Dear Colleagues:

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak reached the DC, MD, and VA area, the health, safety and well-being of our community is a top priority and concern for all of us at the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. And, we know it is for you, too.

What We Know:

Like most of you, the DC Collaborative has been proactively monitoring the COVID-19 situation and continuously following updates from Mayor Bowser and DCPS along with messages from other local and national public health responses. We know that you are also concerned and making contingency plans at your cultural organizations as well. As the situation evolves and while schools remain open, we shall provide updates, especially as they relate to coordinating arts and humanities educational field-trips and related outings to DC cultural institutions.  

The DC Collaborative encourages you to regularly check the DC Public Schools website, as well as the communications from the Mayor's office at coronavirus.dc.gov for the most up-to-date news on cancellations. The DC Collaborative will relay updates as we receive more information.

As of today, March 10th, DCPS sent a message to partners which you should have received. Please be advised that partners and anyone  who works with DC Public Schools should review the following from DCPS.  Please click here to find a letter from Chancellor Ferebee  regarding COVID-19 and school prevention and preparedness measures at DCPS.

In addition to the information in the Chancellor's letter: 
  • Contact Thomasin Franken DCPS Manager of Partner Engagement right away should someone on your staff or team of volunteers be diagnosed or comes into direct contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
  • Please stay in touch with your partner schools to determine if any changes occur as we ensure the well-being, health, and safety of our school communities.
  • Contact Thomasin Franken before you share any language with school staff so they can ensure it is aligned to their approved language. 
Action Item! DC School Field Trip Contingency Planning - We Need to Hear From You: 

Today, we need your help!  You can help us and our arts and humanities education stakeholders here in DC by sharing how you are responding in the immediate and long-term as we see the future consequences of potentially missed school visits, field trips, cancelled events, and employees being affected. 

We are interested in your institution's contingency plan, from cleaning high touch areas to limiting contact both for school visits and for the general public.  What cleaning and hygiene procedures have you put into place for your student and general audiences? For current operations? Please share your currently cleaning and contingency plans and policies that you are providing to assure your audience safety regarding COVID-19.  Please complete this survey  form   as soon as possible.

DC Collaborative has been in communication with the bus vendors that it uses for field trips to confirm their daily bus cleaning procedures. 

Our staff is concurrently paying close attention to its own operations to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff which is also a top priority. We ask that if our staff does not feel safe or well to work from home and we are prepared to telework if we have to.

DC School Field Trip Cancellation/Postponement:

We have already heard from several of our cultural institution members/providers. When asked if they are continuing to plan for field-trips, their responses to date vary: from remaining operational so long as schools are open to postponing or cancelling field trips this month.

We have also been in touch with leadership from several DC public and public charter schools with mixed responses varying from continuing to plan for students to attend DC field trips to cancelling all field trips for their students through the end of March. 

We are exponentially receiving trip cancellations from DC public and public charter schools since Monday, and at this time we are taking into serious consideration the possibility of needing to cancel all field trips that the DC Collaborative helps to coordinate through the end of March.

Through our AHFES program, we have a significant amount of field trips scheduled through March with a dozen of our member providers, and many more field trips are planned through our upcoming field trip lottery cycle that is set to start in April. 

Keeping in Contact:

As this very fluid situation evolves, we will continue to keep our community informed as we work together to evaluate the ability of our community to both provide and attend field trips-- whether postponing to a later date or looking for other ways to present your work, along with the DC Collaborative's ability to help coordinate these opportunities with you. 

**If your field trips are funded through the Commission on the Arts and Humanities and you have concerns or questions about your programming as it relates to your grant, please reach out to David Markey directly by email: david.markey@dc.gov or by phone: 202-671-1354.

We ask to remain in close contact with you, especially if you are field trip producers, and all of our community stakeholders. Together, we can look for ways to keep our work moving forward, especially as we all remain open,  currently.  We shall send updates regarding any immediate changes or cancellations, should they be necessary for the safety of DC students, educators, members and staff. 

Be well, 

Executive Director

 
Helpful COVID-19 Related  Resources and Links

Here's some of the prevention information that we are following along with who we are following on social media for key DC updates:

Prevention:

In addition to being a central hub of updated information , the CDC has also posted guidance for businesses and employers . Additionally, they recommend staying in contact with  health agencies for location-specific guidance. For more information on the District Government's preparations for potential impacts of COVID-19 Coronavirus, visit coronavirus.dc.gov

A reminder to help prevent spread of the virus, use the following strategies from 
the  CDC : 
  • Wash your hands with soap and water.
  • Avoid touching your face, especially with unwashed hands. 
  • Seek medical attention if you experience flu and cold symptoms. 
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes.
  • If you are sick, stay at home. Disinfect objects like phones, computers, and other frequently touched objects.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath. If you have any questions and are not symptomatic, you can also email DC Health at coronavirus@dc.gov .


Stay informed!

Sign up for CDC email updates here and for WHO email updates here . Some additional resources to bookmark and follow include:

DC Coronavirus Update:  https://coronavirus.dc.gov/

Mayor Muriel Bowser Twitter@MayorBowser: 

DCPS Twitter@dcpublicschools:

Should DCPS school operating status change, you can find additional updates as they become available at this Twitter account, online at  http://dcps.dc.gov , or directly from your school.

DC Public Charter School Board Twitter@dcpcsb:
 

Dealing with the impact of Coronavirus on business continuity, meetings and events: (from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement)
 
How do we deal with the impact on daily functions in our organizations and scheduled meetings, events and conferences? Following are two informative webinars, hosted by the Greater Washington Society of CPAs, that address these issues.  Below are links to these FREE webinars. If you are unable to participate, the Center for Nonprofit Advancement will post links to the recorded presentations next Monday, March 16.
 
COVID-19 Webinar: Legal Strategies for Nonprofit Meetings
TODAY! March 10, 2:00 - 3:00pm
 
What can you do now about the threat to your organization's scheduled meetings and conferences, and what should you be thinking about as you plan for the coming year? These questions, as well as cancellation contracts, insurance coverage, negotiation options and more will be addressed during this webinar.
 
COVID-19 Webinar: Business Continuity Planning
Wednesday, March 11, 10:00 - 11:00am
 
Webinar will provide an overview of business continuity and how continuity planning can help prepare your organization for a response to Coronavirus. The session will include an overview of Coronavirus, guidance on preparing for Coronavirus impacts to your business, and useful tools to assist with ongoing monitoring and decision making.


About the DC Collaborative:
More than 120 members strong, the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DC Collaborative) provides equitable access to quality arts and humanities education for all DC public and chartered public schools for the growth of the whole child. Working with its partners, since its founding in 1998, the DC Collaborative produces such exemplary programs as Arts and Humanities for Every Student and the Professional Development Initiative. View our  Member Directory.
For more information on the DC Arts and Humanities
Education Collaborative, Please visit our  website.
If you would like to include something in our next
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Submissions for our consideration are due C.O.B. on the third Friday of every month and are subject to edits by the DC Collaborative staff.

DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative
Mailing: 975 F Street, NW
Location: 923 F Street, NW #303
Washington, DC 20004
p. (202) 470-6467