March 15, 2020 Update
To Our Wonderful C3 community:
As you’ve probably heard, C3 has elected to close through Sunday March 29th to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. As of right now, we plan to resume regularly scheduled classes and activities on Monday March 30th. We will be in touch if that plan changes due to new developments in the coming days. Please visit our website, check our Facebook page, or join the C3 Student Group on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.
Yesterday, we sent the following email to all students and families currently enrolled in session classes. If you are registered for classes but did not receive this email, please read below and take action by March 20th:
In figuring out how to handle this unprecedented closure, we’re working hard to balance the needs and welfare of our students, our staff, and the health of the business itself. We’re coming to you today with full transparency in hopes that we can work together to find our way through this.
As we’re sure you can imagine, canceling a week’s worth of activities is a massive financial hit to a small business like ours. At C3, we are grateful to be strong and stable enough that with careful decision-making and community support we know we can make it through this uncertain time. We know that not all members of our community – including many members of our staff, who make their living as artists and performers – are in the same situation, and that business closures, event cancellations, and lost work may mean that many are feeling significant financial strain. We also know that many of our students are facing financial pressure as well.
In order to support our staff, C3 is committed to providing full pay to all instructors whose classes are canceled for the next two weeks. Should the closure extend beyond this two-week period, we will continue to provide our staff with financial support to the very best of our ability.
With that in mind, we are offering students affected by canceled classes four options:
You may choose to receive a refund for the value of the canceled classes. Please provide your full name and mailing address, and we will send you a paper check.
You may choose to receive an Amilia account credit for the dollar value of the canceled classes. The credit will never expire, and can be used toward any future group session class, group class drop-in, or workshop at C3.
You may choose to receive make-up class credits which will not expire. We are offering a one-time exception to policy, and allowing make-up classes from this cancellation to be carried over to future sessions. You may use the make-up class credits in accordance with our missed class/make-up policy.
Average weekly payroll at C3 is a little over $7,000. If you are able, we ask that you consider donating the value of the canceled classes to help C3 cover payroll costs during the closure. Allowing C3 to keep the funds from these canceled classes will make a big difference to the health of the business as we compensate our instructors for the work they are missing and look ahead to a potential extended closure.
In order to help us track responses, we have created a Google Form. Please CLICK HERE to fill out the form with your choice. You will need to complete the form once for each session class for which you or your child is registered.
Please fill out the form by Friday March 20th. If we don’t hear from you by 3/20, we will assume you have chosen to donate the cost of your missed class to support the C3 coaching staff.
Note that we will be putting together a number of remote circus-learning options with our coaches during this two-week closure and hope that you’ll join us in continuing to build our circus community during this time. Watch out for an update regarding remote circus-learning soon!
Throughout the first 2.5 years of C3’s existence, we have felt so welcomed and supported by this Jamaica Plain community. We are wishing you the best during this challenging time and are with you in circus spirit!
In Gratitude,
The C3 Owner Team (Sophia, Steve, Ellen, and Roger)
