COVID 19 Update
Dear TKD Family,
I’m sure it goes without saying, but here at Lee's Tae Kwon Do Academy, the health and safety of our students, families and our team is always our #1 priority, in fact, it’s the whole reason we’re here! Our students and families depend on us to help them accomplish their personal, physical, and mental goals, and we’re dedicated to honoring that mutual commitment.
We’re closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and wanted to take this opportunity to let you know about what we’re currently planning, and the steps we are taking to help protect our students, team and guests to our school.
We feel it’s important that we take rational, well informed approach, and follow the guidance of the medical experts who are charged with the responsibility of informing the public in such times, and to not proliferate fear or panic. We want our students, families and team members to be and feel safe, be on routine, continue to build a strong healthy body and immune system, keep on progress with their rank and training, and their lives to be as undisturbed as possible during this potentially stressful time.
We’ll be communicating frequently with our students, families and staff by Email, SMS text messaging, phone calls, and updates on our website to keep you informed about the status of classes. So please keep an eye out for these messages.
As of today, our plan is to continue classes as scheduled, but are taking special precautions to serve and protect our students and families even better.
Our school is professionally cleaned, and surfaces disinfected each day, however, out of an abundance of caution, we are taking further actions to re-double our efforts.
These efforts include:
Disinfectant cleaning of the mats twice a day
Disinfectant wipe down of all doors and door handles, chairs, counter tops, card racks, shoe cubbies, desks, phones, keyboards, mice, and other commonly touched surfaces at least 3 times per day
Disinfecting training equipment twice daily, and using ‘disposable’ training aides where possible (for example, we’ll use kicking ‘papers’ instead of vinyl targets, and dispose of those papers after each class).
Disinfectant cleaning of all surfaces and fixtures in the restrooms between each class
Hand sanitizers are stationed at the front counter
All staff, students, parents and guests (anyone entering the school) will be required to sanitize hands when entering the school.
Limiting Close Contact in Classes:
We’ll be limiting close personal contact in many ways for the next few weeks. As we always do, we’ll greet with a courteous bow instead of handshakes, we’ll use ‘air’ high fives, thumbs up, and other non-contact motivational tools to let you know what you’re doing well.
Instructors will limit physical contact with students when correcting technique, and we’ll be limiting student to student contact as well. For example, we’ll conduct “distance” sparring and one-steps instead of making contact, teaching longer range self-defense techniques, and temporarily eliminating grappling.
But fear not, classes will be as exciting and high energy as ever!
Potential Attendance Interruptions:
Following the CDC’s guidance, we ask that if you or anyone in your household are showing flulike symptoms, have a fever, or feel ill, stay home. In the event that any student has to miss class(es), we’ll happily provide extra make up classes, private lessons and/or extra training opportunities (with more to be announced) for them to make up any lost classes or time. We’re here to help you achieve your goals, and will go above and beyond to help you get back ‘on track’ after any absence or school closure.
We are also strongly recommending (in part, per the CDC’s guidelines)
Only attend class in a washed, clean uniform
Clean your gear after each class following the manufacturers recommendation
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Cover nose and mouth with the inside of your elbow when coughing or sneezing
Clean and Disinfect surfaces and touch points in your home often (daily)
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold of flu like symptoms
If you have flulike symptoms, stay home, and call your doctor
We recommend focusing on reliable sources of information on this topic - The Centers for Disease Control - www.cdc.gov - The World Health Organization – www.who.int .
We will continue to monitor this situation very closely, and will inform you of any changes quickly, but if you have absolutely any questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call here at the school, or email us directly.
We’re so grateful for your continued support of our school, and our mission to create a better world, one Black Belt at a time.
Yours,
Grandmaster Chu Young Lee