Welcome to GCAPA! You have completely made our year by becoming a part of our community! We plan to spend the year showing your Star how to shine! And you can be the paparazzi!
We thought it best to answer a few important FAQ’s to get you started so that you can familiarize yourself with the layout and get accustomed to what to expect. If we have forgotten anything, please let us know.
Communication:
Our primary form of communication is Band App. This group is only for Parents of Sparkles and Stars so don't jump ahead just yet - once enrolled, we will send you a link to join. Please feel free to post questions there, share photos or ask for a lost item with the other families of the studio! If your Star or Sparkle cannot make it to class, please let us know: you can text or call 704-896-3033 or you can sign into your parent portal and enter the absence and schedule the make-up!
Parking:
There is plenty of safe parking in front of the building! The side parking is for the Crew which is made up of female teachers who have to leave alone late at night.
Safe exiting:
When possible, we hope that you will avoid left turns from the parking lot. It is much safer to turn right from our lot and flip around at the stop sign. We hope that you will consider this safety precaution when hurrying to get your dumplings from place to place.
Drop-off and Pick-up:
Students 10 and under should be walked in and out of the studio. Once your teacher is present in the lobby to collect your Sparkles, you are free to leave or stay. Children in diapers should have a parent in the lobby during their entire class in case of an accident. Any Star being picked up by a person unknown to the Crew will be ID'd. Please provide a name before class of the person picking up. If you're a first time parent and we don't recognize you, please don't take offense. We care for the safety of your Star!
Parent Observation:
Our curtains open for one designated week of every month! For the younger Sparkles Classes, this may be reduced to every other month, simply for the distraction that it creates. You are also invited to Parent Observation Week 2 times throughout the Dance Season which is held inside the classroom so that you can get a bird’s eye view of how classes run on a normal day.
Boutique:
The Big Apple Boutique will be open each day of classes during August, after which it will return to normal boutique hours. The Boutique hours are currently Wednesdays 1:30-7:30pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm. Tights can be purchased at any time throughout the week. The more hours the Boutique is open, the higher the cost of the products. We like the ability to save you money on as many products as possible with the convenience of in-house ordering. Turn-around on orders is typically 1 week. If you need to schedule an appointment for the Boutique because you are unavailable at the boutique times, please select Big Apple Boutique from the "About Us" menu. All orders are made on Saturdays and take approximately 1-week to arrive.
Shoes:
Most required Shoes arte Studio Brand Only. If you do not have shoes just yet, don’t sweat it! You’re not the only one. Many students wait until the start of the school year to order shoes and forget that we don’t keep a full inventory. Most products have a 1-week turn-around time. Please check your child's class dress code to be sure that you have the brand required per class. We fit your children for shoes but ask that you approve all shoes size BEFORE your child wears them as they cannot be returned once they have been worn.
Bathroom Use:
Our facility has 2 bathrooms; 1 is in the lobby!!! Please be mindful of dancers missing class to use the facilities.
​
Epi-pens:
EpiPens should handed to your Star’s teacher before class. EpiPens may not be stored at the studio. Explicit verbal instructions along with written instructions should be explained to the instructors responsible for your Star’s care by you.
Food:
GCAPA is a No Food studio. Food, drinks and snacks should not be brought into the studio by kids OR adults unless announced by the studio or the teacher in public form via email or the closed facebook group page with at least 24 hours notice. There are occasions when food is brought into the studio and allergies should be noted BEFORE drop-off, directly to your dancer's teacher. Food and drinks are never permitted in the lobby. This includes snacks carried by toddlers and that coffee cup we all like to nurse. When our busy Crew is taken away from their post to clean up inevitable messes, it causes havoc that we prefer to avoid. Teachers are permitted to bring in food and snacks as they are in session for 4-5hours.
Lobby:
The GCAPA CREW is ready to help you with any questions or concerns. Stage Managers at the Front Desk have daily tasks that require their full attention but they are happy to help you with any knowledge they can provide. Cell phone conversations in the lobby make it difficult for Stage Managers to help our Patrons or complete their tasks so we do ask that your phone calls be taken outside in the beautiful North Carolina weather. Teachers travelling from class to class are available to call inquiring parents after class or the following day, depending on scheduling, but they must be able to attend to the immediate needs of their class. Teachers may not always be able to stay after class as they have morning jobs and long commutes home, but they can always schedule a conversation. Please do NOT leave soiled diapers in our garbages.
​
Our first goal is to help your Star Shine. Immediately following, we want you to have an easy and enjoyable experience at GCAPA. If we have forgotten something or overlooked something, we hope that you will let us know so that we can provide the best service and experience for you and your Star! Hats off to an amazing year of learning and community!!
Sincerely,
Miss Wendi and the GCAPA CREW