Donna Lexa Art Centers Scheduled to Resume Studio Class Sessions
Monday, June 8, 2020

 An Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 As our state and local communities start transitioning to the next phase of the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, Donna Lexa Art Centers remains focused on serving our community while protecting the health and wellbeing of our students, employees, volunteers and the community at large.

Donna Lexa Art Centers made the decision to discontinue studio class sessions in March to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our employees, customers and community. Although our class sessions were suspended to comply with Wisconsin’s Safer at Home emergency order, essential business duties continued. We posted weekly mindfulness directives, weekend art projects, ‘how-to’ videos and student artwork completed independently while at home on our Facebook page, and continued to reach out to our studio students by phone, U.S. mail, email and on-line tele-studio sessions.

As we work toward re-opening our Waukesha and West Milwaukee art centers on June 8, 2020, we are taking several steps to keep our employees, studio students, visitors, and volunteers healthy and safe, including:

Our Studios

• Reducing class sizes to a maximum of 3 students per session. This will change our current class schedule. Every student is being contacted by our Program Manager, Amber Brown, and Lead Instructor, Melanie Mittelsteadt, to accommodate students to the new schedule.
• Locating student work areas six feet apart from each other.
• Following social distancing guidelines of six feet between staff, students, volunteers and visitors during class sessions and throughout the building.
• Making cloth masks and gloves available to every student and visitor (students and visitors may provide their own masks if they prefer).
• Wearing face masks, disposable aprons and gloves during every studio class session.
• Minimizing potential cross-contamination of art supplies by increasing cleaning and disinfecting after every class session and providing supplies for each work-station.
• Increasing general office and studio cleaning and disinfecting especially in high-touch areas.
• Restructuring in-person traffic with floor decals for proper social distancing.
• Screening our students and staff daily upon entering the centers by taking each person’s temperature and completing a check list to assess exposure to COVID-19 and presentation of symptoms. Students presenting with a fever or potential symptoms will be asked to return home and monitor their fever and symptoms, contact their doctor if necessary and return after being self-quarantined and/or recovery.
• Encouraging the use of our sanitation stations as you enter and exit our art centers.
• Requesting those who transport students to the centers accompany students on the elevator to the classroom and vice-versa.
• Allowing students to continue to take their lunch break on the premises, at the recommended six-foot distance.

Our Employees and Volunteers

• Making cloth masks, disposable aprons and disposable gloves available to every employee and volunteer, (students and visitors may provide their own masks and aprons if they prefer).
• Locating work areas six feet apart from each other.
• Following social distancing guidelines of six feet between staff, students, volunteers and visitors during class sessions and throughout the building.
• Screening staff and volunteers daily upon entering the centers by taking each person’s temperature and completing a check list to assess exposure to COVID-19 and presentation of symptoms. Employees/volunteers presenting with a fever or potential symptoms will be asked to return home and monitor their fever and symptoms, contact their doctor if necessary and return after being self-quarantined and/or recovery.
• Supporting remote work from home for studio operations and administrative staff.
• Maintaining employment for all employees during quarantine and/or treatment for COVID-19.

While we work towards offering studio services again, we strongly encourage you to talk with myself, our Program Manager (Amber Brown), Business Manager (Nicole Semrow) or any other staff member to address any questions or concerns you may have. Office numbers: 262-521-2292 (Waukesha); 262-888-2861 (West Milwaukee).

We are committed to making our community art centers a safe and healthy place to serve your needs, and we have the caring staff and volunteers to do just that. Thank you for allowing Donna Lexa Art Centers to serve you. We look forward to welcoming back our students to their community.

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit the Center for Disease Control’s resource center.

Stay well.  Stay healthy.

Rosemary Pearson

Executive Director

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 DLAC IS LOOKING FOR A NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR!

Donna Lexa Art Centers, a well-established local non-profit, is seeking a self-motivated, energetic Executive Director (ED) to lead the organization into its expanded and future service offerings.  The Executive Director is responsible for Fund Development, Financial Planning, Marketing & Communications, and Organizational Leadership. This includes overall strategic and operational responsibility for staff, volunteers, student interns, programming, grant writing, board relations and community relations.

We provide art as therapy in an Open Studio environment for teens and adults with physical and cognitive impairment, development delay, chronic disease, effects of aging, mental health needs and special learning needs.

This position is a salaried, full-time position (40 – 45 hours/week).  A flexible work schedule is one of the benefits along with an opportunity to work from home.

QUALFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in art therapy or dual degree in art therapy/art education from an American Art Therapy Association certified college or university.
• Minimum of 5 years experience practicing as an art therapist.
• 3 years of experience practicing art as therapy in an Open Studio environment.
• Minimum of  5 years general management experience, preferably in a nonprofit organization and/or working with people with physical and cognitive impairment, progressive disease, learning or developmental delay and/or special needs.
• Proven record of successful fundraising including special events and grant writing.

• Familiarity with financial reporting systems and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Strong planning, organizational, financial and analytical skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to be a visionary, leader and innovative thinker to work collaboratively with all stakeholders, including the community, Board of Directors and staff.

Submit resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: executivedirector@donnalexa.org.

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CHECK OUT THE ALL NEW DLAC BLOG!

Bringing you new, exciting information about students, staff and of course ART!  CLICK HERE to visit the new page!

        

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