Dear BSM Community,

Over the last 6 months at Bloomingdale School of Music have been excited to resume in-person lessons and events at our 108th street brownstone. This has been possible in large part because our students, faculty, staff and community members have been mindful of our guidelines and the safety and health of our community at large.

In light of updated local guidelines around the  COVID-19 pandemic we have updated our expectations for our community members and our protocols to keep everyone safe and healthy. BSM is requiring that students and visitors between the ages of 5-11 receive an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccination for the in-person lessons for the Spring 2022 semester. For students 5-11, the requirement for the first dose will be as of February 7, 2022 and the requirement for the second dose will be as of March 7, 2022.

This is in addition to our existing requirement that vaccine-eligible employees, students, and visitors over the age of 12 also receive an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccination. We are asking all families to confirm you’ve read and agreed to our guidelines and to submit proof of vaccination via an online form (which can be found by clicking here) prior to the semester start. Students who submitted proof of vaccination in the Fall need not resubmit form for the Spring unless an updated version is available. Students who opt for online lessons will have the option to submit proof of vaccination but must submit the form to confirm understanding of safety guidelines.

As we return to the brownstone this week, we would also like to highlight the following safety procedures:

• Although many of our faculty members will be teaching in person, 100% of them will still be teaching online. If a student would prefer to continue lessons online, the faculty member will be able to teach live from Bloomingdale or from their personal home or studio.

• Staff, faculty students, and caregivers are asked to self-screen via Daily Health Screening Survey. Surveys should be submitted prior to entering the School.

• Staff, faculty and students and the public should continue to maintain 3-feet of social distance when inside the building

• Masks are required while inside the building. There are a limited number of disposable masks that can be distributed upon request by visiting the Registration Office, located in the lower level of the building

• Touchless hand sanitizer stations are present throughout the school and information about healthy safety practices are posted throughout the building. Please feel free to make full use of hand sanitizer stations as well as the three bathrooms available throughout the building in order to frequently sanitize/wash hands before and after your class

• Waiting areas are limited and we encourage families and parents/guardians of students ages 10 and above to drop off and pick up in front of the brownstone to promote social distancing inside the building.

We’ve included a summary of our updated guidelines here. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or our registration team at registrar@bsmny.org.

We look forward to continuing making music in person.

Best,

Erika