COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN
Parking Lot
Check-In
Check-Out
Illness
Students
Face Coverings
Due to Pennsylvania’s universal face coverings order:
Lobby / Studio
Tiny Toes (Little Shamrocks, Little Leprechauns, Tir Na Nog)
Class Scheduling
Classroom Methods
Restroom
Cleaning
Maintaining Healthy Environments
Staff
COVID-19 Symptoms or Positive Test
Contact & Questions
Mask Recommendations
Everyone entering Hooley School of Irish Dance must agree with, and follow, our COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan which may change at any time.
Last Updated: March 18, 2021
Parking Lot
- There will be additional outdoor activity as dancers check in/out. Please drive slowly and cautiously through our parking lot.
Check-In
- Shamrock, Leprechaun, and Tir Na Nog students may enter the building with a guardian 5 or less minutes before the start of class. Please do not enter more than 5 minutes early, as we are not ready to accommodate more than one class in the lobby at a time. Please stay with your child until your teacher has brought them into class, at which time you may return to your car or wait in the lobby.
- All other students must wait to enter the building until our staff meets them outside for the check in process at the start of their class time (i.e. at 6pm for a 6pm class). Please do not line up early, as we need to ensure the previous class has finished checking out before you line up. Masks must be worn outside while waiting at the front entrance.
- By entering our building for class, you are asserting that you:
- Feel comfortable with, and agree to abide by, the Health and Safety Plan we have in place (our COVID plan is subject to change).
- You do not have ANY symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat, nausea, nasal congestion, acute fatigue, chills, headache, diarrhea, runny nose, muscle aches, cough (new), trouble breathing/shortness of breath, loss of taste, loss of smell. (If you have ANY of these symptoms, you must stay home 48 hours - 10 days. Check our FLOW CHART to see how long).
- You have not tested positive for COVID, or had close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 14 days.
- Dancers are encouraged to use hand sanitizer upon entering the building.
Check-Out
- Dancers will pick up their belongings and walk out of the building at their class end time.
- Children 7 and under must be met outside by the same parent/guardian who dropped them off.
- Children 8 and older may be optionally met by a parent, or proceed straight to their car. Parents, please discuss with your 8+ year old child how you intend to handle this.
Illness
- Dancers and staff must stay home if you have any symptoms. Check our FLOW CHART to see how long you must wait before returning to the studio.
- Dancers and staff must stay home if you have tested positive, or have had COVID-like symptoms, within the past 14 days.
- Dancers and staff must stay home if you have had close contact with a person who has tested positive, or has had COVID-like symptoms, within the past 14 days.
- We will be taking temperatures of everyone entering the studio using a non-contact, infrared thermometer.
- Anyone with a temperature of 100.4F or above will be asked to leave the studio.
Students
- Don’t forget to bring your water bottle for 45+ minute classes! (Won't be used in 30 minute classes). Our water fountain is closed.
- Please do not bring food in the building.
- Please bring only what you need. If bringing in more than a mask and water bottle, please make sure the rest of your things are contained in a bag. WINTER REMINDERS - Coats, hats, etc must be kept inside your bags once you get inside.
- Shoe changes will take place on our lobby benches, which will be wiped down between classes.
Face Coverings
Due to Pennsylvania’s universal face coverings order:
- Everyone, 2 years and older, must wear a face covering.
- Face coverings include any mask or face covering of both the nose and mouth. At this time, face shields are not permitted.
- All dancers MUST wear face coverings throughout the entire class, even while dancing. UPDATE COMING - Effective May 10, we will be permitting dancers to remove their masks in the classroom while dancing.
- Students and staff must wear face coverings while entering and exiting the dance rooms, bathroom, and anytime 6 feet of social distancing is not possible.
Lobby / Studio
- Parents/guardians, siblings, and family members MUST wait outside. We do provide an exception to our Little Shamrock, Leprechaun, and Tir Na Nog classes (ages 2-7) - 1 parent per family may wait inside during these 30 minute classes. If you have more than 1 person waiting, i.e. a sibling, you must email us for special permission. We are closely monitoring the number of people in our lobby at one time. Parents with dancers ages 8+ or advanced dancers may email for an exception to wait in the lobby if they have an extenuating circumstance.
- For ages 8+ and all dancers in advanced levels, the lobby is closed.
- Everyone entering the lobby/studio must use hand sanitizer and wear a face covering.
- We have signs inside our building promoting protective measures.
Tiny Toes (Little Shamrocks, Little Leprechauns, Tir Na Nog)
- Parents of Little Shamrock, Leprechauns, and Tir Na Nog (ages 2-7), you have the option to wait in your car OR 1 parent per family may wait in our lobby. If your dancer cannot use the restroom on their own, please wait inside as we do not accompany them to the restroom if they need to go.
- Please double check your contact info listed in our Parent’s Portal – this is the cell phone number we will call if your child needs you.
- If someone else is bringing your child to class, please hand us a piece of paper at the start of class listing their name and cell phone.
- If you are waiting in the parking lot, we will call you if your child requests your help to use the restroom, or if your child is crying and our initial efforts to console them aren’t working. We want to make sure your child feels comfortable and safe!
- If requested to enter the building for your child, you must wear a face covering.
Class Scheduling
- 5 minutes is scheduled between classes to allow one group to leave before the next group enters.
- We use staggered class scheduling to prevent both classrooms from entering/exiting at the same time.
- Dancers will stay in their classroom only - i.e. not go between two classrooms in one night - to minimize risk.
- All classes Tir Na Nog - Championship levels (just not Shamrocks, Leprechauns, or Adult Beginners) are offered with our in-person/zoom HYBRID program. Anytime you're ill or uncomfortable coming in-person, you may attend class online.
- In-person makeup classes are an option as long as it is pre-approved in advance, there is space in the class, and it is with the dancer’s same level (i.e. Opens may not makeup in Prelims class).
Classroom Methods
- Students will dance within their 7x7 marked squares, or in aisles 7 feet part. We additionally have them take turns moving around or across the room.
- Our space allows for, at a minimum, 49 square feet per person in the room at all times (Pennsylvania recommends minimum 36 square feet per person). Most classes will have 64+ square feet per dancer.
- Keeping all dancers plus the instructor at least 6 feet apart at all times, we can allow a max of up to 18 dancers in the Blue Room and 12 dancers in the Green Room. However, for all classes we have opted to cap at less than this max cap to ensure ease of social distancing.
- We will temporarily minimize the shared use of exercise equipment, etc, and each object will be wiped down after each use if being shared among dancers.
Restroom
- Students should go to the restroom before coming into the studio.
- Restrooms will be wiped down once a day.
- Shamrock & Leprechaun parents are encouraged to wait in the lobby if their dancer will need their assistance to use the restroom (we do not accompany them).
Cleaning
- We have plenty of cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer in supply.
- Frequently touched surfaces (door handles, bathrooms, tables, etc) will be cleaned and disinfected daily before classes begin.
- The whole studio will get a deep clean once a week.
- Staff should use gloves when removing garbage bags or disposing of trash. Wash hands after removing gloves.
Maintaining Healthy Environments
- We will use air conditioning and/or heating. Our system has been updated to include air filters with a MERV 13 rating which filters out COVID-19, and additionally we have added UV coils which kills viruses before recirculating the air.
- Dancers and parents may not bring food into the building.
- Signs have been posted for the national distress hotline: 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746.
Staff
- Staff will call off, with as much advance notice as possible, if they are feeling cough, fever, or other symptoms. Every attempt will be made to find a substitute. If we can’t find one, the class will be canceled and notified by email. If the class is canceled under 24 hours, a text notification will additionally be sent.
- Teachers have a tight schedule to keep for the students and we regret they will not be available to speak with parents or answer questions between classes. Please direct all of your questions to crystal@hooleyirishdance.com.
- If a staff member is sick or tests positive for COVID-19, they will have the option to work from home during their quarantine.
COVID-19 Symptoms or Positive Test
- If a dancer or staff develops COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 and was at the studio within 48 hours of showing symptoms or testing positive, they must contact Crystal Carper immediately so that action can be taken:
- The studio will close for 24 hours and then be deep-cleaned (or if more than 24 hours has already passed, it will be deep-cleaned immediately without need to close).
- If anyone was potentially exposed, they will be notified as soon as we are made aware.
- Dancers on quarantine may attend their classes on zoom, or do an in-person makeup later.
Contact & Questions
- Teachers have a lot of additional work to do at the studio with these new safety measures, so we regret they will not be available to speak with parents or answer questions between classes. Please direct all of your questions to crystal@hooleyirishdance.com.
- Anyone who has COVID-19 concerns should immediately contact Owner & Director Crystal Carper. 717-271-8611, or crystal@hooleyirishdance.com.
Mask Recommendations
- We often have dancers ask for mask recommendations for best breathability while dancing. While we cannot give you recommendations, we can tell you that many of our dancers have been very satisfied with:
- Mask Brackets. These line the inside of whatever mask you use to keep it from getting sucked in when you breath heavily. www.etsy.com/listing/852383098/3d-face-mask-bracket-lipstick-protection?ref=yr_purchases
- Disposable masks. Most of our dancers prefer these as the most lightweight option, and affordable. https://www.amazon.com/disposable-face-masks/s?k=disposable+face+maskswww.amazon.com/disposable-face-masks/s?k=disposable+face+masks
- Under Armour Sports masks. Soft fabric, lightweight. https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/p/ua-sportsmask/1368010.html?start=0&breadCrumbLast=Face%20Masks%2C%20Hoods%20%26%20Gaiters
Everyone entering Hooley School of Irish Dance must agree with, and follow, our COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan which may change at any time.
Last Updated: March 18, 2021