HAT ACADEMY OPERATIONS PLAN SUMMER 2021
SUMMARY AND ASSUMPTIONS:
Since 2016, arts education and learning has been an essential part of our programming. With the threat of COVID-19, the Highland Arts Theatre and affiliated HAT Academy have spent the past year rigorously re-defining our practices and procedures and developing new guidelines for operation that will ensure the safety of all involved.
After a successful Spring 2021 Semester, we are thrilled to have received confirmation from Dr. Strang and the Health Authority of Nova Scotia that summer day camp programmes will be able to continue operating and the following is our current plan for re-opening.
In the weeks leading up to the start of camps we undergo training with all new Staff to ensure everyone is thoroughly prepared. We are confident that our team will have what is needed to keep everyone safe and operate these programmes to the highest standards of public health while ensuring a fun creative learning environment for all involved.
We present this plan under the umbrella of the public health guidelines for Nova Scotia and no Staff, Instructors, or Campers will be able to come onsite if they answer yes to any of the Questions listed in Appendix A (COVID Screening Questions).
Further, we will accept no more than 10 Campers in each class. Each week, there will be multiple classes operating independently within their own isolated classroom of the Academy building.
We understand that in putting our plan in place, it will be vital throughout our daily operations to ensure proper handwashing, good hygiene, contact traceability, and stringent recordkeeping, by all.
While we want everyone to have a good time, we must be explicitly strict about the guidelines and practises covered in this plan. We will have a “Two Strike” rule firmly in place: if any Camper deliberately disobeys a Staff Member on matters of health, they will be asked to correct their behaviour once and if it happens again they will be required to go home. See our Behaviour Policy and Refund Policy for more information.
Finally, we want to affirm that these policies are a living document. We will revise as necessary based on new information that is revealed about the nature of COVID-19 and on-going updates from national and provincial health guidelines. We recognize that if there is an increase in cases in the province, any operations may be required to cease.
CONTACT TRACING
We will ensure all families understand that attendance at camp means that they may be part of contact tracing information provided to the government.
Infection Mitigation Coordinator:
▪ Coordinate with, communicate, and help implement public health guidelines.
▪ Develop and implement event health plans.
▪ Ensure that existing safety plans are modified for compatibility with new health plans.
▪ Oversee Staff training that applies current information about hazards and infection control measures, including social distancing, handwashing, and disinfecting high-touch surfaces.
▪ Determine if a Staff member or Camper may safely enter the event space when there is a health concern.
PROVINCIAL GUIDELINES
We will be following Provincial guidelines at all times when operating our Summer Semester of camp. We are aware that these guidelines can change at any time and our Operations Plan and practices will be updated to reflect this.
Current guidelines that are relevant to our programmes:
Requirements for Self-Isolation
You’re legally required to self-isolate for 14 days if you:
▪ are waiting for your COVID-19 test results
▪ have tested positive for COVID-19
▪ have tested negative for COVID-19, but had close contact with someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19
▪ have been told by Public Health that you may have been exposed and need to self-isolate
▪ are returning from travel outside Atlantic Canada, even if you don't have symptoms
This means that if you are Self-Isolating for any of these reasons, you will not be able to attend classes.
(https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/restrictions-and-guidance/#self-isolation-requirements)
POLICIES ON ILLNESS IN OUR FACILITY
Staff Members
▪ All Staff must notify the Education Coordinator and stay home from work if they have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that are not explained by another medical condition.
▪ If a Staff Member exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 upon arrival to work, or becomes sick during the class time, they will be separated from Campers and other Staff and sent home or to the designated isolation area immediately.
▪ The Education Coordinator will document the Staff Member’s illness to help with contact tracing, as applicable, by filling out an Incident Report form (Appendix E).
▪ Anyone who has been in close contact with a person known to have been exposed to COVID, or whose family or friends have been exposed, should follow Provincial guidelines.
▪ Returning to Work: Staff with symptoms of COVID-19 may return to work after a negative COVID-19 test result.
▪ We will ensure Staff understand that they will be fully supported if they need to remove themselves from scheduled work without fear of reprisal.
▪ We will ensure Staff privacy during such times.
▪ We will have alternate Staff on call and available as necessary to avoid disruption of programs as best we can.
Campers
• If a Camper exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 upon arrival to camp, or becomes sick during the day, an Incident Report (Appendix E) will be filled out, the family will be immediately called for pick up.
• Any family with an ill child will be given options to ensure they do not hesitate to keep their children at home if they are ill. See our Refund and Credit Policy for more information.
• We will ask the family to inform us if symptoms persist and if there is a diagnosis of COVID-19, we will immediately inform public health, and follow guidance and provide contact tracing information.
RESPONDING TO CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19
If a Staff Member or Camper is confirmed to have COVID-19, they will immediately notify the Education Coordinator, who should do the following:
▪ Notify the local public health authority if necessary.
▪ Determine what areas of the building were visited by the positive Staff Member.
▪ Determine which other Staff had close contact with the positive Staff Member.
▪ Notify all Staff and Campers that may have had contact with an positive Staff Member and should follow Provincial Public Health Guidelines and Protocols and be tested for COVID-19.
STAFF MEMBERS
General
▪ Staff will be required to remain on site during class time.
▪ All Staff will be required to adhere to the physical distancing guidelines.
▪ The Education Coordinator will be responsible for making sure that these guidelines are being adhered to.
Staff Training
▪ We have added training to ensure all Staff are confident and competent in their roles and responsibilities to keep our community safe through our programs.
▪ We have additional cleaning regimens, and developed new activities to ensure those in our programs have a wonderful time while keeping safe and healthy.
▪ All our Staff are taught and mentored in excellent hygiene, including to practice frequent handwashing, not to touch their faces, and to practice good cough etiquette.
▪ Staff are required to complete training before starting work in the form of an Orientation Day.
▪ Staff are required to sign an understanding and compliance document at the completion of their training.
PARTICIPANT PRE-SCREENING
• Pre-screening of Campers will take place in the weeks before classes begin.
• We will ask that the Campers’ parents or guardians adhere to the following instructions:
▪ Self-screening for the presence of symptoms of COVID-19 within the past two weeks.
▪ Campers and their families are required to have not left Nova Scotia for 14 days prior to the start of camp, and to remain within the Province until the camp is completed.
• If the Campers fail to successfully follow this screening, they will be asked to not come to camp until they receive a negative test result for COVID-19. See the Refund or Credit Policy for more information.
DAILY OPERATIONS
Classroom Spaces
• Classes will all take place in the same space to limit the amount of traffic in halls and stairways and the amount of cross-contamination between groups.
• Every space will have a hand sanitizer available as well as a minimum of two washrooms.
• There will be no more than 10 Campers, one Instructor, and two Support Staff in each space and Campers will be under constant supervision.
• As per current Provincial guidelines, Campers do not have to physically distance during class time.
Physical Isolation Space
• We have designated a specific isolation space should it be necessary to remove any Camper or Staff exhibiting symptoms or due to behaviour. See our Behaviour Policy for more information.
Art, Recreation, and other Supplies
• Any larger tools/supplies will be disinfected between use.
• The organization will have disposable masks in case needed.
• The organization will have a set of full P.P.E. (gloves, mask, and face shield) in case of a Camper or Staff Member falling ill, to allow Staff to transport the Camper to the designated Isolation Space and remain with them until their family can come pick them up.
Transportation
• It will be the responsibility of the Campers' families to transport them to and from class.
• We will advise Campers’ families not to carpool to transport them unless they are following Provincial guidelines.
Camper Sign-In and Out
• Camper Sign-In and out will be held outside or in our lobby, to limit anyone coming into our classroom space that is not a Camper or Staff Member.
• Drop off will be no earlier than 15 minutes prior to camp and pick-up must be completed by 15 minutes after camp has finished.
• We will restrict drop off and pick up of a Camper to one family member. We require a list of names of who can pick up each Camper under 18 from parents/guardians prior to the start of the camp in order to keep the Campers safe.
• During Sign-In, Staff will ask Campers or any family members to confirm that they are not experiencing any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.
• Upon Sign-In and entering the building, all Campers will be required to wash their hands.
• Physical distancing will be maintained between groups and Staff will escort one group at a time into their classroom. At the end of the class, one group at a time will be led to the pick up area by Staff in order to prevent congestion.
Vocal Classes
▪ Participants will be physically distanced from the Instructor.
▪ Face Shields are mandatory for Adult vocal classes (Senior Sings, Beginner & Advanced Vocal Technique, and Private Vocal Lessons) for Participants and Instructors.
▪ There will be face shields available that will be regularly sanitized in case a Participant forgets their own, but it is the responsibility of the Participant to purchase and bring their own face shield to each class.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Our Campers are always required to wash or sanitize their hands before class, after any trips to the washroom, and before they leave for the day.
Classes
• We will not have any classes which require immediate physical contact.
• All Staff Members have been asked to modify their programs and instruction to allow for physical distancing if necessary.
Lunchtime
• Campers are required to bring their own packed lunches that do not require refrigeration or to be microwaved. Campers cannot leave the HAT Academy facility at lunchtime without a parent or guardian to sign them out.
• There will be no sharing of food or beverages.
• All lunchboxes and water bottles must be labeled with the camper’s full name.
Classroom Clean-up
• All Campers will be asked to put their own materials back into their own bags.
• At the end of each day assigned cleaning staff will clean each classroom for the next day, see Cleaning (throughout and end of day) for more information.
WASHROOM USE
Washrooms will be limited to one person at a time if physical distancing is required, with appropriate methods to encourage a safe line for those waiting. Posters with handwashing techniques are in all washrooms.
CLEANING (THROUGHOUT AND END OF DAY)
Cleaning and Disinfecting (adapted from the Event Safety Alliance Reopening Guide)
• High-touch areas will be disinfected using materials effective against COVID-19.
• End of day cleaning will consist of disinfecting all classrooms and washrooms, after which they will be inaccessible until the next day.
• The Staff room will be cleaned and disinfected at the end of the day.
• The Education Coordinator ensures that cleaning logs are carefully entered and preserved for reference.
BEHAVIOUR POLICY
Due to the severity of COVID-19 and importance of keeping our Campers safe, we are taking our behaviour policy very seriously.
▪ There is a 2-strike system in place: any Camper who purposely puts others at risk will be given one warning which will be documented in an Incident Report (Appendix E) and their parent/guardian will be contacted.
▪ After the first strike, any behaviour that purposely puts another Camper or Staff Member at risk will result in an Incident Report being completed, a parent/guardian called for immediate pick up, and the Camper isolated from the rest of the group until pick up.
▪ In these instances we will not be offering a refund.
▪ We will be guiding this policy (and all policies) from a perspective of compassion and common sense, but we are responsible for the safety of everyone involved and in the case of intentional insubordination we must be strict.
REFUND OR CREDIT POLICY
Any Camper who is identified through pre-screening as not able to come, or who must leave because they become ill will be given the option of joining the class online via Zoom, a credit toward a future camp or class, a tax-deductible charitable receipt, or a pro-rated refund for the time missed.
Rachael Murphy (she/her)
Education Coordinator, Highland Arts Theatre