*** Updated at 6:00 pm on Sunday, March 15th, 2020***
*** Updated at 2:30 pm on Friday, March 13th, 2020***
We are continuing to monitor the situation, and to maintain the highest level of sanitation.
We will be closely watching our colleagues in the Patchogue-Medford and South Country School districts. If those school districts close for an extended period, we will reconsider our status regarding group classes. At the time of this posting, no changes have been made to the 4GK Martial Arts schedule.
In the meantime, we have ordered the technological components necessary to move classes to an online format. These components are scheduled for delivery this evening.
Regardless of what happens in the future as far as overall closure, we recognize that some parents feel safer keeping their children home. Utilizing web conferencing and at-home planners will allow you to maintain a sense of normalcy for your child while helping foster the connection that will help them feel safe in the days ahead.
Original story continues below:
*** Original Story Posted at 4:30 pm on Thursday, March 12th, 2020***
This post will be updated as new information becomes available, or as we make policy changes to adjust to that new information.
The team at 4GK Martial Arts is committed to the health and safety of our members. We are also dedicated to helping our kids understand what is going on so that they can feel safe, even as they learn more about what is going on in the world around them.
While we have always cleaned and disinfected daily (at least) with hospital-grade cleaners that list human coronavirus amongst the pathogens they kill, we have increased our efforts to provide a safe, clean environment for our kids.
Here are some of the precautionary measures we are taking:
- We have increased our disinfection application. In addition to the usual daily school prep, we are disinfecting the training floors with hospital-grade cleaners midway through every evening.
- All chairs are disinfected daily at a minimum.
- All light switches, doorknobs, outlets, sinks, toilets, and other high traffic surfaces are being disinfected during every single class.
- Air filtration has been increased.
- When selecting drills, we are selecting activities that minimize interpersonal contact.
- All pads and equipment that are used during class are disinfected before being returned to service.
- Based on the WHO and CDC recommendations to increase personal space and minimize physical contact, we have suspended high 5s for now, and have placed “Ninja Dots” out on the mats to help give kids a visual reminder of their personal space. Dots are approximately 6 feet apart based on the radius recommended by healthcare professionals. (WHO social distance recommendation: Keep a distance of at least 3 feet between you and apparently healthy persons and stay 6 feet away if a person is coughing or sneezing.)
- If your child is sick (regardless of the reason or cause), please refrain from bringing them to class. This includes coughing, fever, bellyaches, and any other conditions outside of the definition of “in good health.”
- For those who are unable to attend class due to illness or other risk factors, we do have the technology in place to allow for realtime at-home participation, including interaction from your kids’ favorite instructors. We will be training the team on best practices for tech use later this week.
- Our entire martial arts curriculum is already available for members in the MyStudio app
- For those concerned about the group setting, we are implementing free private lessons for kids during low-density times. The school will be disinfected after every session.
- Every team member will wash their hands between every class, and will not be allowed to work if they are ill or if they have been in close contact with known carries.
- Children will be allowed water breaks whenever necessary as having a dry throat has been identified as an additional risk factor.
While we recognize the seriousness of this virus, we also recognize that remaining healthy and physically fit is an important way to ensure a healthy immune system. Further, we believe that in frightening times, it is important for kids to maintain as much consistency as possible, within reason. Our goal is to employ practices that reduce risk while focusing on educating our students with empathy and compassion so they can balance their emotions with logic and information.
We encourage all of our members to be as educated as possible and to get your information from reputable sources. We should all endeavor to be as prepared as possible without becoming paranoid.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact any member of the 4GK Martial Arts team.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 631-776-8060