Masks:

Masks are optional at our studio.

Our teachers will wear a KN-95 or N-95 mask while teaching classes.

If you like, we will give you a KN-95 or N-95 mask for you to wear when attending our classes.

Ventilation:

We are following guidance on ventilation in buildings published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

To determine how to best ventilate our studio given COVID concerns we used the Harvard-CU Boulder Portable Air Cleaner Calculator for Schools.v1.3 as recommended by the CDPH.

The Calculator helps you determine how many Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) your ventilation systems will produce. The Calculator sets a goal of 5 ACH for COVID safety. To quote the Calculator: “5 air changes per hour means that the air inside will be exchanged with clean air on average 5 times an hour”.

Here’s the ventilation system we are using for in-person classes:

  1. We limit the number of students in the classroom to no more than twelve, which allows for 4 to 5 feet of space between students.

  2. All students must be fully vaccinated and wear masks that fit snugly over their noses and mouths.

  3. We have set our ceiling fans to draw air upward in the room, thus constantly drawing air up and away from students, mixing the air, and circulating it back down at the walls.

  4. We have placed three air purifiers strategically in three corners of the room - with one near the entry/exit area - to constantly send purified air inward into the room.

  5. We either operate another air purifier in the fourth corner of the room or put a window fan in the window there which exhausts air out of the room. The latter helps draw fresh air into and through the room from the outside hallway. On days that outside temperatures permit, we also open another window to supply fresh air.

  6. The Calculator estimates that with this approach and the particular air purifiers we have purchased we achieve at least 5 to 6 ACH (air changes per hour), which it classifies as Excellent.

Here are two things you can do to help us with this system:

  1. Make sure your mask fits snugly and is of high quality. If you like, we will give you a KN-95 or N-95 mask for you to wear when attending our classes.

  2. When you come to class, be sure to bring an extra sweater or other layer you can put on just in case it gets a little cool in our space because we’re running the the window fan during class.

Sanitizing:

Hand sanitizer will be available in the studio near the door through which you enter and exit.

Additional Considerations:

Please be aware that this protocol is subject to change.

Likewise, it is possible that if COVID cases rise enough in our area, we may need to stop having in-person classes and hold online classes only.