January 12, 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians and Tinkerers,
Welcome to In-Person Classes at reDiscover Center for 2021! We are thrilled that you’ll be joining us. Your child is going to have an opportunity to exercise creative genius and apply it to art, engineering, and design challenges. This guide will help answer some common questions and tell you more about what to expect. For returning families, please review this information carefully, as we have updated many of our protocols in response to COVID-19.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 310-393-3636.
We’re going to have so much fun!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Markowitz Bijur
Executive Director
reDiscover Center Mission
reDiscover Center develops children’s creativity using real tools and sustainable materials. We recycle everyday discards, donated by businesses and individuals, and give them new purpose as hands-on learning materials.
Staff
Classes provide a 1:6 ratio of facilitators to children. We are dedicated to providing the strongest, most experienced staff we can. The adult staff members are trained educators, makers, and/or artists.
COVID-19
We are committed to keeping your children and our staff safe. This year, we will have social distancing and disinfecting protocols in place to promote safety. We appreciate your patience and understanding of the necessary modifications we’ve made to our in-person programming.
There will be no more than 24 people inside our building at any given time, with no more than 10 children and 3 facilitators in either studio.
Our designated COVID-19 Response Coordinator is Barb Noren, Director of Programs. She can be reached at 310-393-3636.
We will be conducting pick up and drop off at the door. We ask that all family members wear masks during drop off and pick up. Children will enter and exit the building directly into their studio from the street or alley as appropriate. Most classes are held in the rear studio. Please park on the side street and walk your child over. Head to your assigned entrance and look for markings on the ground in order to maintain a 6 foot distance in line. We will be taking temperatures at the door and conducting symptom interviews. Children who are not feeling well or have a temperature will not be allowed to attend and will not be able to return until they have met CDC criteria to end home isolation. reDiscover Center will offer credit for missed class days to any children who are sent home after a symptoms check.
Unfortunately, we cannot allow parents into the building. We’ll post lots of pictures!
Children will be required to wear masks while at reDiscover Center. We have set up individual work stations with personal hand tools and materials exclusive to each child to minimize shared surfaces. A Tinkering Tool Kit may be purchased to provide to children at the beginning of the week so that they have their own brand new set of gloves, safety glasses, and a selection of tools that they will take home with them at the end of the series. We have created plexiglass dividers between workstations to maintain distance while still allowing communication.
We will not be providing communal snack foods. We will be providing additional handwashing stations to prevent gathering around the bathroom and will be implementing frequent handwashing. All staff will wear masks. reDiscover provides sick leave for all staff, who are expected to stay home if they are not feeling well or have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.
If a child is not feeling well or develops a temperature or cough during the class, they will be isolated from the rest of the children in a separate room and we will call you to come pick them up. Please be prepared for this possibility.
Parent Responsibility
We ask that all children arrive between 2:45pm and 3:00pm. If you will be late please call us at 310-393-3636 to let us know. If your child needs to leave early due to external commitments please let us know in advance.
Please talk to your child about responsibility and safety regarding social distancing and a workshop setting. reDiscover is fun and intense but also requires focus, teamwork, and listening. We have an added challenge of personal responsibility of using our own tools, handwashing, mask wearing, and respecting individual work stations. Whether your child is new or returning to our space, it will be helpful for them to know what to expect.
The workshop ends at 5:00 PM. Please be sure to pick up your child by 5:15 PM as we are unable to provide aftercare.
Please keep your child at home and notify reDiscover Center if they experience one or more of the following: a temperature of 100.4 or higher, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, a cough, chills or muscle pain, sore throat, headache, new loss of smell or taste, or have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19. If your child is unable to attend a class due to Covid-19, we will waive cancellation fees and create a credit towards future programs.
Aftercare
We will not be providing aftercare.
Workshop Attire
Please be sure your child is wearing sturdy, closed-toed shoes (NO SANDALS). Loose clothes, shirts that expose the belly and halter-tops are prohibited. Face masks are required. Long hair must be tied back.
Appropriate clothes are part of a safe environment. We do not provide shoes or face masks. We cannot provide alternatives for inappropriate clothing, and children will not be able to attend if they don’t have clothing that will keep themselves and others safe. We recommend packing an extra face mask in case the first gets dirty or wet.
Personal Items
If your child does carry a cell phone they are asked to leave it in their bag during the class and can check messages after class. Children are asked to leave iPads/MP3 players/games at home.
What to Bring
- Snacks. We will not be providing communal snack foods.
- Reusable water bottle. We have a water cooler but do not provide disposable cups.
- Face mask and a backup. We will provide goggles and gloves.
- Layers! If the marine layer is in, provide a warm shirt or jacket.
- Creativity!!
Injury Policy
While it is unlikely, should an injury occur during a class we will take whatever steps are necessary to obtain proper care. These steps include:
- Attempt to call parent/guardian.
- Attempt to call second contact given on registration form.
- Call an ambulance or paramedic.
For minor injuries, staff will apply first aid such as band aids, ice packs, and burn cream, and file an Incident Report, with a copy sent home with the injured child.
Medication
It is imperative to let us know if your child is taking medication or has a medical situation staff. reDiscover is NOT a nut-free environment. The policy for children receiving medication during workshop hours:
- No medication will be given without written parent/guardian permission. Child’s name, name of medication, dosage, time and date must be provided.
- Medication must be in the original prescription container.
Daily Routine
Each day varies but will generally follow this schedule.
3:00 Arrival and warm up open activity
3:30 Tool Training or Design Challenge
3:40 Afternoon Build
4:45 Cleanup and reflection
Discipline
Even happy children need limits. We use a model of positive reinforcement with the group. Occasionally there is a behavior problem that must be managed to ensure a safe workshop environment for all participants. If a behavior problem persists, the following steps will be taken. If our general positive limit-setting isn’t effective with your child:
- A Facilitator will take the child for a 1:1 chat about their behavior and its effect on the group.
- A phone call will be made to the parent or guardian.
- If the behavior persists and is significantly disruptive to the group experience, the child will be dismissed from the remainder of the program.
Evaluations
Shortly after your program we will follow up with a brief evaluation form. Please take time to complete and return the form. We want to make reDiscover programs better and better! You can also email your ideas and comments to mail@rediscovercenter.org.
Support and Scholarships
reDiscover is a 501(c)3 organization. Our work depends on donations: financial, in-kind, and volunteering. Please consider us among your philanthropic causes and spread the word about our work.
Our work within the community brings us in contact with teachers and organizations who can identify eager children who lack financial resources. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for children in foster care. If you would like to help or if you know of a Foundation or Trust that could help sponsor a future deserving tinkerer, please contact Francesca McCaffery, Development Director, at 310-393-3636 or francesca@rediscovercenter.org.
