By Rhys Lett

Reopening Monday November 1st 2021

Eastern Suburbs School of Music will be reopening for face to face lessons from Monday 1st of November. Thank you for the super efforts by our teachers over another lockdown period. Thank you to our students and their willingness to continue their music education online. Also to students that continued to check in when we could see you in person again. We greatly appreciate the efforts made by our community over the last two years to keep ESSM alive.

All instrumental lessons can resume on premises. Band workshops will be on hold until 2022. I will create and update an ESSM COVID Safety page over the coming days as details are finalised by the Victorian government for the operation of Creative Studios. This page will contain all information for staff and students regarding vaccination status, mask requirements and procedures if we become an exposure site. Please understand these requirements are not created by ESSM or its staff. We follow the directives given by the Victorian government that can and will change daily as the state navigates reopening.

We take the responsibility of protecting our community of staff and students as the highest priority. Our school sees students of every age group (we have students as young as 4 and many in their 80s). We are inclusive of all backgrounds and interests. As well as our own students welfare to consider is that I am a stage 4 cancer outpatient. Everyone has their own stories that inform how they are navigating this era of history. We are lucky to have such a broad group of people coming together to enjoy music. Know that we will to the best of our ability keep everyone healthy and happy in our ESSM family at all times.

Covid Safe Environment on Reopening

To adhere to guidelines these steps we need to follow these steps. Please be familiar with these rules during this period of lessons:

• DO NOT attend lessons if you are unwell. Lessons can be held online for the day or caught up at a later date. A reminder to cancel lessons by the times outlined in the ESSM terms and conditions of not attending lesson.
• closure of the waiting areas at both locations. You must wait in the car until it is lesson time.
• hand sanitizer to be used before all lessons. This will be available at the entrance of schools.
• ensuring physical distancing. Our tuition rooms allow
• face masks to be worn as required for all staff and students over the age of 12.
• only staff and students to be on premises in order to keep contact tracing records accurate.
• teachers may require extra time at completion of lessons to reset room to sanitised state. Patience everyone!

Teachers will also negotiate times with students that are continuing to take lessons online. A reminder that students that have term 3 and 4 lessons outstanding can catch up these up until February 1st in 2022. Teachers can also take summer lessons depending on their own availability for students that would like to continue their lessons through the usual holiday break period.

Support Your Local Music Stores

With Christmas upon us Eastern Suburbs School of Music recommends the following shops for all your instrument needs. They are now open for trading, get spending!

KCs Rock Shop – https://www.keyboardcorner.com.au

Guitars and Things – https://www.guitarsandthings.com.au

Pat’s Music – https://www.patsmusic.com.au

We thank these stores for their ongoing support. Our teachers or myself are available to discuss any purchases to inspire your playing.

It’s time to make the best and loudest noises we can to let everyone know we are back! Enjoy lessons everyone.