Dear MSF Families,
What a unique and interesting start to the year we are having! We are talking of course about the COVID-19 Corona Virus. We are writing to you to inform you of the steps and measures the MSF team are taking or may have to take, to ensure that our studio remains a safe space and you or your child’s happy place.
Main St Funk will continue to listen and follow the advice given by the government bodies and so at this stage (13/03/20) Main St Funk will remain open, with all classes running as normal but with added procedures in place, with our student’s health and wellbeing in mind.
WHAT WE ASK OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO DO:
- Don’t come to dancing when sick. Keep your child home from dancing if they display cold, flu, gastro or otherwise contagious symptoms. If you’re sick but your child is well, please consider dropping your child off at dancing and picking up after class, rather than waiting for them in the studio or have another adult take them to dance that week. Keep sick siblings home too.
- Stay home for the recommended 14 day isolation period if you have traveled to any of the affected countries. Inform the MSF team if this is what you are doing and if you have recently traveled.
- Bring your own drink bottle. In an effort to reduce the spread of germs, MSF will no longer provide communal cups and glasses for drink breaks. Bottles of water will be available to purchase for those who forget. Don’t share bottles with another student. Mums and Dads who would like a tea or coffee, please BYO cup.
- Practice effective handwashing and encourage your children to do the same. Soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. Try to wash your hands on arrival at dancing.
- Refrain from human to human contact. Limit hugs, holding hands, etc.
WHAT WE HAVE ASKED OUR TEACHERS TO DO
- Refrain from student-student contact and teacher-student contact. This means no holding hands, partner work, no hugs or hi-5s, etc.
- Refrain from the use of props and refrain from the use of the ballet barre. As these are high traffic areas. Ballet teachers have been advised to disinfect the ballet barre before and after class if it is a vital necessity in their lesson plan.
- Extra vigilance with disinfecting equipment, including the acro mat, between classes.
- Call in sick. We have asked our teachers to take extra caution and to stay home when sick, even when they might usually be capable of choosing to push through with their classes. Please be understanding and remember by calling in sick, your teachers are practicing their duty of care. This may mean substitute teachers will be called in to take classes or classes may be canceled.
WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN AT THE STUDIO
- We are closely monitoring the situation and will take action as advised to do so by the government and also keeping in mind decisions made by our local schools, childcares, and kindergartens.
- We uphold a high level of hygiene and cleanliness. We have increased our weekly professional clean to twice weekly and on the “in-between” days the studio is maintained by the MSF team, including but not limited to mopping, vacuuming and disinfecting common areas including the bathroom and toilet.
- We have removed all communal items. Including cups, glasses, and cutlery.
- Water bottles will be for sale. For those who forget their own as it is important to remain hydrated.
- We will show understanding towards absences. We understand the extra caution you will take when you and/or your child are sick so we understand a lower attendance rate than usual.
- We will get on with it. The show must go on as they say and we will not take any drastic measures unless it is necessary to do so. We ask that if your child is well, they continue to take their dance classes as normal (following the above guidelines) because, during stressful times, children thrive off normality, structure, and consistency. We acknowledge that closure may be a possibility and so coming to dance class, whilst it is still available to them, is more important for their progress and to ensure they don’t fall behind.
Please know, this email was in an effort to reassure you and not to panic you. We will continue to keep you informed and we hope that our studio can be a place of calm for you and your children.
So for now, let’s kick up our feet and keep dancing!
Kristie, Carla, and Chloe.
