UPAC COVID-19 Safe Studio Policy
Here at UPAC we are committed, first and foremost, the safety and wellbeing of our entire community; staff, students, parents, family members and friends. Below outlines our return to studio and in-person class Safe Studio Policy. We have covered almost every scenario imaginable to ensure we can provide both our staff and families with the safest environment possible under the current climate.
Drop-off and Pick-up only- We are adopting a drop-off and pick-up at the door policy for ages 6 and up! Parents of ages 18mo-5yrs old will be able to come into studio with a MASK on and drop off and pick up their child. Parents will not be permitted to enter the studio building unless your child is 18mo-5yrs. Students ages 6+ will be escorted in by a staff member and will report directly to their allocated studio after sanitizing their hands
Staggered class times- Classes have and will be spaced to allow each class to leave before the next enters the building. If your child has classes back-to-back they will be permitted to stay in the building during this break. They will wait in the foyer while each studio is disinfected and be required to re-sanitize their hands in between
Hand Hygiene—Sanitizing Station at Studio Entry- There is a sanitizing station at the entry/exit to the studio and ALL students and staff will be required to use this station upon entry and exit from the building. Hands must be washed with soap and water after using the bathrooms and teaching staff will be asking any students who use the bathroom to do so
No Physical Contact- We have adopted a ‘no hugs’ and ‘no touching’ policy within the studio. We understand this will be extremely hard as the first thing we will all want to do is to hug each other when we get to see everyone in person again, however, to keep everyone as safe and germ free as possible we will have to make sure we wave, jump and get excited, with space between us! If you are ok with physical contact, please let us know!
Coughing and Sneezing-Students are encouraged to cough into their elbow or use a tissue and dispose of it immediately. Tissues will be supplied in every studio for this use and bins will be enclosed and emptied regularly to dispose of these germs. We understand everyone sneezes and coughing is inevitable, however, if your child has a cough please keep them home.
Are you sick?- Students who are ill in any way must stay home and not attend their classes. If your child has or has had a temperature/fever within the last 24-48 hours, please keep them home. If your child has any respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, temperature/fever, fatigue, sore throat, irregular aches and pains, headache, shortness of breath), regardless of how mild, they are required to stay home and not attend their In-person dance class. You will be able to access your classes via zoom from home. If COVID-19 starts spreading in our community anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever needs to stay at home. You should also stay home if you have had to take simple medications, such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection. Students at the Studio experiencing symptoms compatible with COVID-19 will be isolated with supervision and be provided a mask. Students Parent/Carer will be contacted, and the student will be required to be collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible. Has your child or someone in your family been diagnosed COVID-19 positive and your student has attended DU in the past 7 days? Please refer to section 7 of our Safe Studio Policy and notify the studio IMMEDIATELY
Social Distancing -All students and staff are required to maintain social distancing measures by maintaining distance apart at all times. Floors have been marked to ensure these distancing measures are maintained.
Use of Face Masks-Face masks are not mandatory at UPAC while in classroom. Face mask are not mandated for any child under 10 but is up to the parents. Anyone over age of 10 must wear a mask in the lobby, bathrooms or while changing dance rooms. UPAC mask will be available for purchase to any student who requests one. For a face mask to be effective it needs to be secured firmly around the mouth and nose with minimal to no spaces for airborne droplets to get in. If you plan to use face masks regularly you will need to invest in multiple disposable masks to ensure their efficacy. It is essential the mask is worn correctly and disposed of as soon as it becomes moist or after coughing or sneezing. Masks will help to minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19, however they will not ensure you are prevented from contracting the virus and should be used with the understanding of how to apply and take off the masks to minimize risk of infection during this process. Appropriate hand hygiene and minimize how much you touch you face, eyes and nose is still the best form of safety against contracting the virus.
Infrared Temperature Checks-Temperature Checks of all students on entry to the Studio building. Any student who returns a reading of 99.6 or higher will be isolated in the shop and provided a face mask. --A Parent or Care giver will be contacted and the student will be required to be picked up as soon as possible. Students will be able to reattend the studio after returning to dance fever free for 2 days (provided they show no COVID-19 symptoms that require 14 days isolation
Water - All students are required to bring their own water bottle from home. We will not be providing cups or
allowing students to drink from the taps. Students will keep their water bottles in their ‘zones’ with them, they will not be placed on our drink shelves due to proximity and cross-contamination risks.
Studio Safe Policy Consent -All families are required to read and sign our UPAC Waiver/ Studio Policy Document before your student will be allowed to re-enter the studio. This was in your online enrolment form
This ensures everyone is aware of the procedures and policies in place to keep our community and families as safe as possible. If you have any concerns with any of the requirements and policies, these must be sent to us via email and a resolution sought before your child is able to enter the studio
Rolls and Attendance -Rolls and attendance will be taken every lesson to ensure records of attendance are maintained and if necessary, contact tracing can occur. This will allow us to know who is in the building at all times and in the event of a positive COVID-19 case we will be able to take appropriate action to notify and isolate anyone at risk. For more details in regard to a potential positive COVID-19 case in the building. Students in multiple Classes - Staying in the Studio Between Classes. Students who have back-to-back classes in an afternoon will be permitted to stay in the studio between these classes. Students will be required to wait in the foyer while the studio is disinfected and to reapply hand sanitizer before entering the studio for their second class. Students who have multiple classes in an afternoon but have a ‘gap’ between them will be unable to remain at the studio during this gap/break. This is due to strict maximum capacity requirements within the building and unfortunately, we will be unable to accommodate the extra student numbers in the foyer while other classes run. Students are asked to only bring the dance items they require, minimal items and no personal items such as IPads, toys, other devices. These items have the potential to spread germs and should, where possible, remain at home and not be brought into the studio.
Studio Set up and Safety- Students will be dropped off via the front door. The studio has a sanitizing station at the entry and exit for all students and staff to use. Sanitizer is also available and can be used in each studio. Disinfectant spray and wipes will be used on all hard surfaces regularly. Tissues and bins are accessible in all studios and in the lobby. Each studio is stocked with hand and surface sanitizing spray and disinfectant wipes Posters and signage posted around the studio must be followed and adhered to. This includes hand sanitation, social distancing, no-touching policy and cough and sneezing management
Closed Lobby - Our lobby remains closed, and no parents, care giver or family members will be permitted. This is to maintain social distancing and limited group gathering numbers set out by the state and federal government. The chairs have been removed and replaced with spaced out minimal seating. This is only for the use of students who have classes back to back and will be required to wait in between classes while studios are disinfected. Our studios are marked out studios maintain Social Distancing. Each studio has been marked out with tape to ensure each student maintain 6ft apart whilst dancing. Students are required to stay within their allocated space while dancing.
Restrooms The Restrooms are marked out for social distancing. A limit of 2 students per class is allowed to the bathroom at any one time. Students and staff are required to wash their hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20seconds after using the restroom
Staff- Staff will be enforcing (as much as it breaks our hearts) our no contact policy. Please discuss these policies with your child before returning to the studio so they understand why we aren’t allowed to hug or high five at the moment. We will be using other ways to show our studio love and are looking forward to sharing these with the students on return to the studio. All students and families will be informed with sufficient time via email and text message if this is to occur. In the event a teacher is too unwell to teach their classes a replacement teacher will be sought, and classes will run as normal in the studio
Office/Administration -Our physical office will be attended during classes where maximum capacity permits, parents/care giver are not permitted inside the building during class hours due to maximum capacity levels. The UPAC office/administration will be manned remotely Monday to Friday and you can contact us preferably via email.
Payments can be made via autopay through your Parents Portal.
Studio Cleaning - All hard surfaces and equipment will be disinfected with Micro Defence >75% v/v alcohol Sanitizing spray (WHO recommended formula) and wiped down before and after every class. This includes Barres, stereo equipment, door handles and light switches. The lobby and administration desks and surfaces will be wiped down every hour. Front door handles and sanitizing station will be disinfected in between each group of student’s entry and exit to and from the building. Restrooms will be disinfected and cleaned each hour and all surfaces wiped down Soap is available at every basin to ensure all students are able to wash their hands with soap and water after using the restrooms and will be refilled regularly. Paper towel is provided and a bin to dispose of paper towel after washing hands. Each evening the entire studio will be cleaned and disinfected, all surfaces wiped, and studios cleaned
Each week the studio will be professionally deep cleaned by a contract cleaning company and this frequency will be reviewed regularly and increased if necessary
Positive COVID-19 Case at UPAC -Students/Family Requirements
If you (or a family member) are diagnosed COVID-19 positive and have been in/at the studio within the last 7 days, you must isolate immediately and are required to inform the studio of your diagnosis as soon as possible.
Families will be notified All families will be informed by email within 12hours of a COVID-19 positive case having attended the studio. Anyone within close contact will be contacted directly. Students/staff within close contact of the confirmed case will be contacted via email, text and phone call and will be required to self-isolate as per the government recommendations and requirements. Confidentiality of personal details of students/families involved will be maintained and only pertinent information relevant to ensure the safety of all our UPAC students and families will be provided to our UPAC community. This includes what class the student/staff attended and what day and time.
