We all have been through quite a ride! Today marks one month since we reopened our school doors to our students, educators, staff, and guests. At the beginning of the year, we never would have thought about wearing face masks and following social distancing guidelines. Fast forward to today, and now those two actions have become our “new norm”! The COVID19 pandemic has changed the way we live life but has particularly changed the cosmetology industry as a whole. At Summit Salon Academy – Gainesville, we took preemptive measures to prevent the risk of spreading the virus and ensure the safety of everyone at our facility.

Before students were allowed to return to school, our educators and staff sanitized the entire school and prepared our classrooms for social distancing guidelines. We implemented a mandatory temperature check for all students, provided extra sanitation procedures for the use of our student salon stations, and provided all of our students, educators, and staff with facial masks and face shields. Our admission tours also adhere to all sanitation guidelines, providing a safe and secure information session.

Our guest services experience has also been updated. We installed a thick, plastic shield around our checkout area to ensure the safety of our Front Desk employees and guests. Due to local and state guidelines, we temporarily do not use our guest lobby. Guests have the option of waiting outside our main entrance or in their car. A student stylist will then call the guest to come inside for their service. All guests are required to wear a face mask and have their temperature checked before entering the building.

As we move forward, we are more than ready to handle any new changes that may come our way. The cosmetology industry is always in a process of growth, albeit through trends, hairstyles, hair cuts, nail designs, and much more. Change is part of life, and making the best out of a situation is the best approach.