We just wrapped up a fantastic Summer Session and are working hard behind the scenes in preparation for the upcoming Dance and Tumbling year here at MKS. The theme this year is “Voice of the King,” and we are sure that God has much to say to us this year. As our 19th year begins, we are committed to continuing to fulfill our Purpose, even if it may look and feel different than past years.
Please know that circumstances may change, and we will be working to be flexible in order to continue to:
- offer quality instruction in-person and virtually
- maintain meaningful connection with our students and provide means for them to connect with one another
- serve our families in the best way we can that will promote good physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health
all in ways that can help the studio to remain viable for years to come. Thank you for your grace as we navigate all of this!
We wanted to keep you updated on a few things that we are looking at and currently planning for in light of current conditions.
What Summer Classes looked like –
This summer we had success with smaller in-person classes (limit of 8 per class) with 6 foot squares taped off in each studio. We offered Zoom for any families who were not comfortable with in-person classes or who may have needed that option while out of town or when a student or family member may have not been feeling well that week. Students who were on Zoom participated “with” in-studio classes in real time. No recordings were taken or emailed out as we had done in May.
Instructors came to the door to invite in their students. Students went directly into their classroom and into their “square.” Parents entered the lobby if needed once all students were in, and then stepped out of the studio before the classes were released at the end of class.
Face coverings were not required for students and instructors in the classroom when social distancing was possible. Some students did choose to wear face masks, and instructors wore face coverings when proximity to students was necessary for spotting or other assistance. Our Front Desk Staff, along with all who entered the lobby, wore face masks in order to help keep transmission down (and the studio open!), as the lobby is a non-essential area of our business.
We offered two weeks of Watch Week, requesting that only 1-2 family members attend just one of the weeks to assist with promoting social distancing in the lobby area.
Building on our Experience for the School Year –
As of now, we are planning to begin the year with a similar format, with improvements and other minor changes.
We will offer in-person instruction with class limits of 9 for all classes meeting in Studio A, B or C, with the exception of 3-5 year old classes, which will have a limit of 8 as usual. There is a class limit of 16 for classes meeting in the expanded Studio B/C. We will maintain the 6 foot squares in each classroom space as long as is needed.
We have made some adjustments to our schedule to accommodate the class size numbers and have emailed classes that have been impacted by any changes. Please let us know if you noticed a change for your student and did not get that email or if you would like to make a change. See our UPDATED 2020-21 schedule here – https://mykingstudio.com/class-schedules-o-fallon-missouri-dance-class/
Zoom will be an option for those who want or need it. Although Zoom is not our preferred method of instruction (we LOVE being with our students in person!), we are so thankful for the opportunities it provides for students who want to continue their dance education and stay connected when in-person is not feasible. You can choose this option at any time, and every class will have login information sent out before the start of the school year. We plan to upgrade our virtual experience by installing televisions in each studio for improved connections with students and to better assist with technical proficiency. Instructors have the luxury of planning for virtual instruction and improving on past experience. We are also looking at sending out recordings once a month for at-home make-up class options.
If we are mandated to cease in-person gatherings due to transmissions in our community or facility, we will seamlessly move to Zoom for all classes for the time required. Please note that there will be no refunds or credits given for required virtual times. In the event of a withdrawal, we cannot guarantee a dancer’s future spot in the class, and the registration fee will be due each time a student enrolls during the 20-21 school year.
We will adjust our face covering policies as needed throughout the year in order to offer the healthiest experience possible as well as help us to keep our doors open. One thing I did notice is that face coverings for students while coming in and out of the studio may be a benefit, as students had a harder time maintaining social distancing when entering and exiting. (It is a good problem to have – our students like one another! ;))
We are not sure what Watch Weeks will look like yet, but we will keep you posted. They will most likely not happen monthly as usual, but we will offer them periodically as is possible throughout the year.
We are excited to announce that our Parent Portal is now open and available for you to log in and see your student’s enrollment information at any time. We will be updating our Policies and Procedures for the 20-21 School Year and will need everyone to log in to update those prior to the start of classes. We will send out an email later in August once those are updated for you. Here is a link to log in to the Parent Portal – https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/jr3.0/ParentPortal/Login?orgId=503852
Lastly, we are working on building a new 20-21 UPDATES landing page (you are here!) on our website for notifications throughout the school year. We will post all the details on that page and let you know if we are at:
* GREEN – open as “usual”
* YELLOW – changes have been made
* RED – move to virtual classes due to mandated closures
More details to come!