Dear Circus Center community members,
I hope this message finds you in good health and good spirits. This message is to update you regarding how Circus Center is preparing for the potential impact of COVID-19, also referred to as the "coronavirus."
What if I'm sick?
As a student at Circus Center, please don't come to train if you are sick. This is especially true if you are exhibiting a fever, cough, sore throat, or even minor cold symptoms. It may be a cold, but it may not be, and allowing yourself to rest will be important. Thank you for helping reduce the spread of illness within our community.
We have recently updated our policies to be more accommodating of students' health issues:
- Adult Class Drop-Ins
- All drop-in class credits and packs have a 1-year expiration date – plenty of time to recover from even a serious illness or injury and come back to training.
- If you early cancel (>24 hrs in advance of class), you always get your drop-in credit back.
- [3/5/2020 edit] TEMPORARY POLICY CHANGE: If you have to late cancel (<24 hrs in advance or up to 1 week after the class has occurred) due to illness, we do not currently require a doctor's note. Just contact the Front Desk as soon as possible to have your credit reinstated. Credits will retain their original expiration date. (For more on this temporary policy change, read our blog post.)
- Session enrollments (adult & youth after-school)
- Adult session enrollments come with a bonus class credit that you can use for any reason, including to make up for a class missed due to illness
- Medical withdrawal: If a medical situation arises that will prevent you from participating for the rest of the session, Circus Center will credit 50% of the remaining pro-rated tuition to your account for future use. A medical doctor's note specifying the initial date of the illness/injury is required for medical withdrawal.
Prevention
Under the leadership of our Facility Manager Jives, we are taking extra steps to clean and sanitize our facility. I have approved additional hours for cleaning staff, and our Board is assisting us with stocking up on the necessary supplies.
The most important prevention measures, however, are those that all of us can take as individuals. COVID-19 is in the family of viruses that cause the common cold, so symptoms and prevention measures are similar.
To help prevent the spread of germs:
- Wash hands frequently
- Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth
- Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, using a tissue, sleeve, or facemask
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Get a flu shot (recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older)
(Please note, this is considered good general advice from the CDC, but please consult with a medical professional for advice that is specific to the needs of your family.)
Potential Closures
Circus Center occupies a San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) building through an agreement with the City & County of San Francisco. Therefore, SFUSD is our primary authority for determining whether and when we close as part of a general response to an emergent event, whether it's an earthquake, poor air quality due to wildfires, or preventing the spread of a disease like COVID-19. SFUSD, in turn, takes its direction from local, state, and federal authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Bottom line, if the schools close, we close.
The other closure scenario would not be general, but specific to Circus Center: if a COVID-19 case is detected that impacts us – for example, someone known to be sick with the disease has been in our facility. In such a case, we will follow SFUSD protocols to work directly with the San Francisco Department of Public Health to evaluate exposure risk and make decisions regarding quarantine/closure for the general health and safety of our entire community.
To learn more about what the City and SFUSD are doing to prepare, along with other helpful resources, please click: https://www.sfusd.edu/services/health-wellness/updates-regarding-covid-19
Circus Center takes the wellbeing of our students, staff, and community very seriously. We are monitoring this situation on a daily basis, and we will keep you posted if and when things change.
Sincerely,
Barry Kendall
Executive Director