Afterschool Details
Lime Hollow Nature Center has been providing educational and recreational programming for 30 years through our summer camps, field trips, forest preschool, and now our newly formed after-school program! Thank you for choosing to send your child out into the woods where they will have to the chance to explore nature throughout the seasons.
Daily Schedule/ Drop-off & Pick-up
Afterschool will start the week of September 5th, 2023. Free busing is available to students enrolled in Dryden public school districts. Children can also be dropped off by caregivers. Caregivers will be responsible for pick-up.
HOW TO REQUEST DROP OFF AT LIME HOLLOW FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS.
Parents will need to request that their kids be dropped off at Lime Hollow from their school districts. When filling out transportation information, list “Lime Hollow Nature Center, 338 McLean Rd, Cortland NY 13045” as the drop of location on the day your child is registered for. The administrative staff at Lime Hollow will also communicate with the districts to ensure that children are placed on the correct route and dropped off.
Arrival 3:00pm - 3:45pm
Buses and caregivers will drop off at the Lime Hollow Visitor Center located at 338 McLean Rd. Cortland, NY. During fair weather you can find us across the bridge at our Camp McLean Campus. If the weather is unsafe we can be found at the Visitor Center. Please contact the main office if you or another caregiver is dropping off. While we wait for everyone to arrive we will have the chance to relax and decompress with the instructors. Kids will be able to hang in hammocks, play in the field, explore our vegetable garden, or play with loose parts that are readily available.
Explore & Play! 3:45pm - 5:00pm
After we get a sense for what the group wants to do, we will have the chance to play, hike, explore the garden, or work on some wilderness skills.
Pick-up 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Parents or guardians can pick-up anytime between 5-5:30pm each day. If you need to pick up your child before 5:00pm please let us know ahead of time. Your child may be out on a hike, but they should be nearby. One of our team members will make sure your child is nearby and ready to be picked up.
After-School Closures
Lime Hollow After-School will close due to weather if 2 out of the three school districts (Cortland, Homer, & Dryden) are closed or cancel after school activities. Lime Hollow will notify all families via e-mail and text message. Weather related closures are not refundable.
Preparing for the seasons: Fall, Winter, & Spring
General Gear
Your child should come prepared each day with:
1 water bottle
Seasonally appropriate clothes that can get muddy/wet
A complete change of clothes
Appropriate footwear such as sneakers or boots
Children will be able to store gear at Lime Hollow
Please make sure all items are clearly labeled.
Lime Hollow does have extra rain and snow gear available in case your child needs them.
Fall/Spring
Fall and Spring in Central New York can be very wet and muddy at times. The temperature can also vary widely. On warm fairweather days, children will have the opportunity to explore our shallow creek. Some extra gear that will be useful include:
A towel
Extra layers
Rain Jacket
Rain pants
Water proof boots
Winter
Extra layers
Winter coat
Snow pants/suit
Snow boots
Fleece
Mittens with extra pairs
Winter beanie
Scarf or buff
Where to find gear:
Cortland/ Homer:
Thrifty Shopper
Homer Men & Boys
Ithaca:
Ithaca Reuse
Mama Goose
Online:
Poshmark
Tuition and Financial Policies
Annual Cost
Tuesday/ Thursday | $1,850
Monday/Wednesday/Friday | $2,600
Monday-Friday | $3,700
$250 deposit due at registration (above prices include the $250 deposit).
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Please review our Cancellation Policy for specific details.
Health and Safety
Tick Checks
Ticks are present as Lime Hollow, as they are throughout Central NY. While they can pose a hazard to our after-schoolers and staff, with appropriate mitigation measures the likelihood of those hazards is greatly reduced.
Tick checks will be performed as a group during the morning and afternoon at after-school. after-schoolers are taught to notice and identify ticks on themselves and others. Parents should perform a thorough tick check at home, and to check all the areas of the body that Lime Hollow staff cannot. If staff find an embedded tick on a after-schooler, the tick will be removed immediately and parents will be notified at pick-up.
Adopting a routine of tick awareness, being smartly dressed, using repellent and doing complete tick checks on a regular basis is our best defense against tick borne illnesses. At Lime Hollow, we have a three-tiered tick defense system.
Tier 1: The after-schooler. At Lime Hollow, our mentors educate our after-schoolers about ticks. We teach them to check themselves and help check their friends.
Tier 2: The Mentor. Our mentors are trained and knowledgeable about identifying and removing embedded ticks. Mentors will conduct multiple tick checks throughout the day.
Tier 3: Parents and Guardians. Because there are areas that our mentors cannot see, it’s imperative that parents and/or guardians perform daily tick checks at home.
Health and Wellness Policy See Policy
Allergies
Allergic reactions can range from mild and uncomfortable to severe and potentially life threatening.
Please make sure your enrollment registration lists all known allergies including food, medicine, stings and other? If your child carries an epi-pen please notify the staff and make sure they know where in your child’s belongings it is kept.
Message Updates
Updates could be given via email or by texting. Enrollsy (after-school software) assigned Lime Hollow a telephone number to communicate with parents. Our number is 607-305-4255. You cannot call this number. If you need to talk to someone directly please continue to call 607-662-4632. The new number is only for texting. You can reply to our messages or send one on your own. Messages will be checked during business hours, 8am-6pm. Each message sent out will say From Lime Hollow: (then the message).
Medication
If you child needs to take medication during after-school hours (prescription or non-prescription), Lime Hollow will need a medication authorization from your doctor. These forms can be emailed to info@limehollow.org or faxed to 607-300-1502. We do need to have them before your child starts.
Cancellations/Refunds: See Policy
Photo Release
When registering you granted Lime Hollow Nature Center, INC permission to use still or motion picture images of myself (or my child) participating in programs or events for future outreach purposes, including but not limited to program brochures, social media and other print ads. If there are any concerns about granting permission please email info@limehollow.org.
Afterschool FAQ
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In order to staff our program appropriately we are currently only enrolling for the full school year.
We will accept new enrollees throughout the year if spaces are available.
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This may be possible depending on enrollment on different days. Please contact us at info@limehollow.org or (607)-662-4632. Tuition rates will be prorated based on the new schedule.
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Your tuition remains the same if your child goes on vacation or is ill.
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Lime Hollow After-School will close if your school is closed or cancel after school activities. Lime Hollow will notify all families via e-mail and text message.
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There will be no after-school for the following federal or school holidays:
Indigenous Peoples Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving (Weds through Friday)
Holiday break (dates)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Midwinter Break (dates)
*Spring break week (dependent on district spring break schedules)
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
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Professional development days vary by school district. We will continue to offer after-school. If your school is closed, busing will not be available, but you are welcome to drop your child off starting at 3:00PM
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We do our best to stay outside in all weather conditions. If weather is hazardous due to high winds, extreme cold, etc. we will have indoor space available.
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Yes! Children love to experience whatever elements exist in nature, whether it's a snowy hill, a mud puddle, or a quiet meadow. Our staff allow children to play and learn by experiencing nature firsthand, which often leaves kids wet and muddy. We ask parents to dress children appropriately for the weather.
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Kindergarten to 5th grade.
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Yes. All children will need to provide documentation that they are enrolled in an alternative education program witih grade equivalent of kindergarten to 5th grade.
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We have an agreement with Dryden schools that students will be bused from school to Lime Hollow. Students who attend other districts or are homeschools are welcome to be dropped off by a caregiver. It is the caregiver’s responsibility to pick up at Lime Hollow. All children will need to be picked up by 5:30pm.
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No. We are a play-based program and will spend our time hiking, playing, exploring, and enjoying our time in nature.
More Lime Hollow Fun
Looking for more adventures for your children? Lime Hollow offers a multitude of programs to keep your kid engaged in nature all year year long. Visit our website, www.limehollow.org for more information of follow the links below!
When School is Out, Camp is In! Join us for a week of adventure, exploration, and nature connection.
Fascination with fire, building forts, getting dirty, climbing trees, exploring your surroundings, creating meals, and a desire to use knives; these are all universal “child’s passions”. At Lime Hollow’s Youth Naturalist Series, children will get a chance to explore and tap into these passions.
With 600 acres of fields, forests, and streams, Lime Hollow is the perfect place to spend summer days! Our campers turn into intrepid explorers, herpetologists, trackers, fort builders, and so much more! Each week offers a unique theme which promises to inspire a deep connection to nature, gets kids socializing, while playing and learning outdoors all day!