The Latest for the 2021-2022 School Year
Suffice to say, the first half of this school year presented many challenges for youth-serving organizations throughout our city. We thank you all for your patience as we’ve tried to adapt and respond to the many hopes, needs, and concerns of our network of school and community partners within the ever-evolving nature of this pandemic.
As we look ahead to the spring months we are excited to envision a return to the many large in-person events and competitions that have been a hallmark of ASAP’s mission over the last two decades. And while we are encouraged by the availability of vaccines for younger students and the recent decline in new cases, we will continue to implement safeguards and closely follow public health guidance to ensure the health and safety of our students, partners, and their families.
To this end, ASAP’s staff have been hard at work updating our COVID policies for the spring. As we all know by now, this guidance is subject to change with the course of the pandemic but we strongly believe it represents our best path forward for providing our city’s young people a variety of enriching out-of-school time experiences under the current circumstances and in the event of any future resurgence of the virus.
Thank you again for your patience and cooperation with our new regulations while we the prioritize health and safety of the ASAP community.
Events & Competitions
ASAP’s events traditionally bring together students from many different schools and neighborhoods. Given the current public health guidance, this interaction of different student populations may require ASAP to take different steps to mitigate risk factors, including limiting the number of participants to allow for social distancing, as well as masking requirements.
Large In-Person Events (defined as bringing together three or more clubs and/or 50 or more students): ASAP resumed hosting large in-person events in March 2022. ASAP will continue to organize various virtual events to engage students throughout the remainder of the school year.
All staff, consultants, program partners, club leaders, and participating youth at ASAP’s large in-person events are required to wear a face mask at all times unless eating or drinking in a designated area. Masks are required of all attendees, regardless of vaccination status.
Please note, participants must follow any additional requirements for in-person participation stated by each event’s venue (including but not limited to providing proof of vaccination against COVID-19).
Small In-Person Events (defined as hosting one or two clubs, no more than 50 students total): To accommodate the circumstances and needs of our different partners, ASAP will continue to organize small matches or workshops between at most two clubs or within one club (not to exceed 50 participants). Participants are not required to wear masks at ASAP’s small in-person events while the City of Philadelphia is at the Level 1: All Clear COVID-19 Response Level (https://www.phila.gov/programs/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/guidance/covid-19-response-levels/).
Please note that ASAP’s staff capacity to organize these types of matches or workshops is limited, but we are doing our best to equitably support our students and clubs across the city.
In-Person Event Requirements for Participants
ASAP asks that any students, staff, consultants, club leaders, or partners refrain from attending an ASAP event if they:
- Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last seven (7) days, OR;
- Have experienced COVID-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) in the past 24 hours, OR;
- Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past seven (7) days, OR;
- Are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test and are experiencing symptoms
We ask all our ASAP community members – students, partners, club leaders, consultants, and staff – to abide by these rules in order to protect each other. Repeated violations of these policies will result in community members being asked to leave, and repeat offenders may be barred from participation in future ASAP events.
Registration for Events
Youth participants will only be allowed to attend ASAP events if they have pre-registered and have submitted a Consent & Enrollment Form signed by a parent or guardian. This form includes family contact information and demographic information that will be used for contact tracing purposes by ASAP and the City of Philadelphia’s Public Health Department in the event of a COVID-19 exposure at an ASAP event.
ASAP-Sponsored Trips
Any ASAP-sponsored trips to out-of-area events (i.e., state and national tournaments) will be treated as a Large In-Person Event and will follow the same Event Requirements as listed above.
All staff, consultants, program partners, club leaders, and youth participating in ASAP-sponsored trips are required to wear a face mask at all times unless eating or drinking in a designated area. Masks are required of all attendees, regardless of vaccination status.
ASAP asks that any students, staff, consultants, club leaders, or partners refrain from attending an ASAP-sponsored trip if they:
- Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last seven (7) days, OR;
- Have experienced COVID-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) in the past 24 hours, OR;
- Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past seven (7) days, OR;
- Are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test and are experiencing symptoms
Youth participants will only be allowed to attend ASAP-sponsored trips if they have pre-registered and have submitted a Consent & Enrollment Form signed by a parent or guardian. This form includes family contact information and demographic information that will be used for contact tracing purposes by ASAP and the City of Philadelphia’s Public Health Department in the event of a COVID-19 exposure at an ASAP event.
Contact Tracing
In the event that we learn of a COVID-19 exposure at an ASAP event, ASAP will notify the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health and work with their staff to notify close contacts of the exposure. In the interest of transparency, we will also notify all club leaders and partners and post relevant information on ASAP’s social media pages, without disclosing the identity of any impacted individuals.
Thank You
We appreciate everyone’s flexibility, patience, and cooperation as we strive to return to large in-person events and competitions while keeping ASAP’s community of students, families, partners, and staff safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any questions or concerns about ASAP’s COVID-19 policies, please email or call us at 215-618-6057.
Last modified 3/30/2022
