Yes, we are still open! Please read our Community Letter in Response to COVID-19 below. All Integral Steps weekly classes are running on our regular weekly schedule, through interactive Zoom video calls. Teachers and staff are available via email, phone, and video chat, and a staff member continues to check our mailbox regularly. For updates about spring and summer programs, and to read more about our response to Covid-19, please read our Community Letter. Feel free to email us at info@integralsteps.org or call/text our main phone number, (720) 577-5441, which is forwarded to a staff member’s home during office hours.
Dear Integral Steps Community,
On Monday morning last week, we began our online staff meeting with a few minutes in silence. We all recognized that in the long hours that we had worked over the weekend, we had forgotten this: breathe in… breathe out… feel your body … be present.
This week we are reaching out to you - our community of students, families, friends, teachers, supporters, donors, and business partners. We would like to give a clear update on how Integral Steps is responding to the outbreak of COVID-19, including an update on our financial situation and upcoming programs.
We also want to check in. How are you doing? How can we support you? You’ll find how to reach us at the end of this letter. Thank you to those of you who have already reached out and connected with us via email, texts, Facebook, and Instagram. Your messages show how important it is for Integral Steps to continue our mission of providing integrative balanced education for children, individuals, and families.
Our response to the coronavirus outbreak
Weekly Classes in Colorado
On Friday, March 13, all of our weekly classes in Colorado switched to an interactive online format. Students and families now join us by Zoom video call and continue engaging in interactive, joyful learning from their homes. All Integral Steps classes ran on a normal schedule last week and will continue to do so after our regularly scheduled spring break (March 23-April 3).
Our teachers and staff have shown tremendous energy and enthusiasm shifting to a different teaching modality, setting up and troubleshooting the technological infrastructure, and opening drop-in registration to students from around the country. We are immensely proud of our students and staff for their flexibility, creativity, and generosity to make this transition so quickly.
Integral Steps Office and Fellowship
Beginning Friday, March 13, all staff members and teachers are working from home. Our Co-Executive Director Emma Shubin continues to check mail at the Integral Steps office, and the entire Integral Steps team is available via the email addresses and phone numbers listed on our website. Our Integrative Education Fellow, Cora Crisman, jumped in as a co-teacher and tech troubleshooter extraordinaire during this first week of online teaching, and we are grateful to have her support in staff meetings as well.
Spring Break Camps
Instead of teaching in-person spring break camps, we are offering a flexible drop-in Spring Break camp via Zoom video call for ages 4-14 between March 23 and April 3. Registration materials are live at integralsteps.org/onlinespringbreak. We look forward to welcoming our Colorado families and students from around the country and the world!
Adult Workshops and Community Events
The Twin Cities Dalcroze series for teachers in Minneapolis-St. Paul will switch to an online format. Our staff is developing and implementing best practices in online and digital learning, and we are confident we can offer an enriching, fulfilling, and integrative experience for adult students.
Out of concern for the physical health of our community, the March 22 performance of the Firebird in Boulder, CO was postponed to a future date (TBA). This event is part of a partnership with the Boulder Philharmonic which brings an integrative music and movement class to children in Title I Boulder County schools.
The April 12 Spring Party and Egg Hunt at Moxie Bread Company in Louisville, CO will not be taking place in-person. This annual tradition is a favorite with our Colorado families and neighbors, and we are discussing ways to celebrate together using digital platforms and video conferencing. Stay tuned for updates.
Our plan for the coming months
Summer and Fall
We are firmly committed to offering Vancouver Flute Day, 2020 Summer Camps, and a regular Fall schedule of weekly classes, drop-in community classes, and events. We will offer these programs in-person or through interactive video calls, following CDC and state health department guidelines in all the states where we are currently active.
We are ready to continue teaching through interactive video calls and other digital platforms as long as necessary. Our staff is on the forefront of researching and exploring effective teaching practices, and many organizations and teachers are turning to us for guidance and resources. We will continue to refine and improve our teaching tools to offer excellent quality of education, engagement, and a joyful learning community.
New Workshop Series for Parents
Our Co-Executive Director Alejandra Hudon will be offering a new online workshop series for parents. Alejandra will address some of the challenges families are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak, offering guidance based on her expertise in early childhood development, infant mental health, attachment, and early childhood trauma. Stay tuned for more details.
Revised Safety Policies
The safety of our students continues to be of utmost importance. We are reviewing our Code of Conduct & Ethics and educating staff on how it applies in online and digital teaching situations. We are proactively reaching out to organizations specializing in child abuse prevention and intervention in order to get their recommendations. We encourage our entire Integral Steps community to learn what we can do as individuals to protect children in areas where schools are closed and routines are disrupted due to social distancing recommendations.
Financial Situation
Thank you so much to those who have donated time, money, services, and supplies to Integral Steps! Because of your support, we were able to continue serving students like seven-year-old Caleb, whose face lit up with joy when he got to see Ms. Emma on his computer screen singing a song and teaching music class for him and his friends.
We have experienced a significant financial setback because we lost a teaching contract in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. It takes $80,750 per year to run all Integral Steps classes, programs, and events. We are behind where we hoped to be in our fundraising at this point in the year. To get back on track, we need to raise $9000 by May 22, our last day of classes for the semester. We will continue to update you in the coming weeks about how we are doing with this goal. We are grateful that our community has already stepped up to help us fulfill our mission - thank you for the donations and volunteer hours you gave this past week!
Checking In
We love hearing from our community. During this time, we are inviting you to respond to these questions:
Please reach out to us at info@integralsteps.org or (720) 577-5441 or send a message on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/integralsteps/
Thank you, stay safe, and we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Love,
The Integral Steps Team
Dear Integral Steps Community,
On Monday morning last week, we began our online staff meeting with a few minutes in silence. We all recognized that in the long hours that we had worked over the weekend, we had forgotten this: breathe in… breathe out… feel your body … be present.
This week we are reaching out to you - our community of students, families, friends, teachers, supporters, donors, and business partners. We would like to give a clear update on how Integral Steps is responding to the outbreak of COVID-19, including an update on our financial situation and upcoming programs.
We also want to check in. How are you doing? How can we support you? You’ll find how to reach us at the end of this letter. Thank you to those of you who have already reached out and connected with us via email, texts, Facebook, and Instagram. Your messages show how important it is for Integral Steps to continue our mission of providing integrative balanced education for children, individuals, and families.
Our response to the coronavirus outbreak
Weekly Classes in Colorado
On Friday, March 13, all of our weekly classes in Colorado switched to an interactive online format. Students and families now join us by Zoom video call and continue engaging in interactive, joyful learning from their homes. All Integral Steps classes ran on a normal schedule last week and will continue to do so after our regularly scheduled spring break (March 23-April 3).
Our teachers and staff have shown tremendous energy and enthusiasm shifting to a different teaching modality, setting up and troubleshooting the technological infrastructure, and opening drop-in registration to students from around the country. We are immensely proud of our students and staff for their flexibility, creativity, and generosity to make this transition so quickly.
Integral Steps Office and Fellowship
Beginning Friday, March 13, all staff members and teachers are working from home. Our Co-Executive Director Emma Shubin continues to check mail at the Integral Steps office, and the entire Integral Steps team is available via the email addresses and phone numbers listed on our website. Our Integrative Education Fellow, Cora Crisman, jumped in as a co-teacher and tech troubleshooter extraordinaire during this first week of online teaching, and we are grateful to have her support in staff meetings as well.
Spring Break Camps
Instead of teaching in-person spring break camps, we are offering a flexible drop-in Spring Break camp via Zoom video call for ages 4-14 between March 23 and April 3. Registration materials are live at integralsteps.org/onlinespringbreak. We look forward to welcoming our Colorado families and students from around the country and the world!
Adult Workshops and Community Events
The Twin Cities Dalcroze series for teachers in Minneapolis-St. Paul will switch to an online format. Our staff is developing and implementing best practices in online and digital learning, and we are confident we can offer an enriching, fulfilling, and integrative experience for adult students.
Out of concern for the physical health of our community, the March 22 performance of the Firebird in Boulder, CO was postponed to a future date (TBA). This event is part of a partnership with the Boulder Philharmonic which brings an integrative music and movement class to children in Title I Boulder County schools.
The April 12 Spring Party and Egg Hunt at Moxie Bread Company in Louisville, CO will not be taking place in-person. This annual tradition is a favorite with our Colorado families and neighbors, and we are discussing ways to celebrate together using digital platforms and video conferencing. Stay tuned for updates.
Our plan for the coming months
Summer and Fall
We are firmly committed to offering Vancouver Flute Day, 2020 Summer Camps, and a regular Fall schedule of weekly classes, drop-in community classes, and events. We will offer these programs in-person or through interactive video calls, following CDC and state health department guidelines in all the states where we are currently active.
We are ready to continue teaching through interactive video calls and other digital platforms as long as necessary. Our staff is on the forefront of researching and exploring effective teaching practices, and many organizations and teachers are turning to us for guidance and resources. We will continue to refine and improve our teaching tools to offer excellent quality of education, engagement, and a joyful learning community.
New Workshop Series for Parents
Our Co-Executive Director Alejandra Hudon will be offering a new online workshop series for parents. Alejandra will address some of the challenges families are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak, offering guidance based on her expertise in early childhood development, infant mental health, attachment, and early childhood trauma. Stay tuned for more details.
Revised Safety Policies
The safety of our students continues to be of utmost importance. We are reviewing our Code of Conduct & Ethics and educating staff on how it applies in online and digital teaching situations. We are proactively reaching out to organizations specializing in child abuse prevention and intervention in order to get their recommendations. We encourage our entire Integral Steps community to learn what we can do as individuals to protect children in areas where schools are closed and routines are disrupted due to social distancing recommendations.
Financial Situation
Thank you so much to those who have donated time, money, services, and supplies to Integral Steps! Because of your support, we were able to continue serving students like seven-year-old Caleb, whose face lit up with joy when he got to see Ms. Emma on his computer screen singing a song and teaching music class for him and his friends.
We have experienced a significant financial setback because we lost a teaching contract in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. It takes $80,750 per year to run all Integral Steps classes, programs, and events. We are behind where we hoped to be in our fundraising at this point in the year. To get back on track, we need to raise $9000 by May 22, our last day of classes for the semester. We will continue to update you in the coming weeks about how we are doing with this goal. We are grateful that our community has already stepped up to help us fulfill our mission - thank you for the donations and volunteer hours you gave this past week!
Checking In
We love hearing from our community. During this time, we are inviting you to respond to these questions:
- How are you doing?
- How can Integral Steps support you?
- Do you anticipate a need in the coming weeks or months that we can help meet?
- Is there a program you would like to suggest or give feedback on?
Please reach out to us at info@integralsteps.org or (720) 577-5441 or send a message on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/integralsteps/
Thank you, stay safe, and we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Love,
The Integral Steps Team