Health & Safety Guidelines for Youth Programs

Health & Safety Guidelines For On-Campus Activities

Our priority is to ensure a safe, fun, educational, and memorable experience for our program participants;  we ask families and participants to respect and abide by Kala’s health and safety guidelines. Kala will provide families with the latest updates on any health and safety concerns including COVID-19, and will update guidelines and protocols according to the policies dictated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),  the State of California,  the County of Alameda, and the City of Berkeley. Please review the following information carefully and contact Kala at youtharts@kala.org if you have any questions.

Waivers/Agreements/Immunizations
• Media, liability,  health, and program participant waiver agreements are required and must be signed and submitted by guardians/families before the start of the youth program.
Please Note:  As of August 13, 2024, we are no longer requiring immunization records of any kind in order to participate in our Youth Arts programs.

Symptom check
• Before attending a class, families should assess their child’s health for any symptoms of illness (COVID-19, flu, cold, allergies, etc). If your child is not feeling well, do not attend class.
• If your child is experiencing any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19, please notify Kala staff immediately and refrain from attending the program. Participants won’t be able to participate in class until they test negative for COVID-19.
• Learn more at CDC- How to Protect Yourself.

Indoor Masking
• In alignment with Bay Area public health and local school guidelines, indoor masking at Kala San Pablo is no longer required. We encourage participants to make whatever masking decisions best suit themselves and their families and to respect the decisions of others.
• Please note that everyone should mask for 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. The CDC, and state and local health departments still recommend regular mask use for those who are medically compromised or unvaccinated for COVID-19, especially when COVID-19 community levels are medium and for everyone when levels are high.
• Learn more at CDC- How to Protect Yourself.

Hygiene, Sanitization, Air Circulation
• Breaks for all students during indoor instruction and activities on the San Pablo lawn, the back outdoor table area, or indoors depending on the weather.
• Staff, Teaching Artists, and volunteers are required to wash their hands throughout the day.
• Kala will provide hand sanitizer in the classrooms, and other program spaces.
• Kala will open windows, and activate fans and air purifiers to aid in the ventilation of all classroom and program spaces.

In-Class Program Information
Sign-in/Sign-out: Participants or parents/guardians must complete the sign-in/sign-out sheet at drop-off and pick-up times. Older students may sign themselves in and out with signed permission (registration waiver) from a parent or guardian.
Small group sizes: No more than 16 participants to allow for one-on-one guidance and support.
Art Supplies: Kala will provide all art supplies and tools for the program.
Personal Belongings: Participants must bring their water bottles and snacks. Students should bring as few personal belongings as possible. Kala will have designated storage areas for each student to store their belongings (snacks/lunch, bags, etc) during class.
FOR CAMP KALA:  Kala does not provide lunch, snacks, or drinks. Participants must bring their water bottles or drinks, lunch, and snacks.  Lunch breaks will be outdoors at San Pablo Park, on the front lawn, in the back outdoor table area, or indoors depending on the weather.

Immediate Dismissal and Families Notified
• If a participant refuses to comply with health and safety guidelines, and refuses to follow instructions by Kala teaching staff, the participant’s guardian/parents will be notified and asked to pick up the student for immediate early dismissal. Participants can return to the program if they agree to follow guidelines and instructions the next day.
• If a participant repeatedly refuses to comply with Kala guidelines and instructions on multiple occasions, the participant’s guardian/parents will be notified and asked to pick up their child immediately and refrain from attending the rest of the program. Please refer to the Kala Parent and Participant Agreement in the online registration.