Rose Park Dojo - Golden Knights Martial Arts

Restrictions have eased, so classes will be starting again this Tuesday, March 1st 2022. It's been a long break - we look forward to seeing you then!

Due the the Covid management plan at Rose Park Primary, most activities won't be allowed on site for the first 4 weeks of term. This means our classes are postponed until March 1st. This is disappointing, but I look forward to returning as soon as possible.

EDIT - classes will commence on Thursday August 5th 2021.

Following the short lockdown in late July 2021, the Education Department are advising schools not to let external hirers reopen yet.

This means we can't commence training yet, nor do we know when we can. I'll be updating this page as we get more information.

I encourage our members to join the Rose Park Dojo Facebook group to stay in touch and up to date.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1215363641810437/?ref=share

IMPORTANT - CLASS TIMES CHANGE

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely break!

2021 classes start tomorrow evening (Thursday 28th Jan). I had confirmation from the school today that some of the limitations from last year have been removed, so we can return our classes to their earlier timeslots. Please take careful note of the times below:

Kids - beginner to bluebelt: 6:00 to 6:50
Kids - greenbelt and above: 6:00 to 7:15
Adults (including teens): 7:15 to 8:45

By moving to these times we'll be able to keep the successful two-part kids class but also stay within bedtime-friendly hours for all ages.

Fees for this term will be adjusted to account for missed classes during last year's term 4 COVID closure. I'll have a newsletter with the details next week.

Finally, we'll be requiring the standard QR code sign in for every person/family entering the hall. Parents could you please help this run smoothly by telling your kids once you've signed them in, to save us the time of doing paper sign-ins as well.

I'm excited about getting back into training, and hopefully we have a smoother year with lots of new belts!

Regards

Shihan Stephen

Hi everybody,

I've negotiated with the school, and we are able to reopen the kids class this week!

However we have been given the following conditions:

- Children’s classes can ahead on the artificial turf areas, with adult instructors, however parents are requested to drop children at the school gate. Parents will still need to sign their kids in with the QR code or paper sign-in form. We will use the turf area at the western side of the school.

- Adult classes will not be able to take place, as we are required to restrict non-essential adults on site.

-No access to toilet facilities will be permitted, as department guidelines require strict environmental cleaning to all facilities before staff and students return to the site. (I still have a key in case of emergencies).

Unfortunately we can't have our usual kids Christmas party this year, but the weather is looking pretty good for both nights, and the kids normally really enjoy an outside class. It should be fun.

For those who are working on getting certificates and blue or green tips on their belt, let's get practicing and see what we can achieve in this last week! I'd also encourage kids to attend on both nights so we can finish the year off strong.

See you this week!

Shihan Stephen

Unfortunately we are not able to reopen tonight (Dec 1st) as planned. DECD have advised schools that external activities on school premises should remain suspended. This was only confirmed this afternoon, and is extremely disappointing.

Not all schools have interpreted the directions in the same way, therefore some other clubs are able to reopen tonight. I'm in discussions with school management and I hope we can commence in the next few days.

Unfortunately the end of year grading has also been postponed until early next year. For many hard-working students this will be a real blow. It may be possible for some gradings to be conducted in-class, depending on what happens in the next few days.
For those kids who were working towards their tips or black gi grading, the recent disruption couldn't have come at a worse time. These will be my top priority once we can get back into the dojo, so keep practicing!

I'm hoping to see you all again soon!

Shihan Stephen

Classes are temporarily suspended in line with the new COVID-19 restrictions. Hopefully we can resume in 2 weeks time (Tues Dec 1st). This will interfere with our grading preparation, but please keep practising! Students going for grading are welcome to contact me during this period so I can help you stay on track.

Classes will be returning to almost-normal for term 3!

Our class times for this term will be:

Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Kids - beginner to blue belt: 6:30 to 7:15
Kids - green belt and above: 6:30 to 7:45
Adults: 7:30 to 8:30

Beginners are welcome. I hope to see you there!

MODIFIED CLASSES STARTING TOMORROW JUNE 9TH!

Hi everyone, I hope you're well, and that you've been able to make the most of the different reality of the COVID-19 restrictions.

The good news is that we're able to re-open the dojo from tomorrow!

I've been working through the various government, Education Department and venue requirements and have made some changes that will enable us to work within the COVID-safe rules and give every student the opportunity to train.

If you or your child will be attending, please read this message carefully.

For the next three weeks, we'll be running a series of shorter classes that will keep us within the 2-hour session limit and the 20-student capacity rule, while targeting our teaching to each student's rank.

The temporary class times for Tuesdays and Thursdays are:
• 6:30 to 7:00 - Whitebelt and Bluebelt KIDS
• 7:00 to 7:30 - Greenbelt, brownbelt and blackbelt KIDS
• 7:30 to 8:30 - ADULTS (all ranks)
Note that unlike the changes made in February, there is no overlap of class times.

The following practices will also be applied:
• Class times will be exact, to prevent the hall being over capacity.
• Separate entrance and exit will be signed; please observe.
• Kids will need to be dropped off at the gate, or outside the hall entrance if preferred. If your child needs you to sit in on the class, please inform me. Parents and siblings are counted under our capacity limit, and all adults on site need to fill out and submit a Site Entry Form EACH SESSION.
• Once each kids class session is finished, an instructor will lead the group outside and make sure each child is safely collected.
• All classes will be structured to avoid physical contact. Hygiene guidelines must be followed and each class will begin and end with hand sanitizing where possible. We will be cleaning contact points before and after every class.
• Anybody with cough or cold symptoms, even mild, are not permitted on site. This is a harsh but necessary policy.
• Every adult (instructor, student or parent) entering the hall needs to present a completed "COVID-19 Site Entry Form" at the beginning of EVERY SESSION. Please find a printable version on our dojo group (apply to join). I'll also have paper copies available each night.
• By separating the class into different sessions I believe we can stay under our 20-participant limit. However, if the limit is reached, we will have to turn students away at the door. Parents, please be prepared for this especially if you're running late.

It's going to be a very different few weeks, but it will be wonderful to show our faces and get our bodies moving again!
Don't forget that the Facebook group has a link to our YouTube playlist, which I'll continue to add videos to. It will be a valuable resource for those who want to learn their katas faster or revisit many of the drills we do in class.
Please leave a comment or message me directly if you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming classes.

Kind regards
Shihan Stephen

Our classes are temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My thoughts are with everybody in the community at this difficult time. I hope we can commence training later in 2020.