Update: 4/10/2020
Dear Families,
We miss you, we miss your energy and your smiles, the failures and the wins, we miss the hard work and perseverance, we miss your kids!
We are yearning for the day we can resume our classes and are working hard behind the scenes to make sure we are 100% ready to go and better than ever. Not knowing when that may be, feels impossible to manage, but we are doing our best and our teachers are committed to bringing valuable virtual content to our families until we meet again.
Please know all of our decisions are based on the information we currently have. We are being asked to navigate an impossible situation with complete uncertainty about what the future may hold. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support.
Tuition Freeze
All tuition payments have been frozen until our regular classes resume. Complimentary access to our virtual classes will continue through the month of May. An abundance of make-up opportunities will be available throughout the remainder of the year for classes missed during March & April.
Virtual Learning
We have exciting new offerings planned for our live class schedule and are getting the hang of the virtual classroom. We’ve had outstanding participation and we hope to continue to see everyone participating. It is what fuels our teachers during this time. Tune in and check it out through your parent portal and our weekly email. Remember, to mix and match our classes and try something new!
Ways You Can Help
Many of you have asked how you can help us during this challenging time. We have a few easy ways to continue to show your support:
- Continue to attend our virtual offerings and help us stay connected with our students.
- Share information about our virtual classes with friends and family both near and far.
- If you are enjoying our virtual classes and would like to help support our teachers and their continued efforts you may do so by registering for our Virtual: All Access Family Subscription . The monthly subscription fee of $79 will be charged on April 16th. Please note this is an optional way to continue to support Mountain Kids/MCDA and does not determine access to virtual content. All currently enrolled families will continue to receive complimentary access to both live and on demand classes through May.
- Provide us valuable feedback on what you want to see in our virtual classes and how we can improve them to better meet the needs of your student.
- Write us a review on Google or Facebook.
Planning For The Future:
Summer Classes
We are anxiously waiting for enough information to begin summer registration. Stay tuned…
Summer Camp Update
Our Colorado State Licensing Specialist told me this week, based on the State’s available information at this time, to plan to run summer camp as usual.
Priority Fall Registration
Mark your calendars for July 6th! That’s when we will be offering our April/May students Pre-priority registration for Fall! As of now we plan for all fall classes to begin on August 24th!
Gratitude
It is with heartfelt gratitude that we thank you for your support, for tuning in and for your patience and understanding during this challenging time for all of us.
If there is anything we can do to help support your family or small business please let us know. We are committed to working together to help support our community and families.
Wishing you Peace and Health,
Anna Narvaes and our Amazing Faculty
Mountain Kids/MCDA
3/20/2020 Dear Mountain Kids/MCDA Families!
The outpouring of support from our families has been overwhelming. Your continued enrollment is so instrumental in allowing us the opportunity to continue to support our teachers. THANK YOU!
In partnership with our local communities we will continue to pause our classes until April 19th, 2020. Should the BVSD closure be extended then we will naturally adjust. At this point we can only work with the information we have. Please know that we value the loyalty of our families and we will always take care of them!
Our May spring dance concert, along with our Teddy Bear Olympics and Ninja Games will be postponed with alternative dates.
Please know while you may not see us in person, we are working feverishly behind the scenes to continue to provide movement education opportunities and support resources? for our families.
Please visit our online learning page here for continual updated content.
For the most the up-to-date information please follow-us on facebook, instagram and vimeo.
We have exciting things in the works including a weekly live class schedule! We will post detailed information as soon as possible. Please remember our online material is not meant to replace your class, but provide a bridge for learning until we can resume regular scheduling.
In addition, we are also working on MCDA/Mountain Kids social platforms for students and parents to connect with one another live online.
If there is something we can do to support you and your family please send me an email: anna@mountainkidslouisville.com. We are all in this together and we will get through it TOGETHER one day at a time.
We look forward to connecting, moving and learning with your family in these coming weeks.
With Gratitude and So Much Hand Washing,
Anna Narvaes
Mom of 3 & Owner
Mountain Kid/MCDA
PS: Please note that all future tuition/auto debits have been paused until we are able to resume our regular class schedule. Our hope is we will be able to provide our April classes starting on April 20th and into the month of May, therefore accounting for all the classes, plus some that you have missed during our pause in instruction. Should that not be the case we will provide an abundance of make-up opportunities throughout the remainder of the year. Thank You!
3/16/2020 Dear Mountain Kids/MCDA Families,
First, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your kind words and support over our decision to pause classes. While it was a tough decision for so many reasons we really need and must be part of the solution.
As we mentioned in our earlier communication your support through continued enrollment means we have the ability and opportunity to continue to operate, retain our faculty and ensure the survivability of our programs.
I don’t know about you … but my kids and I are already getting stir crazy.
We want to be here for our families with our entire faculty intact, and your continued enrollment will allow us to do so.
Not only that, your enrollment is important because:
- More than ever our kids will need to get some exercise and physical activity. This is key to staying healthy and happy! Our online learning opportunities will be available to our enrolled students starting Tuesday, March 17th.
- Your family has invested time and money into your student’s learning. Please use our online learning opportunities to bridge the gap during this interruption in classes so we can resume back in the gym/studio having progressed during this temporary pause. Gymnasts/Ninjas: this is a great time to increase strength and flexibility or try a dance class. Dancers: can use this time to try a new style of dance or continue to grow in your current style as well as to improve your flexibility and strength.
New online content will be added in the coming days.
Link to Dance Concert pieces for home rehearsal will be sent in a separate email.
- Having our kids stick to their routine (even if their dance classes are now at home, or they get to see their favorite teacher on a screen) helps reduce anxiety for our kids.
- Your continued enrollment reserves your space in your favorite class, qualifies you for priority registration for fall classes and allows us the opportunity to pay our teachers.
Your continued enrollment means:
- Your monthly tuition will be processed on March 16th as scheduled
At this time, we plan to extend our spring semester by one week:
- The week of May 18th-23rd was previously a closure week for Mountain Kids and MCDA. Our spring calendar will now extend through this week providing a natural week of make-up classes for the closure between March 16th-22nd.
- Spring Break, March 23rd-28th, was already accounted for in yearly tuition.
Thank you in advance for your continued support, enrollment and patience as we all continue to navigate this uncharted territory.
Answers to questions you may have:
What if I want to continue to participate in social distancing after you open? If you wish to continue to participate in social distancing, continuing your enrollment will reserve your space in class and qualify you for priority registration for fall classes. Make-ups will be available for all missed classes. Please remember we are closed officially for classes March 23-28th for Spring Break.
What if we missed our class on Friday March 13th/Saturday March 14th? We will be providing an abundance of alternative make-up options. Sunday make-ups, Special Kids Night Out, Make-up Camps etc. will all be available. You will have every opportunity to get the full value of your paid tuition.
What if classes can’t resume March 30th? In the event we are unable to open on March 30th we have 6 additional levels of contingency plans should our pause in instruction last longer. We can assure you, you will receive full value of your tuition paid for April via additional class weeks or creative make-up opportunities, camps etc. throughout the summer months.
What about the Spring Benefit Dance Concert? We have an alternative date and venue secured for the Spring Dance concert. Costumes are in and ready to be given to our dancers. We will reassess our options in two weeks and keep you up-to-date with our plans. In the meantime, performance choreography will be available online to view and rehearse at home.
What about the Teddy Bear Olympics & Ninja Games? We have alternate dates for both events should we need to postpone. We will reassess our options in two weeks and keep you up-to-date with our plans. Basic Teddy Bear Olympic choreography will be available online soon!
Dear Mountain Kids/MCDA families,
Update: 3/12/2020 8pm:
At the recommendation of Boulder Public Health, we will be closing Mountain Kids/MCDA for an extended Spring Break starting tomorrow, March 13th through March 29th.
Our spring semester was to end on May 16th, with this closure our tentative plan is to extend our spring semester to run through May 23rd. We will continue to update you on our plans in the coming days.
As explained in the New York Times article, Flattening the Coronavirus Curve, public health experts believe that by implementing early mitigation, including social distancing efforts like closing schools and canceling large events can significantly reduce the number of deaths in our community and the strain on our hospitals and emergency services – ensuring that resources are focused on those that need it most.
It is important to us that we are part of the solution, working together to keep our families, students and communities safe and healthy.
Thank you in advance for your continued enrollment, help and support throughout this dynamic situation. Your support through continued enrollment means we have the opportunity to continue to operate, retain our faculty and ensure the survivability of our programs.
3/12/2020
The Covid-19 situation is evolving, as are various responses to it.
I’ve spent the past several days speaking with area experts in public health, including a 2-hour meeting with Boulder County Public Health yesterday, local program directors/owners, early childhood education facilities and gyms/studios across the country. It is my intent to educate myself and our faculty to the fullest and make the best decisions possible in this dynamic environment for our students, families, faculty and business.
At this time Mountain Kids/MCDA will continue to run all scheduled classes and activities. We plan to remain open with our enhanced procedures outlined below in place. We will look to model BVSD’s response and are working closely with Boulder County Public Health and will heed any recommendations or mandates by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the CDC. Our top priority is to keep our students and staff healthy while making every effort to continue to safely serve our families, students and community.
Thank you in advance for your help and support throughout this dynamic situation. Your support means we have the opportunity to continue to operate, retain our faculty and ensure the survivability of our programs.
We are diligently working on plans to mitigate your concerns in this changing environment:
- We encourage families to continue their enrollment through April and May. We will offer unlimited make-ups for missed classes or forced facility closures and offer priority registration for fall classes (regardless of summer enrollment).
- If you wish to participate in social distancing, continuing your enrollment will reserve your space in class and qualify you for priority registration for fall classes. Make-ups will be available for all missed classes. Please remember we are closed officially for classes March 23-28th for Spring Break.
- Class Make-up opportunities will be extended and creative make-up options including special camps and events throughout summer will be available. We are also looking into adding weeks to our current class calendar as needed to provide ample make-up opportunities.
- We are considering camp options for families currently enrolled in classes or summer camp should the school district close and families need care with BCPH approval.
- We are actively planning for alternate dates for our end of the year performances, including our Spring Benefit Dance Concert, Teddy Bear Olympics and Ninja Games, should we have to cancel.
- Creation of online learning opportunities.
Thank you in advance for supporting us as we navigate this uncharted territory in the hopes of creating some normalcy and consistency for your student.
Here are some of the things we are doing to keep our students, families and faculty healthy and safe:
- Adhering to a 100% well policy for students and families attending class. Students or families exhibiting a cough or other respiratory symptoms should stay home regardless of fever. Students arriving for class exhibiting any sign of illness regardless of fever will be asked to go home. (recommendation by BCPH)
- Make-up opportunities will be extended and additional make-up opportunities will be offered throughout the spring and summer.
- Replacing end of class stamps with stickers.
- Frequency and rigor of equipment cleaning and disinfecting are being increased by both our faculty and our nightly professional cleaning crew.
- Increased disinfecting high touch and common areas.
- Continued disinfecting of equipment before and after classes.
- Faculty will continue to remind and assist with hand washing before and after class, carrying sanitizer in class and using as needed.
- Faculty must stay home if feeling sick or showing any flu/cold-like symptoms.
- Faculty must wash hands upon arrival, between classes, and prior to leaving the facility.
Here’s how you can help:
- Help your student wash their hands when you arrive at the facility before class and again after class.
- Stay at home and away from others when sick – If ANYONE in your household displays runny nose, cough or respiratory symptoms regardless of fever, ALL students should stay home until symptom free, whether displaying symptoms or not. (Boulder County Public Health Recommendation) We will provide extended make-up opportunities for missed classes throughout the spring and summer. We are also asking, and enforcing, all our staff to do the same.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Cover your cough
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning products
Please look for updates through all our communication channels: email, website, social media.
We know our families are concerned about this situation. We share your concerns, but want you to know that we are focused on being proactive and making the best decisions for our students, families and community. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
With Gratitude and Lots of Hand Washing,
Anna Narvaes
Mom of 3 & Owner
Mountain Kids/MCDA
303-665-8287