NVM Control Plan In Response to Covid-19
(These protocols are fluid and will change as the state guidelines for dance studios change over time. You will be notified via email immediately if any protocols change. This document will be available and updated on our website.)
GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
- Signage will be posted throughout the studio as well as on the first floor near entries to remind customers of hygiene and distancing protocol.
-Everyone must electronically acknowledge that they plan to adhere to this control plan and Covid-19 specific waiver in Dance Studio Pro software upon registration.
-The majority of class times have been staggered by 10-15 minutes to limit the amount of students passing each other in between classes and to allow for a more controlled and distanced entrance and exit of the studio.
-A temporary studio space will be set up on the second floor for the foreseeable future that will be used instead of studio B.
-Students must enter through the front entrance of the building no sooner than 5 minutes before the start of their class. Students must exit no later than 5 minutes after the end of their class at the back entrance of the building.
-Each student is allowed 1 chaperone at this time. We encourage students who are 8 and older to be dropped off/picked up or the parent wait in their car. A chaperone must be present at all times for students 6 and under.
-We encourage students who come up alone to communicate with parents that they made it safely up. Alternatively the parent can call the studio to ensure the student made it up safely.
-Students are encouraged to use the back stairwell. The elevator may be used by students one at a time. Please do not use the front stairwell as we will not plan to frequently sanitize this stairwell like we will the back stairwell and elevator.
-Please ensure the designated phone number on dance studio pro is accurate as this number will be called if we need to quickly contact you regarding your student while they are at the studio.
-Absolutely no sharing of food or water. We encourage you to label water bottles brought into the studio with the dancer’s name. Water should be kept by the students designated dancing area, and not near the entrance (as was typically done in the past). Food is discouraged unless your student is in back to back classes and needs a snack in between. Any snack must be eaten in your child’s designated spot in the waiting room, and hands must be sanitized before and after, and any waste disposed of immediately.
-Students are encouraged to use the bathroom at home before coming to the studio.
-We will keep a log of students and chaperones who are at the studio and when for contact tracing should it ever become necessary.
-Anyone who is feeling ill should remain at home and participate remotely for the day.
-Parents must check their child’s temperature before coming to the studio any given day (this will be on the honor system). Students with a temperature of 100 or higher or who are not feeling well must stay home and participate remotely. If a student is exhibiting symptoms of being unwell while at the studio, NVM reserves the right to check their temperature and disallow them from participating in the class that day.
-We are relying on EVERYONE to be as forthcoming as possible this season about illness. If a child experiences Covid-like symptoms at any point, please let us know as soon as possible. If a student comes into contact with someone who has Covid-19, please let us know as soon as possible. If a student or family member is confirmed to have Covid-19, please let us know as soon as possible.
HYGIENE AND PPE
-All persons entering the building and the studio must wear face masks or coverings.
Only when students are spaced 6ft apart in their designated squares in the studio room may masks be removed (see more details below).
-Signage will be posted to remind customers to follow good hygiene practices.
Hand sanitizer dispensers (with 60%+ alcohol content) will be available in multiple locations throughout the studio.
-Anyone entering NVM will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting.
Dancers will be encouraged to wash hands/sanitize frequently, and also reminded not to touch their faces.
-Props will not be used less frequently in class in order to limit the surfaces touched. If props are used, they will be items that can be kept by the dancer and not shared and will be sanitized after the class.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING
-Signage will be posted to remind dancers, families, and staff of distancing protocol.
-There will be marked areas in the waiting area for students to keep their belongings to help encourage 6ft distancing.
-Studio floors will be marked with tape to allow for designated student “dance boxes” which will all be spaced 6ft apart and labeled appropriately.
-Dancers will wear their masks throughout the class. They will be allowed mask breaks if they are having any difficulties.
-Staff will keep masks on at all times.
-Dancers who must wait or remain in the lobby in between classes are asked to maintain physical distancing as much as possible.
-There will be no hand-holding, partner work, lifts, or other activities where dancers need to be touching or in close proximity.
-Any spotting in acrobat classes will be done with gloves on by the instructor (and sanitized in between students) and both the instructor and the students must have masks on during spotting.
-When the large rollout mats are used students will still be wearing masks and socially distanced the entire class. Mats will be sanitized in between classes. We plan to resume progressions down the mats like we did pre-covid the second part of class. This means for a portion of the class students will be taking turns on the long rolling mats so they can use the entire length. We will sanitize hands again before the progressions start, and during if necessary (a student touches their eyes or mouth). Students will wait in line on socially distanced spots.
CLEANING PROCEDURES
-All high touch areas within NVM will be frequently sanitized.
-After each class, the designated dance squares will be sanitized except in some cases, such as tap classes where the students are not actually touching the floor throughout the class.
-High touch areas within the building (including the entries, stairwell, and elevator) will be sanitized at least before the first class of the evening, and possibly more depending on the traffic in the building from other businesses.
-Please advise students to touch as few things as possible on the way up to the studio.
-NVM doors will remain open in between classes to help prevent the spread of germs.
-The bathroom will be cleaned frequently and a log will be kept.
STAFF
-Staff will be asked not to come into the studio if they are ill.
-All staff will be trained on cleaning, distancing, and hygiene protocol. Staff will be trained on procedures to follow if a student comes to the studio ill, or becomes ill while at the studio.
-Procedures and policies will be reviewed with staff frequently.
-Staff are reminded to follow the same hygiene procedures listed above.
CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR IF MASSACHUSETTS REVERTS TO A PRIOR PHASE
First and foremost, we ask that if you take one of the limited spaces in our classes this season you stick with us through thick and thin. Students who drop specifically because we have to move to a hybrid or virtual platform for a time period may not be permitted to return in future seasons.
We have various plans that we can implement if the circumstances change. Some possibilities include:
1) Hybrid- If the number of participants in a group needs to be reduced we can have students in a class alternate between participating at the studio one week and at home via zoom the next.
2) Fully Remote- we will have the capabilities to go fully remote if necessary. Unlike our spring virtual classes, these classes would be live with the instructor in the studio. In fact, any students who wish to participate virtually at any time are welcome to do so. The only case where a class may not be live is in the event where an instructor becomes ill suddenly, and the class has to go remote that day. In this case, the class may have a pre-recorded lesson or another instructor just for that day.
3) Outdoor classes- depending on availability and if the weather permits, we may be able to hold classes outdoors locally at a park in Clinton.
CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR ILLNESS
If we are notified of any of the below situations, we will contact the Clinton BOH and nurse immediately for guidance. Many considerations will be taken into account by the BOH and nurse when determining the next steps in any scenarios below, but possibilities may include:
a. Student has been in close contact with someone with Covid-19, but doesn’t exhibit symptoms
-Student participates via zoom for 14 days or until the end of their contagious period as determined by BOH and nurse.
b. Student has Covid-like symptoms, but has not yet been tested
-Student participates via zoom until a negative test result is received, or student quarantines for 14 days.
c. Student tests positive for Covid-19
Student participates via zoom for 14 days or until the end of their contagious period as determined by the BOH and nurse. Families of students and staff who were in contact with the student will be notified, but the students name will be kept private. Students and staff who came into contact with the student may also need to quarantine depending on the timeline. The studio will immediately go through a deep cleaning, and classes for that day will likely go virtual for the day and possibly longer.
A Similar methodology will be applied for staff members in the same scenarios.