Coronavirus Guidelines
Espoo School of Art takes the coronavirus pandemic very seriously. To keep our staff and students healthy, we abide by hygienic and safety standard based on the current recommendations of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the City of Espoo.
Protecting the school from the coronavirus pandemic requires all members of our community to be careful, act responsibly, and respect the school's rules. Please read through the instructions below to learn how to keep yourself and others safe.
The school will keep the staff and student body informed of any and all possible changes to the guidelines below. For the latest updates, please follow our website and social media accounts.
Health and Travel
It is an utmost priority that no child and no adult will enter the school if they are or appear to be sick. Students with infectious diseases must stay home and rest or seek medical care. If a student falls ill during class, they must be taken home by their guardian at once.
Please be particularly cautious if you're displaying symptoms of respiratory infection (cough, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath, muscle pain, diarrhea, and headache). For more information on the symptoms of the novel coronavirus and on how to seek treatment, please visit the city of Espoo’s website.
Guardians are expected to assess their children's health before letting them go to class.
Students and staff members who have traveled abroad: for more information on current entry restrictions, please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Staying Safe During Class
Espoo School of Art maintains a high standard of hygiene and social distance during in-person lessons to protect the community from infections. The staff and students are asked to mind the following rules and guidelines before, during, and after class:
Social distancing: Students must maintain a safe distance to one another during class. They are seated around one meter apart from each other and all lessons are planned with social distancing in mind. We advise against shaking hands and all unnecessary touching.
Entering and leaving the school: Please go to and leave class punctually to avoid lingering in the school's premises outside lessons. Only staff members and students are currently allowed to enter the school, so parents and other guardians are unfortunately not allowed to visit our classrooms at the moment. Please leave and pick up your child outside the school.
Hand hygiene: We ask all members of our community to pay close attention to hand hygiene. Students must wash their hands after entering the school, before and after eating something, and before leaving class. Students must also cough and sneeze into their sleeve or into a tissue, which must instantly be discarded, and they must wash their hands immediately after. Naturally, it is also important to wash one’s hands after using the bathroom, and the toilet must be flushed with the lid closed. The faucet must be turned off using a paper tissue, not with bare hands.
Personal property: Please avoid handling your personal property (such as smartphones and backpacks) during class to maintain a proper level of hand hygiene. Please don't share your snacks with other students and make sure that you wash your hands before an after a snack break.
Tools and supplies: Tools should not be passed around between students during class. Each student will be assigned art supplies for personal use, and these supplies should not be shared with others. Please don't touch anything on your own accord, wait for the teacher's directions instead. All tools will be disinfected or put aside at the end of the lesson. The keyboards and touch screens of digital devices will also be disinfected before and after use.
Masks: On 20 April, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area coronavirus coordination group decided to update its regional mask recommendation in accordance with the new THL policy. The separate recommendations to use a mask at schools and other learning institutions in the area will end. Those who wish to continue using a mask are free to do so. Unfortunately, the school cannot provide masks for students, you must bring your own. Learn more about the current face mask recommendations of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the city of Espoo's recommendations on the use of a face mask.
Other protective gear: Soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and paper towels will be readily available in all of the school's classrooms at all times. Unfortunately, the school can no longer lend the students aprons, smocks, or seat cushions due to hygienic concerns. Hence, we advise our students to wear clothes that they do not mind getting stained during lessons.
Maintenance: Classrooms will be cleaned often and all surfaces will be wiped with particular care during the pandemic. Students may also use protective mats and sheets to avoid direct skin contact with tabletops and other surfaces.
Teachers will oversee the implementation of these guidelines during lessons, and they will remind their students of the school rules as often as possible. The most important safety guidelines have also been printed on posters that can be found on the walls of our classrooms.
For further details on how to stay safe in specific locations and workshops of Espoo School of Art, please contact the teacher of your class. The principal of Espoo School of Art oversees the main guidelines of the school.
Distance learning
Espoo School of Art strives for providing in-person lessons for its students. However, the school is also prepared to switch to distance learning should the City of Espoo and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare so require due to the state of the coronavirus situation.
Distance learning will be implemented in Espoo School of Art using the Google Meet video conference tool. Teachers will invite their students to join the session via email and lessons will start according to the school schedule, unless students have been informed otherwise.
To make distance learning lessons run smoothly, please make sure that the student's own personal contact information has been added to the Eepos student managment system. Update your contact information by logging into Eepos using the student's or the guardian's personal credentials. If you have forgotten your credentials, please contact the school's office at toimisto@espoonkuvis.fi.
During distance learning, the school may provide the students with art supply kits for home use. However, the school does not have the resources to lend digital devices (like cameras and computers) to all students who need them.
The school being forced to switch to distance learning is not a valid reason for a student fee refund. Participants of the school’s short courses may still ask for a refund if a sudden illness prevents them from attending any of the lessons, provided that they have a medical certificate, or if the entire course is cancelled before it even begins.
For further questions about the coronavirus guidelines of Espoo School of Art, please contact Principal Maritta Poijärvi: maritta.poijarvi@espoonkuvis.fi, 044 777 7492.
Learn more
Coronavirus advice for the residents of Espoo