Covid-19 Instructor Guidelines

Updated July 1, 2020
Written by Ashley Reisinger, Edited by Birkley Wisniewski
Associated Document: Covid-19 Safety Protocols for Students

Due to the ever-changing situation with covid-19 and the health protocols that must be implemented to prevent the spread of infection, we need the help of staff, students, and instructors alike to maintain a safe, clean, low-risk environment.

Please complete the Alberta Health Daily Checklist before coming in. If you are feeling sick (i.e.: sore throat, fever, cough), have recently returned from travel outside of Canada, or have been exposed to someone with Covid-19, please DO NOT come in. If you cannot find a suitable replacement instructor for your class, please contact Birkley. We will all do our best to prevent classes from being cancelled, however, health and safety is our number one priority right now and some level of missed/cancelled classes is to be expected.

Instructing will look different for in-person classes than it did pre-Covid. Expect a level of learning, experimentation, and trial and error and please be willing to be flexible as we figure out how to tackle the new restrictions together.

Protocols

Though still allowed, yelling, shouting, and cheering should be kept to a minimum. 3 metres between participants including instructors is necessary during high intensity activity, 2 metres is required minimum at all times. This distance must be maintained, including while the instructor is offering feedback/criticism.

Participants are spaced 3.5m apart to allow for sufficient distancing; the space is demarcated with dance squares that are 1.5×1.5 meters in dimension, in addition to a 2m gap between squares. It will be further necessary for everyone to help ensure above-mentioned distancing before, during, and after each session.

No one is to come to the facility if they exhibit any cold, flu, or covid-like symptoms; have been exposed to someone with covid-19; or have recently returned from travel outside of Canada.

If anyone exhibits or develops symptoms during class (exempting pre-existing conditions), the participant must immediately be separated from the rest of the class; eg) the kitchenette or a washroom. Call 811 to ask for guidance or refer to AHS guidelines. Call 911 immediately if they are experiencing severe symptoms of COVID-19, including difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, feelings of confusion or loss of consciousness. Class is to be excused; everyone present should book to be tested. Any surface they may have touched must be sanitized.

Contact Records

It is becoming increasingly necessary to keep a log of attendees at a facility (staff, students, etc.) to track close contact in the event of exposure to covid-19. As such, we would ask that you take attendance at the start of each class. Please log all attendees and staff into this spreadsheet. In addition to this, please record if and when a substitute instructor was in class.

Communicating Protocols

As an instructor, you are one of our most valuable and reliable avenues of communicating new covid-19 expectations to participants. Please continually remind participants of our protocols. If you notice any deficiency on our part (ie, staff becoming lax with social distancing or cleaning discipline), please bring it to the attention to Birkley or Reception, even if they are involved. Safety is very important. If a participant is chronically not following these protocols, even after being reminded, please also bring this our attention as they may be asked to leave.

If participants have any questions/concerns about classes, they may contact our office at dance@sugarswing.com for further information. You can let them know that online streaming will still be made available if they are uncomfortable with in-person classes or are part of the vulnerable population (i.e: seniors, those who are immunocompromised).

Instructor Checklist

  • Check yourself: self assess for Covid-19 like symptoms before coming to the ballroom. If you “fail” the screening, or exhibit symptoms on the day of classes, please find a replacement instructor or contact Birkley if unable to do so.
  • Sanitize equipment (aux cord, mixer, computer, keyboards, mics, etc.) before and after using
  • Ensure any shared equipment between participants is properly sanitized before, between, and after each use
  • Take attendance at the start of class with this spreadsheet. Update for latecomers
  • Remind participants of covid-19 protocols (as follows) at the start of class:
  1. Self-assess if you have Covid-19 or should otherwise not be entering the facility using the Alberta Health daily checklist each time you come, available online at Alberta.ca
  2. Generally stay in the demarcated squares No switching squares unless sanitized first. Keep belongings and change shoes near dance square in order to reduce traffic
  3. Bring your own filled water bottle (preferably labelled) for hydration. The kitchens are staff-only and our dishware is not to be used.
  4. Wash/sanitize your hands before and after class. You are welcome to use your own sanitizer. Sanitizer is available at the studio in the washrooms and elsewhere. Our sanitizing spray may be used on hands, skin, toilet, faucets, and equipment.
  5. Refrain from touching your face, mouth, nose, eyes
  6. Shouting, cheering, yelling is to be kept to a minimum
  7. You are encouraged to wear a mask. It is not recommended to wear a mask during more intense physical activity as it can impede proper air flow & breathing and promote more facial touching
  8. Please try not to linger in the building more than is necessary, as staff also need to clean and sanitize between classes. You are generally allowed to arrive up to 10 minutes before and leave within 10 minutes after class ends.
  9. Generally, be spatially aware of others at all times to allow for proper social distancing. Please refrain from crowding/bottle necking in the hallways, coat rooms, stairwells, parking lots, etc. 
  10. Use contactless payment as much as possible; Enrollment and registration discussion should be done online or over email/phone
  11. The spaces are being sanitized and cleaned between classes/sessions. Session start times are being staggered. We are allowing a time gap of 30 minutes between sessions to allow for entering, cleaning, and exiting
  • During class, monitor participants to ensure they are following health protocols and not exhibiting symptoms
  • After class, encourage participants to stagger exit and not bottleneck in the hallways, boot rooms, coat areas, etc. Remind participants of the flow of traffic (which door to enter and exit through) and allow time for staff to clean between classes