fma-student-handbook-updated-05-28-2015

Student & Parent Handbook

Falmouth Martial Arts (FMA)

~ Taekwondo For Kids ~

Mason/Motz Activity Center
190 Middle Road Falmouth, Maine 04105

Phone: (207) 838-1545
www.fmamaine.com | [email protected]

Welcome to Falmouth Martial Arts!

Falmouth Martial Arts (FMA) located in Falmouth, Maine and offered to the Greater Falmouth community through the Falmouth
Community Programs is available to children ages 4-18.

FMA Programs teaches Traditional Taekwondo which enhances character development skills such as respect, integrity, courtesy, self-
confidence, self-esteem and friendship that develops naturally through the FMA training process.

Whether your goal for your child is to achieve better grades in school, gain self-control, increase fitness or engage in competition,
Falmouth Martial Arts is ready to help your child achieve success!

All FMA Falmouth classes are held at the Mason-Motz Activity Center at the corner of Lunt and Middle Roads in Falmouth, Maine.

Falmouth Martial Arts (FMA)

Mason-Motz Activity Center
190 Middle Rd. Falmouth, Maine

Tel: (207) 838.1545
Web: www.fmamaine.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fmamaine
E.mail: [email protected]

Falmouth Community Programs

Mason-Motz Activity Center
190 Middle Rd. Falmouth, Maine
Phone: 207.781.5253
Web: www.falmouthme.org

Registration Information

Register at the Falmouth Community Programs office located at Mason-Motz Activity Center, 190 Middle Rd. Falmouth, Maine, or
online, at www.fmamaine.com.

Program Overview & Class Schedule

Little Ninjas Program (Recommended Ages: 4 and up)
The Little Ninjas program is an introductory program that prepares students for our Beginner program. It is a 30 minute class that
includes drills that develop their basic martial arts abilities including fundamental strikes, kicks, blocks and stances as well as self
defense and is based on age-appropriate drills and activities.
Class: Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00pm to 5:30pm

Beginner Program (Recommended Ages: 7 and up)
The Beginner program consist of 30 minute classes and emphasizes life skills and practical self defense training, and is based on age-
appropriate drills and activities.
Beginner 1 Class: Monday and Wednesday from 5:00pm to 5:30pm
Beginner 2 Class: Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30pm to 6pm

Advanced Program (Recommended Ages: 10 and up)
The Advanced program challenges both mind and body. Classes are 45 minutes long and are both physically and mentally challenging.
Our students will get fit and have fun while learning practical self defense. The program incorporates fitness training, including strength,
endurance and flexibility.
Class: Monday and Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:15pm
Class: Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm to 6:45pm

Leadership Program (Recommended Ages: 10 and up)
The Leadership Program includes everything within the Advanced Program as well as learning Leadership Skills, Team Building
Exercises, Public Speaking, Assisting in Classes and more!
Class: Monday and Wednesday from 6:15pm to 7:00pm

Adult Program (Recommended Ages: 16 and up)
Taekwondo for Adults is a fitness-based martial arts program designed to help you stay in shape, increase flexibility and improve
stamina.

Class Registration

Register at Falmouth Community Programs Office, or Online at www.fmamaine.com

Class Description

Little Ninjas Program

The Little Ninjas program will help kids develop:

 Fine and gross motor skills
 Spatial skills
 Listening skills
 Focus and concentration
 Memory
 Self control
 Socialization skills
 Self awareness skills
 Bully Awareness
 Stranger Awareness

Beginner Program

The Beginner program will help kids develop:

 Confidence and Respect
 Focus
 Self Discipline
 Patterns
 Techniques
 Self Defense
 Form Sparring
 Board Breaking
 Conditioning
 Character Development
 Bully Awareness
 Stranger Awareness

Class Description

Advanced Program

The Advanced program incorporates fitness training, including strength, endurance and flexibility including:

 Conditioning
 Fundamentals
 Patterns
 Sparring (Step sparring, free sparring)
 Self Defense
 Board Breaking
 Flexibility and Stretching
 Theory

Leadership Program

The Leadership Program includes everything within the Advanced Program detailed above, as well as the following:

 Learning Leadership Skills
 Team Building Exercises
 Public Speaking
 Assisting in Class (Assist in Little Ninjas and Beginners Classes)
 Harnessing Vision and Creativity
 Learning Persistence Skills
 Setting & Achieving Personal Goals
 Creating & Executing Skills Demonstrations

Student Code of Conduct

Students should arrive to class 5 minutes before the start of their class.
Students will place their shoes and socks on the shoe-shelf and store their jackets and other personal belongings in the appropriate
space provided. Shoes and belongings should not be left on the floor.
Students must always wear a clean uniform and belt to class (other than on specific T-shirt Days noted).
Students will wait patiently and quietly in the designated student waiting chairs prior to their class beginning, and shall not enter the
training studio until instructed to do so.
Students will bow to the flags each time they enter or leave the training studio to demonstrate respect to the instructors and fellow
students.
After entering the training studio, students may begin stretching quietly until the instructor takes his or her place to begin class.
If students are late for class, they should not enter the training studio until they have requested permission to enter and it has been
granted by the instructor. Permission must be obtained to leave the classroom for any reason.
All students must turn in their attendance card for each class.

Students will respond “Yes/No Sir or Ma’am” in conversation with instructors, stand respectfully and address them by their last name
and proper title.
Students should always wear a white t-shirt under their uniform. Advanced and Leadership students with Black or Red Uniforms may
wear a white, black or red t-shirt under their uniform.
Jewelry, such as rings, bracelets and necklaces should be removed prior to class for safety.
Students may not engage in any sort of sparring or head-to-head training simulation with other students without direct supervision
of an instructor.
Younger students under 10 years of age, should be accompanied to the bathroom by their parent or guardian. At no time will a
student be accompanied to the bathroom by another student or instructor.

Students will practice self-control at all times, and never act out or horse around in class.
At no time is profanity permitted.
Students shall refrain from forming individual groups or ‘clicks’ and shall practice inclusiveness of all students at all times.
No food, drink or gum is allowed in the training studio. Only re-sealable water bottles are allowed.
Students must bring a water bottle to each class.
If you bring a guest, please introduce them to your Instructors.
Only FMA approved training equipment, sparring gear and weapons are allowed in FMA facilities. No equipment, gear or weapons
from any other martial arts programs is
permitted. No exceptions.
Please refrain from wearing any clothing from any other martial arts program to the FMA facility.
Thank You for your consideration and practice of the FMA Student Code of Conduct.

Five Tenants of Taekwondo

FMA Students will practice the 5 Tenants of Taekwondo at all times!

COURTESY

INTEGRITY

PERSEVERANCE

SELF-CONTROL

INDOMITABLE SPIRIT

Parent Code of Conduct

STAY AND WATCH YOUR CHILDREN IN CLASS!

Parents are always encouraged to stay during their children’s class and required to not be disruptive nor distracting. Most young
beginners have very short attention spans and are easily distracted.

We, as instructors want the students and parents to be comfortable with class, and can do our best job when we have the undivided
and complete attention of the students, but if the child is continuously running to his/her parent, this could be a problem.

SHOULD PARENTS DROP AND GO?

Parents are encouraged NOT to 'drop-n-go' and instead stay in class and observe their child's participation. As a parent of a FMA
student, you will learn much about the program to better assist your child's learning as they progress as well as support practicing at
home.

It is also important for your child to see your involvement through encouragement, support and recognition of your child's daily class
experiences and achievements.

Should you need to leave class, or drop-n-go for any reason and your participating child is 10 years of age or younger, you must
assure FMA Management that you have arranged proper supervision of your child with another parent or guardian (not an FMA
instructor or other student) before leaving.

Additionally, no student of any age will be allowed in class unless there are at least two adult supervisory persons present, either
instructors, or parents.

Practice & Recognition

PRACTICE AT HOME
A benefit for the children to having their parent watch them in class is that the parents can help their children practice their
techniques and forms at home.
By watching, parents can pick up things a child might have missed during class, and can write the techniques down for their
children’s home practice time.

RECOGNITION
After each class is time for recognition and announcements both of which are very important for the parent to be present for.

GET THE MOST OUT OF TAE KWON DO?
The most important thing students, as well as parents can do to ensure the best possible training available is to trust the instructors
with the training for your child.
The instructors work very hard to develop the best training programs they can with every step taken, every method used for a
reason. Your confidence and support guarantees that you will get the most from your Tae Kwon Do training.

Student Uniforms

Students are provided a Student uniform upon arriving at their first class at no cost.
Each uniform is branded on the front and back with the FMA logo, is a cotton/poly blend and is machine washable and dryer safe.
Students are expected to wear a clean uniform for all classes unless otherwise instructed by FMA.
Occasionally, FMA will hold ‘T-shirt Day’, especially on hot summer days. You will be notified of these days in advance.
Uniforms should be clean at all times and be sure to always remember to bring your belt!
Students with long hair should tie their hair back securely during training.

Ranks & Belts

WHAT IS A BELT FOR?

Belts are goals that are set for students to meet on their road to Tae Kwon Do training and personal improvement. To obtain the first
belts, the goals are more easily met and involve more help from the instructor. Techniques are fairly simple early on and increase in
difficulty as the students progress. Students will progress at the speed that’s equal to their personal abilities. There are nine color
belts, or goals in the sequence starting with white through red, then on to, “the ultimate goal”, Black Belt for which there are ten
separate levels (or degrees).

HOW ARE THE BELTS RANKED?

A Rank Promotion Testing is conducted at the end of every session (approx every 2 1/2 Months) from the beginning of a session for
lower belts and every three-six months for black belts. Our belts are ranked as follows; New students start at white belt, then the
first belt tested for being orange and on to yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, red, red/black (1st degree black belt recommended),
and finally, black.

FMA students will rank promote in half rank increments each testing period (example, orange recommended may be awarded after
the first session, then orange belt decided upon successful completion of the next rank test at the end of the following session, and
so on up through all ranks. – each belt is a solid color and once a full rank of the color is earned, a black tip color belt is awarded
indicating a full color rank is 'decided' and achieved by the testing student. Color belt ranks with a stripe in the middle indicates a
Leadership Student.

WHAT IS A BLACK BELT?

A Black Belt is a student recognized for their commitment to Tae Kwon Do who has achieved a high level of proficiency and
knowledge in the art of kicking and punching. This proficiency includes speed, accuracy, strength, and thorough knowledge of a large
amount of technique; both theory and application, as well as information and history.

A first degree black belt is awarded upon successful black belt rank testing after the student has already earned all previous color
belts.

Belt Color Ranks

Rank Testing

WHAT IS BELT TESTING?

Promotion tests are conducted at the end of each session (approximately every 2 1/2 months). When the student has completed the
required time and material training requirements, then he/she will be eligible to test. As in any educational institution, the instructors
know when a student is ready to test so please trust their judgment.

The colored belt exams are open for family and friends to attend and watch. The student will perform the required material in front
of the testing instructor, then finish by breaking the required ranking color board or boards, to advance to the next level. Beginner
students are given assistance if needed to help them fulfill the requirements to earn their belt. This helps build confidence and
teaches them to know what is expected of them. Advanced students are expected to complete the exam with little or no assistance.

WHAT ARE TEST FEES?

There is a fee for each level of belt testing. This fee covers the costs of belts, boards, certification (if applicable), instructor’s fee, and
in some cases, travel. There is a one-time fee for each rank. Test fees are due prior to testing and the session class registration fee
must be current in order to test. Any special arrangements with testing fees must be made with the instructor prior to the test date.
All color belt test fees are $50 and payable to FMA. Black belt fees vary and your instructor can provide you with the fee information
prior to testing.

CAN A STUDENT FAIL?

No. If a student continues to try, perseveres, then he/she will never fail. He/she may not complete all the requirements at the time
of the test, but re-tests are always offered a week later on material missed for colored belts and a month later for black belts. Tae
Kwon Do is not about failing, but succeeding. Instructors will see that each student can succeed no matter what it takes. In the
studio, words like “can't” and “don't” are replaced with “can”, “do” and “try”. There is no giving up so there is no failing and students
are always recognized for their accomplishments.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTOR?

The instructor’s goals are to build and support the development of confident students. These students are individuals with goals,
discipline, and a sense of proper direction in their lives. Students will also have needs and the instructors are there to see that those
needs are met in the training to help students become better human beings.

The method of training, in all aspects, is a goal-oriented system, which serves as a positive reinforcement to growth as individuals.

Patches, Awards & Trophies, Oh My!

Students will have the opportunity to achieve certain goals throughout their training, which upon successful completion, may earn
them a special Patch, Medal or even a Trophy!
Needless to say, recognition of this sort is very exciting for the students, and instills a sense of accomplishment which usually
motivates them ever further in their Taekwondo training.

Types of Recognition

PATCHES
Patches are worn on the student’s uniform is a very specific location. Often series of patches will be affixed in a grouping.
Patches are iron-on and easy to affix.

MEDALS
Medals are usually a medal medallion on a neckband or ribbon to be worn around the neck, or hung on a wall at home.
Medals are often a prize awarded for special accomplishments, or for placing in competition such as a tournament.

TROPHIES
Trophies are usually a martial figure or insignia mounted on a platform and considered a very special recognition awarded for
excellence in competition.

Special Events & Tournaments

FMA will occasionally hold Special Events either in the studio, or other location. Special Events may include parties, field trips or
tournaments, either in-house, local or regionally hosted by FMA or other Martial Art Studios. Details about any Special Event or
Tournament will be posted and announced well in advance of the event along with any out-of-pocket expense if applicable.

ARE STUDENTS REQUIRED TO COMPETE IN TOURNAMENTS?

It is not required, but strongly recommended that students participate in tournaments, whether hosted by FMA in-house or in
participation with other local or regional studios during their training. FMA will hold FMA only in-studio tournaments as well as
present opportunities to compete in outside tournaments when available.

GET THE MOST OUT OF TAE KWON DO!

Participating in special events and tournaments will contribute to a well-rounded training program for your student. However, the
most important thing students, as well as parents can do to ensure the best possible training available is to trust the instructors with
the training for your child. The instructors work very hard to develop the best training programs they can with every step taken,
every method used for a reason. Your confidence and support guarantees that you will get the most from your Tae Kwon Do training.

Private Lessons / Training

FMA offers private lessons training upon request and may be scheduled anytime outside of normal class schedules based on the
availability of the instructor and facilities.

See FMA Management to schedule a private lesson.

Cost: $30 per hour.

Private Group Lessons/Training

If your student would like to invite other FMA students for a private group lesson of 3 or more students, the Instructor rate is
reduced to only $20 per hour per student.

FMA Birthday Parties

FMA offers Martial Arts Birthday Parties in the studio year-round. If your student would like to host a Birthday Party at FMA, please
see FMA Management to schedule it and work out any specific details you may require.
The FMA Chief Instructor will provide a fun, educational and inspirational training session specifically designed for your student and
their friends.

HOW MANY FRIENDS CAN I INVITE?
Students may invite up to 12 friends. Parents are welcome to coffee and tea provided by FMA. There will be an extra charge for
additional pizza, etc… for parents.

FMA will provide the following:
- 1 Hour of Fitness, Taekwondo & Weapons Training
- 1/2 Hour Obstacle Course & Games Activity
- 1 FMA (Martial Arts Themed) Decorated Birthday Cake with Candles
- Ice Cream Cups
- Bottled Water
- 1 Mylar Birthday Design Boy/Girl Balloon
- FMA Ninja Headband for each of the kids
- 1 FMA ‘Free Class’ Passes per Child

Cost: $250
FMA Birthday Parties may be scheduled on weekends, either Friday night, Saturday or Sunday or weekdays during school vacations
Monday thru Fridays, but not during regular FMA Class times.

Optional:
FMA can provide any of the following at an extra cost as noted below. Alternatively, Parents may supply decorations, light food,
snacks, drinks, etc…
FMA can provide at an additional cost:

- 13 Colorful Balloons: $40
- 1 Box of 100 Cal. Snack Packs: $8
- 16” Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza: $14 each
- Beverages (1 Gallon Hawaiian Fruit Punch): $3

Other options available by request.

Need A Break?

WHAT IF MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT?

Some students reach this point periodically and need guidance and encouragement from their parents and their instructor. Each belt
can be viewed as a short-term commitment and used as an evaluation point. The long-term commitment may be the black belt with
the smaller goals established to get a student there.

Parents need to give their children guidance and not just let them quit and give up. On the other hand, we understand that it may be
difficult to convince a child to continue to do something once their mind has been made up to quit.

In this case have the child achieve or finish the short-term goal of their next rank and see if that accomplishment changes their
mind. If not, take a break from training.

Parents or students with concerns are always encouraged to talk to their instructor.

CAN WE TAKE A BREAK?

Yes! You may choose from time to time to take a break from class. Often children have other activities that conflict with the training
schedule.

You may take as much time off as you'd like and return at the beginning of any future session. However, should you choose to take a
break longer than three sessions in a row, the Instructor may choose to do an assessment test to determine if the student has
retained their previous level of proficiency in their training.

If the student has forgotten their techniques or form, they may retain their current rank, however they may be required to complete
a second session before they can test for their next color rank.

Communication Is Key!

WHEN & HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH FMA

Students & Parents may communicate with FMA Staff and Management during all appropriate times, meaning, when not already
engaged in conversation with staff, students or parents, or to an instructor while they are teaching.

Please approach instructors during breaks, or see them either before or after class. Please note that there is typically only a 5 minute
break between classes, so please be respectful of this time so not to delay the following class from beginning on time.

To discuss matters of a private or sensitive nature, either speak with management before classes have begun, or after classes have
ended for the evening, or schedule a meeting or phone call for a specific time.

You may email management anytime, but time-sensitive matters should not be sent via e.mail, as e.mail may not be reviewed in a
timely-enough manner to respond appropriately to your request. Please call us in these instances.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

From time to time, you may have an issue to discuss with FMA with regard to interpersonal relationships with other parents,
students, instructors or management.

Please treat these matters with urgency and confidentiality and address the issue directly with FMA Management so your concern
may be addressed immediately.

FMA Management strives to maintain a comfortable relationship dynamic in the studio at all times between all parties.

Falmouth Martial Arts (FMA)

~ Taekwondo For Kids ~

Mason/Motz Activity Center
190 Middle Road Falmouth, Maine 04105

Phone: (207) 838-1545
www.fmamaine.com | [email protected]