Mike Risko Music School

Mike Risko Music Students, Staff and Customers,

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with our COVID-19 safety protocols in our music school and music store.  We have made every effort to meet or exceed all requirements to help keep our community healthy.  Although we can’t eliminate risk entirely, there are many things we can do. We are working hard to ensure that we communicate these protocols clearly. Please be advised that it may take a few minutes longer to enter our space since we are following strict guidelines. We also want to remind you that as the current health situation changes, these protocols may also change. We thank you in advance for working with us as we navigate these very important safety precautions during this very unsettling time.

We have taken the following steps:

• We have upgraded our HVAC system in our building by having MERV-13 filters installed. Filters with higher MERV ratings catch higher percentages of particles as well as smaller particles. 
• Face masks are required for anyone entering the building. If you do not have a face mask, we will provide you with one. Face masks must be worn the entire time you are in the building.
• We have installed plastic barriers at the register, the reception desk and any other high traffic areas.
• We require that everyone fill out a daily health screen form before coming into the building. The health screen form is available on our website or there is a hard copy available at the entrance. Customers can also access the form contact-free by using the QR code which is also available at our front entrance.
• All customers are required to have a temperature check up entering the building and are also required to use hand sanitizer which we provide at our check-in table.
• We are limiting customer traffic in our building by only allowing a few customers at a time. If it is busy, we request that customers wait outside. Our showroom hours are Monday-Thursday 12-5 and we are making appointments for customers to shop outside of our showroom hours to decrease traffic in the building.
• In order to create less traffic at our physical location, we are staggering staff schedules.
• Posters will be displayed throughout the studio to remind patrons of safety protocol including social distancing. 6ft distance markers have been placed in high traffic areas. We ask that music school and store customers adhere to 6ft distance at all times.
• We are also still offering curbside pickup and delivery for anyone who is not comfortable coming inside. You can arrange your purchase over the phone or on our website.
• We keep a log which includes contact information from everyone that enters our business on a daily basis.
• Since the best defense against COVID-19 is limiting the number of people in the building, we have expanded our remote programming to accommodate a large number of students on-line as a part of our Virtual Music School. This program mirrors our in-person program and students can partake in all the same programs. They can take lessons, learn musical theater and more. The hybrid option also enables students to do a combo of in-person and remote which also helps to limit contact. Students can also come in and take their lesson via zoom in one of our studios while one of our managers helps with technical questions.

• Lobby areas and studios will have additional hand sanitizing stations.
• Hallways and stairways will have directional markings to help ensure a safer traffic flow. 

• Studio floors will be clearly marked with taped markers to ensure social distancing between students during class.   

• For those students that have opted to study in person (or anyone that plans to come to an in-person program) please follow our pre-screening criteria above. In advance of your visit, you will receive a link to the daily health screen form. You must fill this out and submit the day of your lesson. Upon entry, we will be checking temperatures and require the use of hand sanitizer which we provide. If you have a temperature, you will be asked to return home and reschedule your appointment.
• All staff entering the building will also be subject to these protocols each day that they are scheduled for work.
• If you are coming to a lesson, only the student may enter the building. There is currently no waiting area available inside. We have set up chairs outside or you may wait in your car. If you wish to watch the lesson from outside, we will provide you with a Zoom code to log-in. Siblings and other family members may not accompany a child to a lesson. Please only bring your books and instruments inside, please leave instrument cases in the car. Drum students must bring their own sticks. We will provide keyboards and drum sets for lessons but all other instruments must be provided by the student. Keyboards and drums are cleaned in between students.  Voice, brass and woodwind lessons will remain fully remote at this time due to the dangers of aerosol spread.
• Lesson areas all contain plastic barriers between student and teacher to inhibit aerosols. Everyone must wear a mask in lessons at all times. We have also left time in between each student to clean the lesson area and the instruments. Use of lesson areas are staggered so the teacher can change lesson areas after each lesson.
• Staff is staggered and teaching on separate days. All staff must follow the strict safety guidelines and protocols including daily health screen forms upon entry and temperature checks. We have staff working different shifts so they aren't arriving and departing at the same time. Additionally, we do not have more than one staff member working in the store at a time and staff is asked to refrain from congregating and to keep a 6 foot distance from other staff to ensure minimal exposure to one another and customers. 
• We ask that any student coming to an in-person lesson (in addition to filling out their daily health screen) let us know if they are in a school that has a high case load of COVID-19 and if so, kindly switch to remote lessons temporarily.
• When weather permits, we have an outdoor education center in which we also provide lessons and follow the same protocols.
• We abide by all CDC cleaning protocols. All spaces and high touch areas are disinfected throughout the day and restrooms will receive additional disinfection throughout the day.
• In the event that a student, or family member, tests positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you must refrain from taking in-person lessons or classes for a minimum of 14 days or until a negative COVID-19 result is found.  In the meantime, you will be able to take class via ZOOM.  In addition, you must inform Mike Risko Music for the protection of staff and students.  Your name will be kept confidential. If you answer yes to any of the questions on our Daily Health Screen Form, please follow the same protocols.

• Students should bring their own water as our snack bar area is currently closed. No food is allowed in Mike Risko Music at this time.

In the event that non-essential businesses should have to close temporarily, we would go to an entirely remote program for all our educational services and continue to offer curbside pick up and delivery for shoppers.

We are dedicated to keeping everyone safe and will do everything in our power to take all the steps necessary to ensure that people feel comfortable at Mike Risko Music. Thank you for your cooperation.