After School Families:
As the impacts of COVID-19 continue to mount, we want you to know that the staff and Board of Directors of Creative Action are thinking about you and your safety. 

March 16

As of this morning, the City of Austin ordered the prohibition of all gatherings of more than 250 people through May 1 and in response, Austin ISD announced it will be closed through Friday, April 3. Therefore, following the directive from Austin ISD, as well as in consideration of maximizing ways to further prevent the risk of exposure, Creative Action After School programs will be canceled through Friday, April 3.

Many of us parents ourselves, we understand the magnitude of this situation and what these closures mean to the families we serve. We want to continue to serve as a resource for our after school families. In line with our creative and innovative application of the arts, our leadership, staff, and teachers are actively working on a plan that will allow us to deliver activities in a digital format. We hope to inform you of these useful tools in the next couple of days.

As a 501c3 nonprofit and as the largest employer of artists in Central Texas, we feel the financial burden during this time, however, we are committed to paying our 150+ hourly teaching staff during this closure. We want to support our employees to the best of our ability and ensure your children see the same familiar Creative Action faces when we all return to school healthy and safe.

The health of your children is our number one priority and we will continue our efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The health of your children is our number one priority and we will continue our efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

If you have questions about this closure, please email Christa Berry, Chief Marketing & Development Officer, at christa@creativeaction.org.

We are all in this together and we stand by you.

Stay healthy and thank you,
Karen LaShelle
Executive Director

March 13

Austin ISD announced today that all campuses will be closed Friday, March 13 and during spring break to implement social distancing and support deep cleaning. Following the directive of AISD, Creative Action has cancelled After School for Friday, March 13 and our 2020 Spring Break Camp.

Parents, please check your email for additional details.

The health of your children is our number one priority and we are continuing our efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

As a 501c3 nonprofit and as the largest employer of artists in Central Texas, it pains us to think of the financial implications of cancellations—for the families we serve, our hourly teaching staff, and our organization. We will begin issuing refunds for spring break camp today, however, if you would like to make a donation to Creative Action in light of these challenges, you can do so here.

March 10

Creative Action is continuing to monitor reports of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), both outside and now in various regions of the country. With Spring Break around the corner, we understand a number of our families have planned travel. The CDC is recommending avoiding all non-essential travel to China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea and has placed restrictions on re-entry to the U.S. for individuals traveling from those countries. Creative Action strongly encourages families to follow the CDC guidelines regarding travel and avoid visiting these countries over Spring Break.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all families that travel to any of the countries mentioned above to contact Creative Action staff and plan to self-quarantine for 14 days after returning to the U.S., per the CDC’s guidelines. We are also asking the same of our staff.

We are also asking all parents who travel either locally or internationally to monitor this developing situation and continue to keep Creative Action informed of all upcoming or impending travel. This is a great resource that tracks outbreaks across the globe and in the U.S.

All Creative Action After School Programs at Becker, Blanton, Brentwood, Bryker Woods, Campbell, Cunningham, Gullett, Maplewood, Ridgetop, Sunset Valley, and Travis Heights Elementary Schools are licensed by the state and are required to follow specific guidelines known as Minimum Standards. These guidelines include following health and safety procedures, such as students and staff washing hands before eating, after being outdoors, after toileting, after administering first-aid, and after handling cleaning supplies. In addition to hand washing procedures, staff are required to clean and disinfect tables used by our students regularly.

Creative Action will follow the directive of AISD in the instance schools are impacted by closures due to the Coronavirus.