SJW suspends after-school program; summer programs will proceed

Stanford Jazz Workshop’s highest priority is the health and safety of our students, their families, our patrons, and our faculty and staff. We have been closely monitoring the guidelines and protocols for protecting communities from the COVID-19 disease published by the Centers for Disease Control, Stanford University, county Health Departments, and the State of California. As of today (March 12, 2020) we are taking the following actions:

School- Year/After School programs

All after-school programs have been suspended, effective from March 12th through April 17th. We will reevaluate the situation prior to that date and will provide an update at that time. We will attempt to reschedule these cancelled sessions, if feasible, and may also explore online options for continuing. We will keep you apprised regarding these possibilities, as well as refunds for cancelled sessions, in the coming days.

Summer Programs

At this time, all summer educational programs are scheduled to proceed as planned. Registration is open for Giant Steps Day Camp, Jazz Camp, and Jazz Institute. Tickets for the Stanford Jazz Festival will be available soon.

If the CDC, other government agency, or Stanford University recommends cancelation of these programs, we will follow their guidance. There is no deadline, at this point, by which that will be definitively confirmed. If programs are cancelled, all participants will receive a full and complete refund. If you are currently registered for a summer program, we encourage you to remain registered to reserve your spot. However, given the circumstances, if you wish to cancel your registration due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus, we will waive all cancelation fees for cancelations received by April 17th. We will make further assessments regarding summer programs prior to that date.

It’s important to emphasize that, as far as we know, none of our students, faculty, or staff have confirmed cases of the virus. Confronting the challenges of a public health emergency like this can create discomfort and anxiety. We will continue to provide updates and guidance as soon and as often as possible via email and on our website.

We are in regular contact with organizations providing our facilities in order to align with policies governing their use during this uncertain time, including:

• Stanford University
• College of San Mateo
• San Mateo Unified High School District
• Sequoia Unified High School District
• Menlo Park City Schools
• The Harker School

As we get updates from our partners, we will inform our participants and their families, patrons, and staff of any changes to procedures and protocols that we must follow.

We urge everyone to keep informed about this changing situation by visiting the following web sites regularly:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
California Department of Public Health
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
San Mateo County Department of Health

If you have any questions or concerns about our programs or our response to the threat of the spread of COVID-19 disease, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or by calling 650-736-0324. We want you all to stay safe and healthy during this difficult situation.  That is our primary goal, now and always, at SJW.  Please take care of yourselves, of your friends and families, and our communities.

Jimmy Heath 1926 – 2020