LCMS Celebrates 50 years with History Book, Concert Series
February 4, 2019LCMS Safety Policies
September 3, 2021Please watch this space for relevant information on the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Last Updated: September 3, 2021
⇓ Download the Letter to Familes
Dear LCMS Families,
As we look forward to the start of the fall term, I am writing to share with you the health and safety measures that will be in place for the coming school year.
As you are no doubt aware, there have been two recent Provincial health orders pertaining to masks and vaccinations. LCMS takes our duty of care to our under-12 students, and teachers, staff and students who are older and/or immune compromised very seriously, and is fully supportive of these orders.
Vaccination Policy – Group Classes, Ensembles, and Concert Attendance
In accordance with health orders, proof of vaccination will be required for all students 12 years or older participating in group classes or ensembles. Proof of vaccination will also be required for anyone age 12+ to attend concerts, events, student recitals and studio recitals. Please note, vaccination requirements also apply to any parents participating with their child in group classes.
As the Provincial order is limited to group activities, proof of vaccination will not be required for private lessons. It will also not be required to enter/exit the common areas of our building for purposes such as child drop-off and pick-up.
Students/participants will be required to provide proof of vaccination to the LCMS office before participating in their first in-person group class or ensemble on or after September 13, 2021. Students turning 12 during the course of the year will be required to provide proof of vaccination at that time in order to continue in the class.
Vaccination Policy – Teachers & Staff
Providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff is a top priority. Our policy is that all faculty and staff teaching or working in-person at LCMS will have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and all faculty teaching group classes and ensembles will be fully vaccinated. This policy is effective on September 7, 2021.
Masks Required
Masks are required to be worn by all persons five years or older in LCMS indoor common spaces, classrooms and teaching studios. An exception will be made for the temporary removal of masks while engaged in an activity that cannot take place while wearing a mask e.g. winds/voice. Children’s Choir participants will be required to wear masks, and will be physically distanced in Rose Gellert Hall.
To avoid un-masked crowding outside the lobby entrance, everyone is asked to wear a mask while outside the building within the vicinity of the front door.
Ensembles, Enrichment Classes and Group Classes
Most classes and ensembles, including orchestras, fiddling and Suzuki performance classes, will operate at normal capacity, and will not be offered in hybrid or online format. Early learning classes and children’s choir will be taking place with reduced capacity and/or modified activities. Recognizing different groups have different safety considerations relating to the instruments being played and age/vaccination status of the participants, detailed safety requirements will be communicated to registered participants in advance of class start as required.
Waiting in the Building Discouraged
To avoid crowding in the building, students will be asked to arrive on-time, not early, and leave the building promptly after. There will be limited seating in the lobby.
Cleaning and Hygiene
There will be regularly scheduled cleaning of high touch surfaces throughout the building. Hand sanitizing stations will continue to be positioned at the lobby entrance and throughout the building, and hand sanitizer provided in each teaching studio or classroom. Sanitizer will be provided for the cleaning of pianos between students. All persons entering a teaching studio must clean their hands before and after the lesson.
Stay Home if you are Unwell
A reminder to everyone to please stay home and do not come to LCMS if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or any communicable disease. This continues to be a requirement, independent of vaccination status.
Questions Welcome
Health and safety is our top priority, and this letter is summary of our communicable disease prevention plan. If you have questions or concerns about the measures we are taking, please contact us. As always, the Principal is available by appointment.
We look forward to welcoming you this fall.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Granholm
Principal
Last Updated: September 5, 2020
⇓ Download the Letter to Familes
Dear LCMS families,
As we look forward to the start of the fall term, we want to share with you the health and safety measures that are in place for everyone’s protection. Although our physical space may be a little more austere when you come, we want you to know that our welcoming spirit of community has never been stronger!
We are limiting in-person teaching to activities in which strict physical distancing can be maintained, and are operating our facility at reduced capacity in order to prevent crowding. Academic programs that work well online, such as theory and history, will be continuing online. Our choir program is on hold at this time, and there will be no in-person activities involving group singing or group playing of wind instruments.
For any programs offered in person during the 2020/21 academic year, we will endeavour to provide an online contingency option to ensure continuation of the program in the event it is necessary for the school to close to in-person teaching for a period of time. Plans will be specific to each program, and will be communicated as much as possible upon registration. Delivery of in-person programs will at all times be contingent on the advice of public health officials and is subject to change during the course of the academic year.
We understand that many families will prefer to continue with their learning online. Some teachers are also choosing to keep their teaching online at this time. There are numerous reasons why this may be the case, whether for health reasons, age, or the protection of family members. We must all respect these personal decisions, and the fact that reasons for these decisions are private.
Enhanced Cleaning and Hygiene
There will be regularly scheduled cleaning of high touch surfaces throughout the building. Pianos, music stands, studio seating, and studio door knobs will be cleaned between each student. A minimum of 10 minutes is scheduled between each private lesson to allow time for cleaning, and for airborne respiratory droplets to diminish. Longer time is also allowed between any group classes to allow sufficient time for cleaning.
Hand sanitizing stations are positioned at the lobby entrance and throughout the building, and hand sanitizer is provided in each teaching studio or classroom. All persons entering a teaching studio must clean their hands before and after the lesson.
Please Wear a Mask
For everyone’s protection, the wearing of masks in our common spaces/hallways, smaller teaching studios and during any group class is mandatory (exceptions for medical reasons). The wearing of masks is strongly recommended at all other times. If you forget your mask, disposable masks may be obtained from the office.
Please Stay Home if Unwell
If a student feels unwell before a scheduled in-person lesson, please let us know, and do not come to LCMS. For the 2020/21 academic year, scheduled in-person lessons that cannot be taught due to student/teacher illness or COVID-19 preventative measures will be re-scheduled, taught online, or credited. Please give as much notice as possible. Your teacher will determine the appropriate alternative based on the circumstances.
Students will be required to complete a COVID-19 health screening questionnaire in advance of each lesson, before entering the teaching studio. The questionnaire will be emailed to all registered students, and will also be available at LCMS. You may print a copy at home and bring it to the lesson, and parents should sign this form on behalf of their young children. Teachers will not admit students into the teaching studio without a completed questionnaire. All faculty and staff are required to complete the same questionnaire each day they come to work.
If a student, or any accompanying person, arrives at the lesson while sick, they will be required to leave the premises immediately, and the student will be charged for the lesson.
All facility access will be logged to facilitate contact tracing, and LCMS will share contact information with public health authorities should the need arise.
Please Respect Physical Distancing
Markers and directional signs are placed throughout the building to remind everyone to keep appropriate physical distance and to assist with safe traffic flow.
To prevent crowding, we are operating the building at reduced capacity. Students are asked to arrive on time for their lesson, but not early. Waiting inside the building is discouraged, and most seating in the lobby and other common areas has been removed. You may be asked to use a different entrance/exit, depending on the teaching space your teacher is using.
We recognize that for some of our younger students, a parent/guardian may need to attend the lesson with their child. Only one parent/guardian may attend a lesson with their child. We ask that siblings not be brought into the lessons.
We will not schedule your lesson in a teaching space that cannot enable sufficient physical distancing between teacher and student, taking into consideration the instruments being played and fixtures in the room. Plexiglass barriers will be provided as an additional protective measure in smaller spaces.
Washrooms
Recognizing that students will only be in the facility for a short time, we ask that washroom use be limited as much as possible to emergencies only.
Questions Welcome
Health and safety is our top priority. This document is a summary, and our detailed Safety Plan is available from the office. If you have questions or concerns about the measures we are taking, please contact us. As always, the Principal is available by appointment.
We look forward to welcoming you this fall.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Granholm
Principal,
Langley Community Music School
Last Updated: July 8, 2020
⇓ Download the Letter to Families
Dear LCMS families,
As LCMS transitions to a limited resumption of in-person teaching this summer, we want to share with you the health and safety measures that are in place for everyone’s protection.
Please Stay Home if Unwell
If a student feels unwell before a scheduled in-person lesson, please let us know, and do not come to LCMS. For the 2020/21 academic year, scheduled in-person lessons that cannot be taught due to student/teacher illness or COVID-19 preventative measures will be re-scheduled, taught online, or credited. Please give as much notice as possible. Your teacher will determine the appropriate alternative based on the circumstances.
Students will be required to complete a COVID-19 health screening questionnaire in advance of each lesson, before entering the teaching studio. The questionnaire will be emailed to all registered students, and will also be available at LCMS. You may print a copy at home and bring it to the lesson, and parents should sign this form on behalf of their young children. Teachers will not admit students into the teaching studio without a completed questionnaire. All faculty and staff are required to complete the same questionnaire each day they come to work.
If a student, or any accompanying person, arrives at the lesson while sick, they will be required to leave the premises immediately, and the student will be charged for the lesson.
All facility access will be logged to facilitate contact tracing, and LCMS will share contact information with public health authorities should the need arise.
Enhanced Cleaning and Hygiene
There will be regularly scheduled cleaning of high touch surfaces throughout the building. Pianos, music stands, studio seating, and studio door knobs will be cleaned between each student. A minimum of 10 minutes is scheduled between each private lesson to allow time for cleaning, and for airborne respiratory droplets to diminish.
Hand sanitizing stations are positioned at the lobby entrance and throughout the building, and hand sanitizer is provided in each teaching studio. All persons entering a teaching studio must clean their hands before and after the lesson.
Please Wear a Mask
For everyone’s protection, the wearing of masks in our common spaces and during the lesson is strongly recommended. If you do not have a mask, you may request one from the office.
Please Respect Physical Distancing
Markers and directional signs are placed throughout the building to remind everyone to keep appropriate physical distance and to assist with safe traffic flow.
To prevent crowding, we are operating the building at reduced capacity. Students are asked to arrive on time for their lesson, but not early. Waiting inside the building is discouraged, and seating in the lobby and other common areas has been removed. You may be asked to use a different entrance/exit, depending on the teaching space your teacher is using.
We recognize that for some of our younger students, a parent/guardian may need to attend the lesson with their child. Only one parent/guardian may attend a lesson with their child. We ask that siblings not be brought into the lessons.
We will not schedule your lesson in a teaching space that cannot enable sufficient physical distancing between teacher and student, taking into consideration the instruments being played and fixtures in the room. Plexiglass barriers will be provided as an additional protective measure in smaller spaces.
Washrooms
At this time, only the downstairs lobby washroom is open for student use. Recognizing that students will only be in the facility for a short time, we ask that washroom use be limited as much as possible to emergencies only.
Programming Changes
In-person teaching is limited to activities in which strict physical distancing can be maintained. Until further notice, there will be no in-person activities involving group singing or group playing of wind instruments. In-person private lessons for voice and winds may only take place in spaces where a minimum of 5 metres distance can be maintained between teacher and student.
Academic programs that work well online, such as theory and history, will be continuing online at this time.
Delivery of in-person programs will at all times be contingent on the advice of public health officials and is subject to change during the course of the academic year.
For any programs offered in person during the 2020/21 academic year, we will endeavor to provide an online contingency option to ensure continuation of the program in the event it is necessary for the school to close to in-person teaching for a period of time. Plans will be specific to each program, and will be communicated as much as possible upon registration.
Online Learning Continues
We understand that many families will prefer to continue with their learning online. Some teachers are also choosing to keep their teaching online at this time. There are numerous reasons why this may be the case, whether for health reasons, age, or the protection of family members. We must all respect these personal decisions, and the fact that reasons for these decisions are private.
Questions Welcome
Health and safety is our top priority. This document is a summary, and our detailed Safety Plan is available from the office. If you have questions or concerns about the measures we are taking, please contact us. As always, the Principal is available by appointment.
We look forward to welcoming you this summer!
Sincerely,
Carolyn Granholm
Principal,
Langley Community Music School
Last Updated: April 18, 2020
Due to ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, we’ve regrettably had to cancel the remaining concerts in our 2019/20 Concert Series. Although we are unable to hold live concerts and events at this time, we look forward sharing wonderful music with you again in the future.
Please feel free to contact us at by phone at 604-534-2848 or email at info@langleymusic.com if you’ve any questions or concerns, and stay tuned for details about our exciting 2020/21 Concert Season!
Last Updated: March 30, 2020
Dear LCMS Families,
I hope you are all well and keeping safe. I promised further communication at the end of spring break, and I am writing to confirm that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all in-person teaching at Langley Community Music School remains suspended until further notice.
We are working to be able to continue to offer as many of our lessons, programs and classes as possible online. In times of uncertainty, it is very important to keep continuity of learning, and to remain engaged with what you love to do.
I know that many of you have already spoken with your teacher about continuing private lessons online. If you haven’t already heard from your teacher, you will soon. You are encouraged to try this as a temporary solution, until teaching can return to normal.
For our group and enrichment classes, each class has its own unique considerations. If you have a child in a group or enrichment class, you will be contacted soon regarding your specific program.
We understand that many of you are going through a difficult and uncertain time. To help out our families who are paying for private lessons in installments, LCMS will change the due date for this year’s final tuition payment from April 1 to April 27. Please notify the office by email at info@langleymusic.com if you are choosing to suspend or cancel lessons.
If you do not complete all of the lessons you have registered for this year, you will have the option of a credit towards next year, or a refund.
Finally, there have been some requests to continue in-person lessons off-premises, such as at a teacher’s or family’s home. For the health and safety of everyone, this is not permitted.
We will provide you with regular updates as this situation evolves. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through these challenging times together, and for being a part of our extraordinary LCMS musical community.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Granholm
Principal
Langley Community Music School
Last Updated: March 17, 2020
We regret to announce that Langley Community Music School will be temporarily closed in order to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. All in-person instruction is suspended. This closure will be re-evaluated at the end of the spring break period, as further information and recommendations from the health authorities become available.
We continue to monitor the situation and use guidance from Canadian public health authorities to make informed decisions. Please be sure to watch this page for updates.
In the meantime, we ask that you consider contacting your teacher to discuss online lessons.
For more information about COVID-19 please visit the Fraser Health website: https://www.fraserhealth.ca.
We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time, and hope that you and your family remain safe and healthy.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns at 604-534-2848.
March 16, 2020 Updates
The health and safety of students, faculty and staff is of the highest importance. We are all concerned about the risk posed by COVID-19 virus, and would like to assure you that the situation is being closely monitored. LCMS is using guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), and Fraser Health to inform decision-making, and is also monitoring the actions of the Langley and Surrey school districts.
At this time, the BCCDC is not recommending school closures. Taking this lead, LCMS remains open. Events and group activities are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If information changes, we will comply with any instructions and take appropriate steps to protect everyone.
Our School Facility
We are taking every precaution to ensure a healthy environment. Steps include:
- Using enhanced cleaning protocols consistent with BCCDC guidelines for dealing with COVID-19 and
- Making Hand sanitizer available in the school lobby
- Posting signs in all washrooms reminding everyone of proper hand washing technique
- Reminding everyone entering our facility to practice good respiratory etiquette, and is required to wash hands before and after lessons
- Advising anyone who is feeling ill to stay home
Prevention
If you or your child is ill with respiratory illness symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, and/or muscle aches) please keep them at home to rest and recover. As always, please remember to keep the school informed of any absences.
Important Travel Guidelines
Many people have been travelling recently, or are planning to travel during spring break. As of March 12, the BC Health Officer has announced new guidelines for travellers. The Provincial Health Officer is advising against all non-essential travel outside Canada, including to the United States. If you do travel outside of Canada, you should self-isolate and stay away from school or work and avoid contact with others for 14 days upon return.
We ask that anyone who has been travelling, or who has been in close contact with someone who has, to follow the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) Instructions for self-isolation.
If any symptoms arise, connect with your primary care provider, local public health office or call 8-1-1.
Classes & Private Lessons
Currently, our private lessons are running as usual. Students and parents will be informed about any changes to specific events, classes and activities they are involved in by email.
Events
As a precautionary measure, and keeping the health and safety a top priority, we are addressing upcoming events and on a daily basis:
- The annual Young Composer’s Competition (scheduled for March 18) has been postponed until further notice.
- We have postponed our annual Family Intro to Music Night (scheduled for March 19), and look forward to holding this popular event at a later date.
- We have cancelled our Rockridge Chamber Music Camp (scheduled for March 14-16), as well as the Chamber Music Camp Concert (scheduled for March 16) at LCMS.
We apologize for any inconvenience, and appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the health and well-being of our students, faculty and the community.
For More Information
Please continue to follow the following sites for current information about COVID-19:
- Fraser Health Authority
- BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- World Health Organization (WHO)
Stay Connected
We will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation and keep you posted with any relevant information. We ask that you stay in touch with your teacher, and do not hesitate to call the office at 604.534.2848 with any questions or concerns. Please stay tuned for updates on this page.
