New Start Date: Monday 1/17
Dear PAA Families,
We hope this email finds you safe and healthy. We’re very excited to start the spring session classes, hold auditions for our spring productions, and have your student back at PAA on County Line! However, due to the dramatic and rapid increase in COVID 19 cases in our area this week, we have made the decision to delay the start of the semester. Activities will now begin the week of January 17. We are hopeful that this sharp rise in cases will be short lived using the trajectory of cases in New York as an example.
If you are currently enrolled, please check your inboxes for an important message from Ms. Sam.
If you haven’t registered yet, you should! We have an incredible line up of classes and excited and energetic teaching artists waiting for you. Spring Class Schedule
Additionally, I’d also like to take a moment to state PAA’s safety protocols and procedures at our County Line locaiton:
- Face coverings are currently required for all students, staff, and faculty
- Each studio has an HVAC system with a MERV 13 filtration unit that is designed to capture Coronavirus particles.
- The air change rate in each studio is between 2.5 and 4 times an hour (I measured)
- As added safety features, each studio has a top rated large Honeywell air purifier with a HEPA filter that is also designed to filter out coronavirus particles as well as ceiling fans designed to continually move the air during each class and rehearsal
While in class/rehearsal:
- Students will be socially distanced as much and as often as possible
- Students are encouraged to use hand sanitizer as often as possible (sanitizing stations are located in each studio and space)
- Class capacities are limited to the number of persons per room as guided by the science and data I’ve been using since August of 2020 for indoor spaces
- Students are given more frequent breaks during rehearsals to allow the aerosol to disperse rather than collect over longer periods of time
We are hopeful that the case counts for community spread will wane significantly over the next few weeks. In doing so, we will adjust our protocols for safety accordingly but please note that I will always err on the side of caution. Our students’ safety is our top priority.
Thank you for your patience and support as we all navigate these unprecedented times. Here’s to a BETTER and Happier New Year!
Sincerely,
Dr. James Ramsey
Executive Director
