A Welcome Return to our Kensington Hub
By Steve Keener, Executive Director
I’m thrilled to share that the doors to our Kensington office reopen July 1! This is an exciting moment and a milestone on the road to recovery as we welcome back all staff to work in the office.
Our building in Kensington is so much more than an office – it’s the hub of our community. Before we made the difficult but necessary decision to close the doors 16 months ago, the hallways would ring out with laughter and conversation. Our management team working in the office would frequently be visited by the people we support. Our open-door policy helped create friendships. We’ve missed working together in person and visits from our community. We’re looking forward to the days when people we support and their staff drop in to say hello, attend a training class, meet up with friends, take an onsite art or cooking class, or attend in person meetings.
The office will be open from 9 AM to 5 PM. Appointments by support staff for supplies will no longer be required. We are asking everyone who comes to the office to sign in at the front desk and to wear masks in that high-traffic area. Beyond that, people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks. People who are not fully vaccinated should wear a mask unless they are alone in a room with a closed door. Details are in our staff protocols on the COVID page of our website.
While we’ve been working remotely, we’ve reimagined our office space. We’ve transitioned to a “hot desk” system and upgraded our technology and computer equipment. New standing desks and dual monitors at each workstation are now standard for our office staff. Direct support professionals can also come into the office and sign up to use a workspace. Staff working in the office who need more privacy or a meeting space can sign up to work in one of our revamped meeting rooms.
As we return, I would be remiss not to mention our incredible DSPs who showed up to work every day at the homes of the people they support during the pandemic. Thank you for your dedication. Jubilee’s core office staff continued to work from the office during the pandemic, and we thank you.
I look forward to seeing you in person!