COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

2021 Workshops

A Message from Our Executive Director 2

Fall 2021 Update 3

FUNDAMENTAL PRECAUTIONS 3

Overview 3

Health Screening 3

Face Coverings 4

Social Distancing 4

Handwashing and Sanitization 4

CAMPUS SAFETY DETAILS 5

Arrival 5

Studio Safety 5

Housing and Housekeeping 6

Dining 6

Main Office, Supply Store, and Gallery 7

COVID RESPONSE 7

Potential Cases 7

Testing 7

Transportation 8

Confirmed Cases 8

Refund/Cancellation Policy 8

Staff Contact 9

Updated: 9/20/21 1

A Message from Our Executive Director

There is no blueprint for how to navigate this uncertain time. Penland will continue to face difficult

decisions about how we can operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please be assured that we

are doing our best, that we are prioritizing both the safety of our community and the future of Penland,

and that we will make the most informed, carefully considered decisions that we can.

All decisions about how to operate at Penland during the pandemic are made by me, in close

consultation with the rest of Penland’s administration, with our local health department, and with our

Pandemic Response Team, which is a select group of employees from across all areas of our staff. We will

follow all relevant guidelines from the CDC and the state of North Carolina, and we will continue to make

decisions based on key metrics of the pandemic in our region.

We acknowledge that, for the duration of the pandemic, any activity other than total self-quarantine will

carry a degree of risk. However, we love and believe in facilitating in-person experiences. Part of our job

during this time is to establish and maintain a standard of manageable risk. That is what the following

document is for. Thank you for placing your trust in us to do this wisely. In turn, we will rely on you to

follow all of these guidelines carefully and responsibly. By prioritizing each other's safety we can get back

to what we love at Penland—the work, discovery, and fellowship that nourishes so many of us.

All the best,

Mia Hall, director

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*Fall 2021 Update*

For all Penland programming in the fall of 2021, full vaccination is required of all staff, students, and

instructors. We have returned to many pre-pandemic campus routines, most notably indoor dining and

shared housing for scholarship recipients and those who purchase double or dorm accommodations. We

will remain flexible in light of the evolving pandemic and continue to meet or exceed the safety

recommendations of the CDC, the state of North Carolina, and our local health department. Below are

our current campus guidelines.

FUNDAMENTAL PRECAUTIONS

Overview

To protect our staff, students, instructors, and the surrounding community during the pandemic, we have

made changes to our policies, procedures, and physical structures at Penland. If you have spent time on

campus before, you may be used to certain routines that have been changed or spaces that now have

restricted access. Please pay extra attention to the signage posted throughout campus and respect all

guidelines designed to keep you and others safe while at Penland.

These guidelines represent an agreement between you and the school. Penland agrees to direct

resources to maintain systems of health and safety, and you agree to adjust your life here in accordance

with those systems. Anyone who intentionally or repeatedly violates these guidelines will not be allowed

to stay on campus.

Health Screening

Every incoming student and instructor must provide proof of full vaccination (i.e. 14 days since the

final dose of any of the currently approved vaccines) before arriving on campus. You will receive

communication from Penland closer to the time of your workshop with details of this process, including

how to deliver your proof of vaccination to Penland. If you become sick with COVID-19 within 10 days of

the start of your workshop you will not be permitted to come to Penland campus and will receive a

refund according to our updated refund policy. If you arrive at Penland without providing proof of full

vaccination, you will not be permitted to participate in your workshop until you can provide such proof.

Additionally, all students in shared housing (unless sharing with a member of your household), must

also submit a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival on campus. Anyone

who purchased double or dorm accommodations, as well as all scholarship recipients, will be placed with

at least one other student.

Lastly, before coming to the Penland campus, all individuals must self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms

and recent exposure risks using Penland’s Daily Self-Screening Checklist. If you are experiencing any

symptoms of COVID-19, or believe you are at risk of exposure, please stay home. It is not safe to come to

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Penland until at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms if you have a confirmed case of COVID-19 and

10 days, or at least 5 days, followed by a negative test result, after possible exposure for a suspected

case. Additionally, you must be free from all symptoms for at least 24 hours, including being fever free

without fever-reducing medication.

During your stay on campus you will be asked to do this same self-screening on a daily basis. If at any

time you are experiencing any symptoms or have any reason to believe you may have been exposed to

the coronavirus, please isolate safely and call the Penland Staff On-Call Number (828-358-4586), which is

posted in all buildings on campus. All Penland staff are following these same self-screening guidelines.

Face Coverings

Currently, all workshop participants are asked to wear an appropriate face covering except when inside a

residence, when eating or drinking, or when outside and at least 6 feet from anyone who is not a

member of your household. For the fall concentration, face coverings will be required in all shared,

indoor spaces for the first 10 days of the workshop, after which the protocol will be reevaluated in light

of the state of the pandemic and the comfort level on campus.

Appropriate face coverings need to meet current CDC recommendations. Whether commercial or

homemade, a mask should consist of two or more layers that cover the nose and mouth completely.

Face shields do not meet the current standards. Everyone is responsible for providing their own face

coverings.

Anyone who is unwilling to meet the requirements of this policy should not come to Penland. The only

exceptions to the face covering policy are children under the age of two and people who have

documented medical conditions that make wearing a mask unsafe.

Social Distancing

The CDC identifies social distancing, or limiting close, face-to-face contact with other people, as the best

way to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It is recommended that a minimum of 6 feet should be

maintained between you and any other person outside of your household at all times while at Penland.

We also know, from emerging science about airborne transmission, that 6 feet is not a magic

number—the greater the distance, the safer you are. Additionally, social distancing should be practiced

in combination with other precautions like wearing masks, frequent handwashing, and being outdoors or

in well-ventilated areas whenever possible.

Handwashing and Sanitization

Hand hygiene is a fundamental precaution during this pandemic. Handwashing instructions are posted at

most public sinks on campus. There are also touch-free hand-sanitizer stations at the entrance to each

studio and The Pines Dining Hall. As we have learned more about how COVID-19 is spread, we have

shifted our focus away from sanitizing all high-touch surfaces and instead encourage all workshop

participants to take great care regarding their own hand hygiene, and to err on the side of caution and

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wash or sanitize your hands after touching any shared objects like communal tools, doorknobs, or

handrails.

CAMPUS SAFETY DETAILS

Arrival

Please plan to arrive between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the first Sunday of the workshop. We always

recommend that people arrive before dark. Staff will be set up to greet incoming students and

instructors and will also be available by phone from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to support your arrival. If you

experience issues on your way to campus or after your arrival, please use the Penland Staff On-Call

Number (828-358-4586) to contact our on-call staff member.

All incoming students and instructors must attend orientation. For fall concentration, we will gather in

the Northlight Social Hall for an in-person orientation. Face coverings are required for this event.

Orientation is intended as a supplement to Penland’s student handbook, which you should also review

before your arrival.

Studio Safety

All workshop participants will attend a studio orientation and safety tour on the first Sunday of their

workshop. This meeting is mandatory for all students and instructors and will orient them to our basic

safety practices as well as our protocols for

health and safety during the pandemic.

Maximum occupancy of rooms and work

areas has been established to allow for

greater social distancing while working.

Some equipment and furniture has been

moved or removed to allow for more

comfortable, distanced work. The studios are

equipped with touch-free hand-sanitizer

stations and handwashing sinks. Ventilation

systems are in more frequent use and

modifications have been made to maximize

air flow.

Housing and Housekeeping

Penland housing will be cleaned according to CDC guidelines, which we are closely monitoring to make

sure that we meet or exceed them. Linens will be provided, and housekeeping will ask you to fill out a

card letting them know if you would like routine cleaning or cleaning by request only. Fresh linens,

pillows, and extra room cleaning is always available by request by emailing guestservices@penland.org.

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Dining

Our food preparation, serving, and dining has been highly modified during 2021 workshops, but you will

always enjoy high-quality food, prepared with care. All meals will be served in The Pines Dining Hall, and

will be some combination of takeout, cafeteria style,

and buffet, depending on the current public health

recommendations.

For fall concentration, The Pines Dining Hall will be

open for indoor dining, and we will return to our usual

buffet service. Please plan to wear a face covering

inside the dining hall at all times except when eating.

We will have areas across campus set aside for

well-spaced dining, including additional, covered

outdoor areas. Dining areas will be subject to a

thorough cleaning and sanitization between mealtimes.

All food items are prepared by our

ServSafe-certified employees and all

kitchen and coffee house employees

have been trained and certified in the

current training program offered by the

state of North Carolina (Count On Me NC)

teaching the most up-to-date food

service practices during the COVID-19

pandemic.

The Penland Coffee House has, for the

time being, discontinued dine-in options

but is still offering drinks, baked goods,

and a limited assortment of soups and

sandwiches available for take-out.

Main Office, Supply Store, and Gallery

The main office is closed to foot traffic; however, the main office staff are still a resource for you. They

can answer questions or assist you with making copies and shipping through USPS from the doorway.

The Supply Store will be operating normally and is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Penland Gallery and Visitors Center is currently open to walk-in visitors, subject to occupancy

limitations, Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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COVID RESPONSE

Potential Cases

If, at any time during your stay on Penland campus, you notice any of the symptoms associated with

COVID-19, or have any other reason to suspect that you may be infected, please isolate safely and call

the Penland Staff On-Call Number at (828-358-4586). If you test positive for COVID, you will need to

either safely leave campus or remain in isolation until a medical professional determines that you can

return to your previous campus routine. We will observe all CDC recommendations about isolation and

quarantine. Vaccinated individuals who may have been exposed to COVID but who have not tested

positive must wear a mask and be tested 5 days after their last possible exposure, but otherwise can

continue their on-campus routine.

Penland staff can help you coordinate collecting your belongings for departure, assist in arranging

transportation to a hospital or other medical facility, or help arrange a COVID-19 test at one of the

nearby testing facilities. We have isolated housing designated for people needing to quarantine and food

will be delivered to those in isolation.

Penland staff will use interviews to determine the level of risk to others on campus. We will not disclose

the names of people with suspected infections, but we will communicate directly with close contacts

about necessary precautions that may need to be taken. We will communicate with everyone on campus

if the circumstances present a safety concern for the community as a whole and we will contact and

follow all guidance from local health authorities.

Testing

At any time after the workshops begin, Penland staff can help you schedule a COVID-19 test and arrange

transportation to local testing facilities. Antigen tests and PCR tests are both widely available in our area.

There is currently drive-through testing available most days. To schedule a test and/or arrange for

transportation please call the Penland Staff On-Call Number (828-358-4586). We also have a number of

over-the-counter tests available for screening purposes.

Transportation

Penland staff can help transport a person to a testing location or local medical facility. Additionally, our

local public transportation service is able to transport sick or potentially sick people from Penland to a

testing facility or to the hospital. You can contact Mitchell County Transit at (828) 688-4715 to arrange

transportation, or a Penland staff member can help you make the arrangements. Be sure to let them

know that the passenger is potentially infected with COVID-19.

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Confirmed Cases

If someone on campus tests positive for COVID-19, Penland will move quickly to notify public health

authorities, contain and sterilize possibly contaminated areas, and communicate with everyone on

campus. The local health department would lead contact tracing efforts. Anyone who is deemed a

potential “close contact” of a confirmed case of COVID-19 will need to exercise extra caution, wear a

mask in all shared, indoor spaces, and take a test 5 days after their last possible exposure.

Anyone who tests positive during their stay at Penland must either return home immediately or

quarantine for 10 days, beginning when they first experience symptoms or test positive. We have

isolated housing reserved for those needing to quarantine and arrangements will be made to deliver

food from the dining hall to anyone in isolation. See the next section for how our updated refund policy

relates to a confirmed illness.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

Because of the uncertainty caused by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, we have adjusted our

cancellation and refund policy for our fall workshops.

If you need to cancel your enrollment anytime up to 14 days before the first day of a workshop, you

receive a full refund minus the $50 processing fee. If you cancel less than 14 days before the first day of a

workshop, there is no refund unless your cancellation is because you have received a positive COVID-19

diagnosis within 10 days of the start of the workshop.

If you need to leave your workshop early because you have a confirmed COVID-19 infection, you will

receive a prorated refund. If Penland cancels a workshop for any reason, you will be offered another

workshop or a full refund. We cannot, however, be responsible for nonrefundable airline tickets.

Staff Contact

If, at any time during your stay on Penland’s campus, you feel you may be sick or have any reason to

suspect that there is a health and safety issue on campus that needs urgent attention, please call the

Penland Staff On-Call Number at (828) 358-4586.

If you have any questions about Penland’s COVID-19 safety guidelines or emergency procedures, please

contact Penland’s director of operations, Ian Henderson, at operationsdir@penland.org or (828)

765-2359 ext. 1324.

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