Welcome

Our facility will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15th in observation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Our building will reopen to the public at 9am on Tuesday, Jan. 16th.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.
Please exercise caution to remain safe on trails, sidewalks, and driveways, as conditions may be icy.

Our facility is open on weekdays from 9am to 4pm and on weekends from 10am to 2pm.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.

Nature School (aka Homeschool)

SPRING REGISTRATION IS FULL

ADD YOUR CHILD’S NAME TO THE WAITLIST


 

WHEN DOES NATURE SCHOOL MEET?

SINGLE DAY SESSION – $500: Meets 12:30 until 3:30 pm on Mondays until 5/13
MULTI-DAY SESSION – $1050: Meets 9am until Noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 5/16
MINI SESSION – $350: Meets 9am until Noon on Wednesdays until 3/20

About Nature School…

  • We offer THREE different attendance options. Children can attend one or two days a week. Once a week, for the full semester, will be offered on Mondays from 12:30 to 3:30pm. Twice a week, for the full semester, will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 to Noon. And, this spring we are offering a mini session that will be held on Wednesdays mornings from 9 to Noon through March 20, 2024.
  • Classes are 3-hours long. Longer sessions give us time to explore the grounds as well as incorporate nature play into our day.
  • Specific topics are not listed ahead of time. This allows the Educators to adjust for ideal topics given the season/weather/time of year. We will also use student interests to help determine teaching topics. Remember that time we had snowshoeing with no snow?
  • We offer multiple age groups. Students will be grouped based on age so that we can offer age-appropriate lessons.

If you have any questions, please send an email to homeschool@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org.


Already registered? Login to access your program registration

Join us and add environmental education to your homeschool curriculum!

Register online by clicking on the link above or give us a call at (608) 221-0404 x 1. For questions or additional information, please email us at homeschool@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org. Payment is needed to complete your registration and is non-refundable unless the class is canceled by ALNC staff. For supply and planning purposes, pre-registration and advance payment is required by the registration deadline to hold your spot in the class.

All Nature School classes are drop-off programs appropriate for children ages 5-12 years old.


Registration Policy

Pre-registration is required as there are a limited number of spots available. If you have questions or would like help registering, please call or send us an email. If you are registered and will not be attending, please call to inform us of your child’s absence. For questions, please contact homeschool@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org or to register by phone, call (608) 221-0404 x 1.

Cancellation Policy

Please notify ALNC of any cancellations at least 14 days prior to the start of a program.
If informed at least 30 days before, ALNC will issue a refund to the original payment method for the paid cost of the program minus a 15% administrative fee OR issue a credit to a loyalty account* for the paid cost of the program minus a 15% administrative fee OR move your registration to a different program of equal value. If informed less than 30 days, but at least 14 days before, ALNC will issue a credit to a loyalty account* for the paid cost of the program minus a 15% administrative fee OR move your registration to a different program of equal value.

Any non-attendance or cancellations within 14 days of the start of a program will result in a charge of the FULL class fee – there are no refunds for missed programs.

If ALNC cancels more than one class, for any reason, you will be given the following options:

  • A FULL REFUND to the original payment method
  • A CREDIT to a loyalty account*, good for future programming at ALNC
  • A TRANSFER of the paid cost of the program into a donation

If you do not respond with your preference within 14 days of the canceled program, ALNC will issue a credit for the paid cost of the program minus a 15% administrative fee to a loyalty account*.
*The balance in a loyalty account is considered forfeit or abandoned if there are no transactions involving the loyalty account for over 12 months.

Weather

Programs are held rain or shine and always include an outdoor component unless there is severe weather. Please come dressed appropriately.

Grouping

Older and younger students will be grouped by age when applicable to allow for age-appropriate topic exploration. If your child has a friend or sibling of a similar age they would like to be grouped with, please let us know in your registration. For questions or to register by phone, call (608) 221-0404 x 1 or email us at homeschool@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org.

Medical Forms

Medical information is required for all ALNC drop-off programs. You will find these medical forms during the registration process and you can fill them out right away or sign back in at a later date to do this. Please fill out the information prior to your child’s first class at ALNC. Re-authorization and updated information is required annually (our calendar year starts over in June).

Aldo Leopold Nature Center