Covid19 Studio Guidelines


Mar 28, 2024 07:39 AM



COVID 19 Studio Policies

Please note that this is a living document and will be updated as often as needed on our website.
We will continue to follow all CDC and NJ Department of Health guidelines. Whenever these changes are pertinent to the safety of the young dancers and staff of the studio, we will adopt them and update this document. An email will be sent to all registered families whenever an update is made notifying you of the changes.
The studio will participate with any contact tracing requests we receive.

General Information
• Masks must be worn inside the building and studio. Face shields may be worn, but only if a mask is also worn.
• If your young dancer needs to read lips for effective communication please let us know and their instructor will wear a communicator mask with a clear vinyl panel so their mouth is visible.
• Class sizes will be limited until further notice.
• Studio floors are marked into a grid of 8 foot squares to allow extra space between each young dancer
• Parents and siblings are not allowed into the studio spaces. You are welcome to walk your young dancer to the door of the studio.
• The waiting area, office and locker rooms are closed until further notice.
• Everyone entering the studio space must use hand sanitizer or complete 20 seconds of hand washing before entering the studio.
• Street shoes must be removed before walking onto the dance floor in either room. Dancers may use the hallway to change shoes.
• Please bring just what you need for class into the studio with you.
• Whenever possible, underdress your dance clothing under your street clothes to avoid changing at the studio.
• Water is the only beverage allowed in the studios. No food is allowed in the studio at this time.
• If changes to the public health of the community cause the Upper Township Office of Emergency Management, Cape May County Department of Health or New Jersey Department of Health to restrict in person classes, we will continue our regular schedule over Zoom or a similar platform for the duration of that time as required.
• If a young dancer develops any symptoms or feels unwell after arriving at the studio, we will have them sit in the reception area while we contact you to come and pick them up. If we are unable to reach a parent we will reach
out to your emergency contact.

Cleaning and Studio Maintenance
• The building has updated it’s HVAC system to the CDC required specifications.
•The Family Center has installed high-intensity UVC germicidal lamps to our HVAC system. This is the same kind of system that hospitals use to kill and deactivate germs, molds, and viruses.
• Windows will be open, weather permitting, during class times and the doors to the studios will remain open during class times to allow for additional ventilation.
• Classes will end 10-15 minutes earlier then the time listed on the schedule to reduce crossover and allow for cleaning of the studios. You will be notified of the specific ending times before your first class.
• Barres will be wiped down with a CDC approved disinfectant after every use.
• The floors will be steam mopped or cleaned with a CDC approved disinfectant in between every class. If there are 2 classes back to back with no change in young dancers or teachers, the floor will then be cleaned at the end of the 2nd class.
• At the end of the night the studio floors will be wet mopped with a CDC approved disinfectant / cleaner.
• The touch surfaces in the bathroom will be wiped down after any class that had a young dancer use the bathroom.
• There will be no sharing of props or equipment between young dancers. For classes that use mats or small props, all
of the props that are used will be put to the side and cleaned and disinfected with CDC approved cleaners at the end of the night, before they are put away.
• Once the locker room opens, the cubbies will be wiped down with a CDC approved disinfectant after every class.

Staff
• All staff members will do temperature checks and and answer the COVID 19 health questions before arriving at the studio on their teaching days. Staff members with a temperature over 99.4 or who answers yes to any of the symptom checks or travel restrictions will not come to the studio.
• Staff members must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication before they will be able to return to the studio.
• If a substitute teacher is covering the class no notification will be made. You will be notified if the class is being held virtually via Zoom or a similar platform.
• Teachers will maintain social distancing whenever possible. If corrections require the instructor to be closer than 6 feet from the student, they will keep the time as brief as possible and position themselves to avoid direct face to face placement.
• If the teacher needs to provide tactile cues or corrections, they will use hand sanitizer before and after the correction is made.


When Should a Young Dancer or Staff Member Stay Home?
• You tested positive for COVID 19.
• You were in close contact with someone who has tested positive. Close contact in NJ is defined as being closer then 6 feet for longer than 10 minutes.
• You had physical contact with a person who has tested positive.
• Someone who has tested positive coughs or sneezes on you.
• You have shared eating or drinking utensils with someone who has tested positive.
• You are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
• Fever (100.4 or higher for young dancers / 99.4 or higher for staff)
• Chills
• New Loss of taste or smell
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• You are experiencing any of the following symptoms that are not associated with another cause
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• You are waiting for the results of a COVID 19 test because of symptoms or exposure
• You have traveled from one of the following states in the past 14 days (as of 8/11/2020):

Alabama (added 6/24/20)
Alaska (re-added 8/18/20)
Arkansas (added 6/24/20)
Arizona (added 6/24/20)
California (added 6/30/20)
Delaware (re-added 8/18/20)
Florida (added 6/24/20)
Georgia (added 6/30/20)
Hawaii (added 8/11/20)
Idaho (added 6/30/20)
Iowa (added 6/30/20)
Illinois (added 7/28/20)
Indiana (added 7/21/20)
Kansas (added 7/7/20)
Kentucky (added 7/28/20)
Louisiana (added 6/30/20)
Maryland (added 7/21/20)
Minnesota (re-added 7/28/20)
Mississippi (added 6/30/20)
Missouri (added 7/21/20)
Montana (added 7/21/20)
Nebraska (added 7/21/20)
Nevada (added 6/30/20)
North Carolina (added 6/24/20)
North Dakota (added 7/21/20)
Oklahoma (added 7/7/20)
Puerto Rico (added 7/28/20)
South Carolina (added 6/24/20)
South Dakota (added 8/11/20)
Tennessee (added 6/30/20)
Texas (added 6/24/20)
Utah (added 6/24/20)
Virginia (added 7/21/20)
Virgin Islands (added 8/11/20)
Wisconsin (added 7/14/20)
• You have traveled to one of the CDC Level 3 risk level countries within the past 14 days. Please visit - https://
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html for the up to date list.

What Happens if There is a Positive Case at the Studio
We will contact the Department of Health and provide them with all of the details and follow their guidance. From our discussions with the DOH staff to dates, there is a strong possibility that nothing will need to be done if everyone is wearing masks and following the social distancing and other safety guidelines during class. The goal of our action plan is to keep all of our young dancers and staff in the “casual contact” category.

When You Arrive at the Studio
1. Take off your street shoes and put them with the rest of your belongings.
2. Use hand sanitizer or wash your hands for 20 seconds.
3. Wait for the teacher to invite you into class, go to your spot, either at the barre or in the center of the room and wait for class to start.
4. If you need to cough or sneeze, please leave the dance floor and use a tissue over your nose and mouth. After you discard your tissue please use either hand sanitizer or 20 seconds of hand washing before returning to your spot.
5. If you need to take a quick mask break or drink a sip of water, please leave the dance floor and do what is needed. Please either wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer after any adjustment or touching of your mask.
6. Please let your teacher know whenever you need to use the bathroom.
7. At the end of class, please carry your street shoes to the edge of the dance floor and then put them on as you are leaving the studio.

Absences
If your young dancer is going to miss a class, please let us know at least 1 hour in advance so the class can be set up for Zoom or a similar platform. This gives the absent young dancer the option of participating remotely
in real time or working with the video on their own time.
If your young dancer has been out of the studio due to a COVID 19 related travel quarantine, once the 14 day period from your return is completed and your young dancer is symptom free, they may return to in person classes without any additional clearance.

If your young dancer has been out of the studio due to any other COVID 19 related reason, please contact us either by
email - sdadancer@hotmail.com or call us at 609-545-0980, so that we can discuss your specific situation and make sure they are clear to come back to class based on the most recent guidelines we’ve
been given.

Additional Information
If you have questions that are not addressed here or have specific scenarios dealing with possible exposures, please reach out to Danielle by email - sdadancer@hotmail.com or call her at 609-545-0980. We can then
find a mutually convenient time to set up a phone conversation to discuss the situation.