Hi everyone,
It's been great seeing all the students back on the mats training hard with positive energy! I am excited for the year ahead!
Please take a moment to read some important information below regarding the next several weeks at the dojo.
1) Belt/Stripe Testing #1
- Dates are Wednesday October 7th, Thursday October 8th. Please note, if your child has three black stripes on their belt, they are eligible to test for their next belt rank.
2) Truth and Reconciliation Day (Wednesday September 30th)
- The dojo will be closed Wednesday September 30th for Truth and Reconciliation Day. Any student affected by the closure is encouraged to arrange for a makeup session in another suitable program. Program schedules can be found at this link:
https://westvan-karate.com/pages/programs
3) Parents' Night Out (Friday October 16th)
Our first Parents Night Out of the season will be held Friday October 16th! This fun event invites students to come and join us for 2 hours of fun from 6-8pm. We'll have pizza, snacks, and play lots of karate games. Cost is $15 per child.
4) Golden League (Date TBD)
Our first tournament opportunity of the year is on the horizon as well. Tournaments are a great way for students to set goals for themselves and challenge themselves, and this event is a fantastic opportunity for students ages 5-14 to test themselves. Please stay tuned for more information regarding this event.
5) Blue and red stripes
Every 2 months, students test for a black stripe on their belt to progress to the next belt level.
Blue and Red stripes are different, and serve as extra motivation and incentive to inspire students. These can be seen as a badge of honour or graduating with distinction.
Blue = exemplary attendance with positive attitude each class
Red = Excellence and effort in school
https://westvan-karate.com/pages/rank-system
6) Equipment
All students in programs from Little Lions and up must have full sparring gear (gloves, mouth guards, and shin/foot protectors). Please reach out if you're in need of a pair and we'll get your sorted asap.
7) Halloween Party
Come and join us Thursday October 29th from 4pm-7pm for some fun and spooky festivities! Regular classes will be closed on this day in place of the Halloween party. Students ages 5-9 should attend from 4:00-5:30pm, while students ages 10 and older should attend from 5:30-7:00pm.
We will have several fun stations set up for the students to enjoy, including: face painting, arts and crafts table, spooky mini-games, and much more. We will also have a costume competition with prizes for the: most scary; funniest; cutest; and most original/creative.
We look forward to seeing you all! Please note. Any student who's regular program is affected by the Halloween party is encouraged to attend a makeup session in another suitable program on a different day.
That's all for now.
Sensei Matt