COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN

Parking Lot

• There will be additional outdoor activity as dancers check in/out. Please drive slowly and cautiously through our parking lot.

Check-In

• 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.  
• Students will line up, wearing face coverings, on the outdoor X spaces at their assigned class time. Children 7 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children 8 and over may optionally line up on their own or with a parent.
• We have up to 5 check-in waiting spots that are under a roof. If it’s raining, you can wait in your car – we can check in the first 5 dancers and once those check-in spots open up the next 5 can approach the building.
• Hooley staff will ask the dancers:
  • Do you feel comfortable with, and agree to abide by, the Health and Safety Plan we have in place?
  • Do you have any symptoms such as cough or fever, or feel otherwise ill?
  • Have you tested positive for COVID, or have you had close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 14 days?
• Hooley staff will check the temperature of each dancer using a non-contact, infrared thermometer. It is possible to get a false high temperature reading if the child has been out in the sun for some time, so we recommend staying in your air-conditioned car until check-in time.
• If cleared, the dancer will proceed inside into their classroom (and parents can return to their cars).
• Dancers will use hand sanitizer upon entering the building, then may take their face covering off as they enter their class.

Check-Out

• Dancers will put on their face coverings, use hand sanitizer, pick up their belongings, and walk out of the building up to a few minutes before their scheduled class end-time (i.e. between 6:55-7pm for a 6-7pm class).
• Children 7 and under must be met outside by the same parent/guardian who dropped them off. Parents, please wait on the social distancing marked spots to, starting 5 minutes before the class end time.
• 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 a cough, fever or are sick.
• 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.
• 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, shield or covering of both the nose and mouth.
• Students and staff are not required to wear face coverings while actively engaged in dancing. We are concerned about the health risk posed to dancers doing heavy exercise with a mask on because it could make it difficult for that dancer to breath, so we encourage each family to do their own research and make a decision they are comfortable with.
• 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.
• Students can place their face coverings on the table provided at their classroom entrance, or in their dance bag which would be placed on this same table. Tables will be wiped down between each class.

Lobby / Studio

• The lobby/studio will be limited to registered students and staff.
• Parents/guardians, siblings, and family members must wait outside.
• Everyone entering the lobby/studio must use hand sanitizer, wear a face covering, and have their temperature checked.
• We have signs inside our building promoting protective measures.

Tiny Toes (Little Shamrocks, Little Leprechauns, Tir Na Nog)

• Parents of Tiny Toes levels, please stay in the parking lot during your child’s class.
• 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.
• 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 and have your temperature checked before entering.

Class Scheduling

• 5 minutes is scheduled between each class for teachers to wipe down surfaces.
• We will use staggered class scheduling to prevent both classrooms from entering/exiting at the same time.
• Class times will include check in/check out procedures. For example, if your class is listed as 6-7pm, you will check in at 6pm, and check out must be completed with all children back to their parents by 7pm.
• Each dancer will be placed only with other dancers from their same level, and will not mix with other levels to help minimize risk.
• We will offer zoom classes for anyone who is at higher risk or not ready to return to the studio. There must be at least 4 students signed up for the zoom class to operate. 
• 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.
• 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.
• While dancing full rounds, only 2 dancers may use the full floor at once while the rest of the dancers must remain on our social distancing spots (or up to 4 in the blue room, if using both sides of the room).
• 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 majority of classes we have opted to cap at less than this max cap to ensure ease of social distancing.
• Because we do not have a way to feasibly sanitize our large dance floors between classes, we will temporarily eliminate exercises that require dancers to sit on or touch the floor with their bodies or hands. Dancers will be asked to remain standing during their class unless the floor has been sanitized before class.
• 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.
• The restroom will be limited to students and staff.
• Restrooms will be wiped down once a day.
• If Tiny Toes need help in the restroom, we will call the parents cell phone. 

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.
• We will additionally be wiping down most commonly touched surfaces between each class.
• 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.
• No food may be brought into the building. Staff who are teaching more than 1 class may bring in food for between classes, but must eat away from the dancers and sanitize the area afterward.
• Signs have been posted for the national distress hotline: 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746.

Staff

• Staff must check their temperatures upon arrival at the studio, and may not start their shift if their temperature is 100.4 or higher. 
• 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 will be responsible for checking in and out their own classes, as well as wiping down all frequently touched surfaces between classes. This is a lot of additional work to complete in a short amount of time, 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.  
• 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 zoom class (if one is in operation for their level; minimum numbers do apply), or do a 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. 

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: July 6, 2020