return the Program Waiver form, unless you have a current (year 2010) waiver on file for this child. If you have difficulty printing either of the forms, the volunteer will mail them to you.

Nature Center fax number

505-344-4505

Nature Center mailing address

Nature Discovery for Kids
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
2901 Candelaria NW
Albuquerque NM 87107

Parent Information
See Forms for a nice printable copy of this.

We have an exciting program planned and are pleased that your child will be joining us. We will meet in the parking lot at the starting time. All children will be picked up in the parking lot at the end of the session. Please be prompt.

Please read the refund policy carefully. It is designed to be fair to everyone.

The number of students registered affects the kids on the waiting list, lesson plans, purchase of supplies and materials, bookkeeping, payments to the teachers and to the Friends of RGNC, whether a class is cancelled or expanded, and more.

Refund Policy

1. Refunds will be given if the participant notifies the RGNC five (5) days before class begins.

2. Transfers from one class to another need to be made five (5) days before class begins.

3. If a last minute cancellation has to be made, please find a child who can attend in your child’s absence. No refunds can be given unless notified five (5) days before class. If the new child does not have a waiver on file, fill one out at the time of the class.

4. If enrollment is too low, the instructor will cancel five (5) days before the class begins and a refund will be given.

5. Refunds will be given by check. Please allow at least two weeks. No refunds can be given after the five day cut-off.

Recommendations:

1. Long pants will prevent scratches, scrapes and insect bites. Shorts may be cooler, though.

2. Sneakers or boots for hiking. Sandals are not appropriate.

3. Always wear clothes that can get dirty.

4. Sunscreen and insect repellent need to be applied before class.

5. A water container that can be easily carried.

6. Unless specified, no food. Exception: bring a brown-bag supper to the Friday night classes.

Remember:

1. Classes will be held regardless of weather.

2. Parents cannot attend class due to limited space and supplies.

Basic program:

Although each Nature Center program is different, instructors usually follow a common format. Typically a session will begin with a factual overview of the topic. This might be in the form of discussion, game, pictures, slides, short video, study of models or real animals.

The nature hike is a favorite of most students. Exploration and observation are exciting.

Frequently there are trail activities and games, such as scavenger hunts, collecting insects, or other data. Some classes collect specimens, some have projects.

Then usually the children return to the Center, the outdoor classroom or the beautiful observation room for follow up and review.

Important !!:

Children must stay within sight of instructors at all times.

It is imperative that the children behave and obey instructors. Potential safety hazards will be discussed. Those whose conduct or influence creates safety or discipline problems will be asked to leave. They will not receive a refund.

Please don’t bring electronic games, toys or other distractions.

Forms

If you have any difficulty loading or printing these forms, please email the webmaster@naturediscovery.org. We are eager for feedback on the usability of our site!

2010 Summer Flyer (242KB) Class schedule for Summer 2010.

Program Registration Form (151KB)

Program Waiver (76KB) This is the 2010 waiver form. Please submit a new Year 2010 waiver for each child when you first register that child for a class this year. Thank you.

Information for Parents and Guardians (89KB)

	These forms are in Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format), one of the standard formats for distributing documents on the Web. They can be displayed and printed with the free Adobe Reader program, which is already installed on most computers. If your computer needs it, you may download Adobe Reader from the Adobe Web site by clicking the button to the right. (Note: This is a large ~30MB download for Windows machines.) There are also third-party and open-source reader programs for the PDF format.
	Note on printing the PDF documents: These are already formatted with adequate margins for most printers. To avoid abnormally wide margins, in the Adobe Reader print window select "None" for "Page Scaling".