Written on July 12, 2020. Updated 8/8/20 with notes for September session. Updated again 12/27/21 to reflect ongoing precautions.
Please know our plans for opening is always a work in progress and we reserve the right to amend things as we need to to comply with state and local guidelines. We understand that everyone may not agree with these policies but they are in the interest of keeping everyone safe and the studio open.
I start off by saying if you or your child feel ill, or think you have been exposed to COVID-19 we ask that you stay home until you have been tested and cleared. We also ask that you just let us know what is going on by call, email, or text. Know that I can not always pick up phone calls while teaching, but leave me a message and I will return the call as soon as I am able to.
Before classes:
Germbusters will be coming in every sixty days (although their product lasts 90) to do a sanitation of the studio.
The Fire Department came in on July 23, 2020 to determine our COVID capacity. At present time we can have 15 in studio including staff. We are limiting class sizes to 7 for 2 year olds, 10 for all others
Everyone will need to sign a liability and COVID waiver the first day of class. (it is agreed to when you register online)
Miss Katie will be there 1 hour before classes start which will give us time to open up the windows and air out the studio, wipe all common surfaces down and make sure sanitizer is refilled.
We encourage all little ones to use the bathroom before coming to the studio, though of course the bathroom will be there for use.
Waiting Room:
The waiting room has been marked off with room for 12 students, which we will be keeping our numbers at or below according to capacity. The waiting room will open 5 minutes before class starts. If you are the first class of the day we will unlock the door then. If you are not, we ask that you wait outside or in your car until then. Miss Katie will turn on the front light and come out to let everyone know to come in. We can only allow one adult per student in. Everyone when they come in will sit on a star after sanitizing their hands. Miss Katie will monitor the waiting room and you can leave as soon as you drop them off if you like, or you can wait until class starts. Everyone will need to have a mask on that enters the building.
Age 2-10 students will have their bag waiting for them when they arrive. They need to bring nothing into the studio with the exception of what is in their bag.
Older students may bring a water bottle from home as well as a bag with their shoes. Bags and water will stay on the star in the waiting room. While we will make sure they are hydrated they will need to take water breaks as a class to prevent a lot of back and forth. Please no food.
The waiting room will close when class is in session. Miss Katie will again come out 5 minutes before class ends and at that point you can come in and wait. All announcements will be sent out via email.
During Class:
We have sectioned off the studio into 6’x6′ squares. Each student will be assigned a square for social distancing purposes. Combo students will keep their shoes at the back or front of the room.
All common surfaces have been eliminated from our lessons with the exception of barre for beginner pointe students. Ages 2-10 will receive a bag with individual props for their use only. The bag will not leave the studio until the end of the session and will be disinfected after use. If a family chooses they may leave their dance shoes in the bag.
There will also be tags attached to the bags in which we will put end of class stickers on.
Instructors will do their best to social distance during the entirety of class. All necessary precautions will be taken in regards to any contact.
After class:
The waiting room again will open 5 minutes before the end of class. Miss Katie will let you know when it is open. Anyone in the waiting room during class will be asked to leave, in order to limit everyone’s exposure to each other. There will be an exception for older students who have a break between classes.
We ask at class end you collect your child promptly and exit the building. There will be a 10 minute break between classes that switch entire rosters so that we can wipe down all surfaces that were touched and disinfect before the next class. For older classes where the majority of the class stays, we will do a quick wipe down when shoes are being changed, but not a full sanitizing as the population remains largely the same.
Masks:
In order to be the safest we can all students over the age of 2 as well as anyone who enters the building will need to be in a mask. If there is a medical reason for non use of a mask, please speak to Miss Katie. All instructors will be masked as well and will be planning the classes to accommodate this. We understand that not everyone will be comfortable with this policy and it may delay your return, but we must do what is best for the studio as a whole.
Make Up Lessons:
We will do our best to accommodate make up lessons, but it may not always be possible due to class size limits.