We hope that this message finds you well, and that you have been staying safe during this unpredictable time. Our studio has been closely following and researching the safety recommendations for singing and music lessons, especially in small enclosed spaces like our studio building. Our school year is scheduled to begin the week of August 17th, just four short weeks away. We know the county is hard at work creating a plan to safely bring children back to school, and many of you have been given several options on how to proceed with this year. We too have been working to create a safe plan for this school year that also meets the various needs of our students.
Given the exceedingly high number of COVID-19 cases we are experiencing in our county and state, we have decided that the safest option for teachers and students is to continue virtual lessons for the first 6 weeks of school. At that point we will reevaluate the situation for all and continue to monitor and make adjustments as necessary- this may mean a return to in-person lessons or this might mean more virtual. Overall students did extremely well in virtual lessons, many teachers reported that students progressed just as well as (and in some cases more than) they did with in-person lessons. We will continue to offer virtual lessons beyond this initial 6 weeks for any students that need them- whether they are out of town, don’t have a ride, or have been sick or exposed to the sick, this is an effective option to make sure they don’t miss a week of training. Our goal is absolutely to return to in-person lessons, but we want to be mindful of the limited space of our building and the safety of our teachers and students in order to accomplish that.
Although the majority of our students did well with virtual lessons, we did notice that virtual was not as effective for students between ages 5-8. That said, we do have two teachers that will be available for in-person lessons at the outset of this year for those students that absolutely cannot do online lessons. Our safety regulations for these in-person lessons will be quite strict and every student participating will be required to sign a waiver. More details on our safety protocols and procedures will be sent out in a follow-up email. We highly encourage virtual lessons at this time, but if you feel that you or your child can only benefit from in-person lessons we do have teachers to accommodate this need. With only two teachers operating in person we will be able to stagger lesson times and limit capacity within the studio.
In these uncertain times, we are fully committed to supporting our students and parents in whatever way we can. Should a transfer to in-person lessons be more convenient for your needs and an instructor change is necessary, please know that all of us at the Leopold School fully support your choices in this regard. We want you to do whatever is best for you and your family. Below is the link to our Leopold School - Intent Form 2020-2021 with the options explained in this email. Please select one for this school year. You are always welcome to change your plan, but your quick response will assist us in creating a new schedule. Please let us know what is best for you as soon as possible. We ask that all responses be submitted by Monday, August 3rd.
In-Person/Online:
Angela Tompkins (Piano and Voice) :Wednesdays-Fridays (In-Person/Online)
Cody Austin (Voice): Wednesdays 10:00 am-3:00 pm, Thursdays, Fridays (In-Person/Online), Mondays and Tuesdays available virtually only
Online- Only (At least first 6 weeks of school):
Will Thomas Scecina
Amanda Enriquez
Tania Navarro
Colleen Schmitt
Online- Only Indefinitely
Blake Leopold
Esther Leopold
Link to Online Intent Form for 2020-2021:
https://forms.gle/uoRwSEjMteBXwXKC7
We thank you for your patience and understanding. Please stay happy and healthy!
Warmly,
Amanda Enriquez
Leopold School COVID19 Waiver |