Posted: October 12, 2020.
This notice provides an update on current Act One activities.
Please be advised that Act One has made the decision to further extend class start date postponement by a further two weeks. Classes are now targeted to start the week of Monday, Oct 26th. We will review the situation again a few days prior to Oct 26th.
As part of this decision process, the school thanks the 42 students/families who were able to respond to the recent COVID survey sent to all currently registered students. This feedback played a significant role in fashioning our decision and helped us feel confident that this is in the best interests of the majority of our students. A summary of the survey results is provided below.
Act One instructors are eager to start our classes, however we also want to do so with a high degree of confidence that we can provide a safe, stable and worry-free learning environment. We do not require the pandemic to be eliminated but we do need it to at least stabilize, if not start declining again. This is essential for the school to ensure that the safety measures we put in place will remain effective in providing a high degree of protection for everyone. With the current upsurge trend in case numbers and the conflicting statements and often confusing actions by the local and provincial authorities, unfortunately the present and near future is more characterized by uncertainty and potential increasing risk.
Our understanding of the case reporting process is that, due to the time lag from getting tested, to receiving results and then tabulating and reporting on them, the numbers reported each day are more a reflection of the situation 10-14 days earlier, than on the day they are reported. Postponing two more weeks will hopefully give everyone (Act One, our students and their families) a chance to see whether Ontario is successful in reversing this negative trend, on and shortly after Thanksgiving. Keeping the postponement to two weeks also preserves the maximum scheduling and class planning flexibility for the school’s teaching staff.
COVID Survey Feedback SummaryThe school staff and I hope the above explains the school’s reasons behind this decision and helps offset any disappointment this further delay may cause.
As a result of the additional delay in starting classes until the week of Oct 26th, the Fall Term registration deadline has now also been pushed back. As long as there is still space in a class, we can now accept new/returning student registrations up until Friday, November 6/20.
Please note that as part of our COVID-19 safety protocols, all classes have had their maximum sizes reduced to allow for maximum physical distancing flexibility. While greatly enhancing our ability to deliver our programs in a safe environment, it does mean that classes will fill faster. Please keep this fact in mind, when considering registration plans.
As part of our response to the feedback received in our recent student survey, Act One will be moving the Winter Term registration start date forward from December 1st to Tuesday, Oct 13th. One of the most common concerns I have received is the worry that with a nukber of our classes getting close to being full, families with high risk members are facing difficult choices between their childrens' activities and family health safety, etc. Hopefully this registration date change will help minimize any stress and pressure as related to Act One's programs.
For Winter Term registration, all a student need do is complete and submit an on-line registration form, as normal, and simply include "Winter Term" in one of the comment boxes available.
If anyone wishes to discuss the above or anything else, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
My instructors and I wish everyone a safe and successful passage through this challenging point in our lives.
Sincerely,
Mark Nathanielsz
Owner/Artisitic Director