Maria Mitchell Association

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding Summer Discovery Program. If you have already registered, please be sure to read the Parent Information, and be sure to have each students' legal guardian complete the Medical Release Form.  Please feel free to contact Whitney Morris (wmorris@mmo.org) if you have any other questions.  

Q: What is our refund policy? 
Changes in enrollment can be accepted with two weeks notice. All cancellations are subject to a 15% administrative fee if made with more than two weeks notice. Any cancellations made with less than two weeks notice will be subject to a 30% administrative fee with the balance refunded if the space is filled. If the space is not filled, the balance is not refundable. If a class is canceled by the MMA your payment will be refunded.

Q: Where should I drop my child off for their program sessions?
The location has not been determined as of now.  Please check back to for an update.  You will also be sent an email closer to the program's date to let you know of the d/o & p/u location.  Please be prompt to ensure that your child does not miss the bus! We will travel by bus to various natural locations around the island. 

Q: What should my child bring to morning/full-day class?

Clothes/Shoes - Exploring can be dirty and wet work so please provide your child with clothes and shoes that can get wet and dirty. Wearing a bathing suit under their clothes or wearing a Sun shirt (UPF 50+) is excellent for both water play and outdoor activities and is recommended. For the safety of your child, please send them with a pair of close-toed shoes that they can walk/run/hike. We suggest sending sandals for exploring the water and beach. 

Lunch/Snack -For morning and full day programs please provide your child with a lunch in addition to snacks. Refrigeration is not available. Due to allergy concerns, children are not allowed to share food.

Water- Children should come to class each day with LOTS water to drink - this is especially important on very warm, sunny days. cWe, unfortunately, do not have access to water during the day so please make sure that your child has an adequate water supply. cPlease send extra water for full day programs. 

Sunscreen & Sun Shirts - We at MMA are working hard with our staff and participants to be Sun Safe as well as environmentally friendly. We recommend children registered for both half day and full day programs to wear sun shirts that are 50+ UPF. Since the shirts retain their effectiveness in water and after activity, there is no need to "re-apply". Keep in mind that the shirt only protects the skin that it covers; long sleeve shirts are also recommended for children with extra sensitive skin. Pediatricians recommend that children also protect themselves by wearing wide brim hats and sunglasses when outdoors. Please label your children's' clothing and accessories. 
If you choose to use sunscreen your children should arrive already lathered up with sunscreen that is at least 50 UPF. If your child is extra sensitive to the sun please send them with extra. For full day participants, teachers will give "sunscreen" breaks to allow children to reapply. Children are not allowed to share sunscreen due to allergy concerns.

Insect Repellent - Many of the sites we visit will have biting insects such as mosquitoes. For the comfort of your child you may want to send your child with bug repellent. Please do not send aerosol sprays.

Ticks - We do our best to avoid exposure to ticks, however children may be exposed to ticks while traveling through class sites (especially woods and fields). Teachers will try to check children daily, but they should be checked again thoroughly for ticks each day after class. (Remember also that teachers are unable to check for ticks in areas of the body covered by clothing.) Please refer to the Center for Disease Control’s website for more information on tick-borne illness prevention and safety tips: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/index.htm

Q: What precautions does the MMA take against deer ticks? 
We ask that parents dress their children appropriately or pack extra clothing in their backpack (light colored long pants tucked into socks, long sleeves, and a hat). While we do tick checks before getting on the bus, it is highly recommended that parents do a thorough tick check each evening as well, as teachers are unable to check areas covered by clothing.

Q: Are there any items my child may not bring to the program? 
Yes.  We ask that children leave all toys, electronic devices, etc. at home as they tend to be a distraction from the activities planned by our staff.

Q: Where do classes go on inclement weather days?
This depends on the severity of the weather. If it is a light rain or mist, we still head out into the field. On days with heavy rainfall and/or thunder storms, we will utilize indoor teaching spaces (these locations may change from year to year depending on availability). On overcast days with a forecast of rain, please send your child to class with a rain coat or poncho. We do not cancel classes due to weather.

Q: How do I sign my child up for the Discovery Program?
All registrations for Discovery Programs can be done online at http://reg125.imperisoft.com/MariaMitchell/Search/Registration.aspx. If you do not have a computer come to the Administrative Office at 4 Vestal Street to register there. You can check online for availability or to be placed on the wait list. 

Q: Can I request that my child be placed with friend(s) or sibling(s)?
The MMA encourages children to make new friends through our programs, but we understand the importance of being with someone they know, especially in new surroundings. To assist us in placing friends and siblings together, please indicate friends’ or sibling’s names on the appropriate line on the medical form. We will make every effort to accommodate these requests but due to session size, we cannot guarantee that every request will be fulfilled.

Q: What is the student to teacher ratio for your program's sessions?
In order to create a comfortable learning environment for our participants, we do keep class sizes small. The MMA always maintains a student to teacher ratio of no more than 10:2.

Q: Where does the Discovery Program take place?
At the MMA, we believe that the best place to learn about the natural world is in the outdoors. To that end, our natural science focused Discovery Program take place at a variety of wooded and seaside locations around the island many of which are owned by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and Nantucket Land Bank. Locations include but are not limited to: Sanford Farm, Squam Swamp, the Windswept Cranberry Bogs, Masquetuck, Jetties Beach, The Mud Flats and Dionis Beach.

Q: If my child is gifted should I register him/her for an older age group?
At the MMA, ALL children are gifted. We rigidly adhere to the age group for each program. There are no exceptions.

Q: If my child can only participate in part of a full week class will you pro-rate the registration fee accordingly?
No. We expect that children registering for our programs will participate in the full week and therefore do not pro-rate our fees for children who will only be in a session for part of the week.

Q: Do classes meet on July 4 when it falls on a weekday?
Yes. July 4th is a Wednesday, and we will be having program. 

Q: If there is a problem or my child is sick, whom do I contact?
Please contact the Director of the Discovery & Teen Programs at 508-228-9198 concerning any problems.