Greetings parents!
Hey, it’s another long, but important email.
DANCE SCHEDULE
I’ve been waiting for the school district to make their final schedules before I tackled ours. I got their schedule yesterday and have devised a dance schedule that is now in the teachers’ hands. As soon as they okay it, I will send it out to you. Use the sheets I sent out earlier to determine where your dancer fits in. If your dancer wants to try a new genre, just let me know and I’ll find the right place to start – we can always move kids mid-stream if we find better options.
I plan to start on Monday, August 31st. There will be no class on Labor Day, September 7th.
The school district is planning learning opportunities for students in the afternoons – including office hours. I do not want kids to have to choose between dance and school so all our classes start 3pm and later. Please note that there will be no busses to get kids to class. I sent out several surveys and no one said this would be impossible for them so I’m hoping everyone can get a ride. Let me know if you need help.
COVID – 19 MITIGATION PLAN
I have been working hard with the Public Health Nurse, Doctors for Dancers, Juneau Dance Theatre, and other studios that are currently open to help make our mitigation plan. I will go over this in detail with your students, but here is the basic plan:
- Everyone except preschool dancers will wear masks in the building and in the dance rooms. The recommendation is a 3 ply cotton mask. Dancers who expect to get heated might want to bring an extra mask so they can change mid class. I will have masks on hand for those who forget them.
- If you would rather your dancer not wear a mask, we will be streaming all our classes via Zoom and they can take class at home while the rest of the class is in the studio.
- In-studio class sizes will be limited.
- All furniture has been taken out of the building. Only dancers should come in, no parents. There can be no loitering. Dancers should be dropped off just in time for class and picked up immediately after, no waiting. The exception is the parents of preschool dancers; you are allowed to stay during class.
- The dressing rooms will be closed. Please come dressed for class.
- Do not bring anything with you except a water bottle and your dance shoes. The drinking fountain will be closed.
- We will leave coats and shoes in the lobby – there are spaces marked out on the floor.
- Everyone will sanitize their hands both before and after class.
- Everyone will get their temperature taken.
- Easy screening questions will be asked – these will be age appropriate.
- Anyone who feels ill should stay home, including teachers.
- Dancers will dance in ten foot squares. There will be no partnering and no floor work unless things change.
- The floors, barres, doorknobs, etc will be sanitized in between every class.
- If this seems like too much, then Zoom is an option for all. You can transition back into the classroom at any time.
- I am working with Schmolk on the HVAC system. We may also open windows and use air purifiers.
- Teachers will be tested every two week.
- If there is a case at the studio (or at school) we will follow the public nurse’s advice about possible quarantines and closures. If we close, we will go to all Zoom until we can return.
MUSICAL THEATRE
We will start the high school musical theatre class on Saturday from 1:30-2:30. However, I am in touch with Zeke and once he makes his schedule this may change so as not to interfere with his plans.
BALLET INTENSIVE
Ballet Intensive is scheduled for Fridays 4:30-5:30. This is intended for dancers in Emerald level (or those very dedicated dancers in Topaz who would like to move up)
GEAR SALE
There will be no gear sale this year. However, I do have leotards to borrow if anyone needs one. We also have tap shoes and some hip hop shoes. Fewer ballet and jazz, but we do have some. If you’re in need, let me know. Since you can’t come in the building, we might want to take care of this now so I can meet you one on one. I also suggest you check out Sweet Peas as they always seem to have dance stuff. I can also help steer you to online stores.
DRESS CODE
I have thought about changing tights and shoes – I’ll explain more later – but have decided this is not the year to try it. We will continue with the same dress code we’ve had for several years.
WEB-SITE
With this extra time, I have updated the website. It will be a place where you can read newsletters like this, see old items, like Dress Codes. And as soon as it’s final, I will post the schedule there. It’s a work in progress, but if you want to check it out, it’s easy to find:
sitkastudioofdance.com Many thanks to Clarice Johnson for setting up the website in the first place!
REGISTRATION
The last big change is this: registration will be online. I am working on setting up the program now. You should be able to update your personal info, register for classes, and set up autopay on your credit card. This is the same system I’ve been using except I’ve been entering everything for you. This way you can update it yourself. You will be given a parent portal access code and should be able to find lots of good things online. I’m still exploring everything it can do, but I’m excited. It will take me some time to get the system ready and I can’t start until the schedule is finalized, so give me another week or so and I’ll send out the link. Or maybe I’ll put it on the web-site. Hmmm. That would be nice.
MISS YOU
I miss you all very much and can’t wait to see everyone. I have been dancing in the studio a little bit these last few weeks and it feels GREAT! I can’t wait to be there with you!
THANK YOU
I’d like to thank you from the very bottom of my heart for sticking with us during the spring. It’s been really hard on all of us, I know. I feel confident that we have plans to be a s safe as possible.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with questions or concerns. I am here to help.
Melinda.
RECITAL
Our postponed recital is still on hold as Roger has not made any decisions about the PAC yet. We will wait for him and then make our decisions. Remember participating in the postponed recital is optional, I don’t expect everyone will want to proceed. I just want to offer the option if possible.