As we work through our response as a community to the pandemic, we will post updates here:
July 3, 2020
We have two exciting announcements for our adult program!
New Live Stream Class:
First, we are adding a second live-stream class on Thursdays at 5:30 pm beginning July 9. This is in addition to the Tuesday live stream. The zoom link for both is the same. Please let a staff member know if you need that link.
Open Training Sessions:
Second, beginning Monday, July 6, we are offering open training sessions in the Dojang from 4-7 pm. Sessions are 45 minutes each which allows staff to clean between sessions, and only two people are allowed to sign up for any given 45-minute spot. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can sign up here: https://traditionalmartialartsacademy.com/virtual-dojang/open-training-sessions/.
If you’re interested in participating, please be sure to read in detail our safety policies on the reservation page. Following these procedures are mandatory for participation in open training sessions.
We are excited about this expansion of offerings for the MMA/Striking program. Given the recent significant increase in COVID19 cases in Austin, we need everyone’s cooperation in order to make the open training sessions as safe as possible for everyone.
June 6, 2020
The week of June 8 begins TMAA’s next phase of reopening. We will begin once-a-week, limited-size, in-person classes at a nearby park during which will be instructional/feedback intensive.
All students and families should wear masks. Students will have marked, socially-distanced “bubbles” where they will remain during the class. Once students are in their bubbles, they may remove their masks, but they must put them back on whenever they leave their bubble. Please have your child bring a water bottle for class (ice water may be helpful if it is a warm day). Water bottles will stay with students in their bubbles so they can be accessed during water breaks.
The uniform for this class is a TMAA t-shirt, uniform pants, and belt. Students should wear shoes that tie/are secured to the feet (no flip-flops).
If you are not comfortable with your child participating in these classes, we’ve got you covered! We will hold a small live-stream class that is restricted to students not attending in-person classes so that we can keep the teacher-student ratio as low as possible. This class will also focus on instruction and feedback.
In addition to the once-a-week instructional classes, two additional live-stream classes will be available each week. Both of these will be open to all Pyon Moo Do Kids and will be focused on drills and review of material. These classes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00-3:45 pm and will be taught by Ms. Niki. Students will be muted during the class, as the focus will be on doing the exercises rather than teaching material.
In addition to our updated schedule and new class offerings, The Virtual Dojang is getting a make-over. While we will be no longer posting online video lessons each week, we will be revealing a new interactive Video Reference Library on 6/8/2020. It will allow you to select your child’s belt color, and it will bring up all videos relevant to your child’s curriculum. Instructors will be adding to it as they encounter common issues in the instructional classes that could benefit from clarification.
In addition, after you select your child’s belt color in the Home Dojang Training Reference Library, you will see an Announcements Board at the top of the page. Just like our Announcements Board in the Dojang, this board will tell you what curriculum your student is working on for the week. In addition, it will give you the video titles that are relevant to what is being learned (which is helpful when we have posted over 300 videos across our programs!).
Moreover, on the tabs just below the Announcements Board, you will find a section where you can access archived livestream classes. If your child missed class, wants to review something they learned, or just wants to get a guided workout in, you have access to this resource. Please note that each class will remain until the following week’s class is posted, not indefinitely.
As we get closer to school resuming and/or TMAA opening back up, we will revisit this schedule to find the best, safest fit for everyone. As always, the health and safety of the TMAA community are our priorities. We continually monitor the latest science-based information related to the coronavirus, and aim for an evidence-based reopening.
Please do not hesitate to let a staff member know if you have any questions about your child’s new classes or the Video Reference Library.
April 20, 2020
The past few weeks have been very difficult for all of us as
individuals and families. Watching the news, it is clear that the global
pandemic and the stay-at-home policies are also putting small
businesses in difficult, if not impossible situations. Our little
martial arts school is no exception.
First, we are proud to say
that we have continued to pay our staff their full salaries. We are a
community, so our people (staff, students and families) are the heart
and soul of TMAA. Our commitment to paying our staff is unwavering.
Second,
we are extremely proud of the fact that approximately 82% of our
students are still enrolled despite not having access to our facility.
We are working hard to create the best possible online experience that
we can, and are continuing to add content and features to our Virtual
Dojang. But we recognize that this cannot replace the experience of
live, face-to-face instruction. We also recognize that by continuing to
pay tuition, you are making a choice and a sacrifice to support and
preserve our community through this crisis. We have been deeply moved by
this.
Because of the high price of real estate in Austin, our
lease is by far our biggest expense. We are prioritizing payroll to
protect our staff as best we can, but we still have to pay rent. Our
landlord is working with us some, and we have sought assistance through
the CARES Act, but neither is really offsetting the expense of an empty
martial arts school.
Clearly, reopening the school as soon as
possible is a priority from a business perspective. But our central
reason for existence as an institution is the health and well-being of
our students and their families. More so than losing our business, our
greatest fear is that we open too soon and create a hot-spot for the
spread of coronavirus.
As we get closer to a potential reopen
date, we are following the science—not the politics or economics—around
how we bring students back into our school. At this time, we ask for
your continued patience and support.
We also ask you for your
feedback and ideas—this is your community as well. How can we make our
online services work better for you? When the doors reopen at TMAA, what
would help you and your family feel safe in our school?
It is
during the most difficult of times that we can discover the treasures in
our lives. With this pandemic, many of us struggle with loneliness,
fear and uncertainty. But, we are also given the rare opportunity to
witness compassion and heroism, as well as to discover new ways to
connect with others. For us, it has been a gift to experience the little
shots of joy we get when we hear from our students and their families,
see them on the live-streams and feel the support you all offer to keep
our community going through this crisis.
Thank you so much—we are deeply grateful for you being part of the TMAA community!
March 17, 2020
News regarding the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly changing, and we at TMAA are working to be responsive to official/scientific recommendations. AISD announced that they are closing schools until April 3rd and have made it clear that they are preparing for being closed until at least May 1st. As we have stated previously, we are looking to AISD policy to inform our decisions about whether or not to stay open. Our primary concern, always, is the well-being and health of our students and their families, so we will also be closing as well.
The TMAA staff is cutting our Spring Break short in order to respond to these unexpected events. Though the physical Dojang will be closed, we are working to continue to provide instruction for our students online. Our goal is to have a Virtual Dojang up and running starting next Monday (3/23). We recognize that you are likely stuck at home, and we will be creating video content that can help you (or your child) continue to progress as a martial artist.
I will be sending updates between now and when we launch so that you can know what to expect and when to expect it.
I appreciate your patience with this disorienting turn of events. We recognize that for many, this is a very frightening time. The science that we are seeing makes it clear that the biggest threat of the coronavirus is not so much whether or not people get it, because its spread seems almost inevitable at this point. Instead, the threat comes from whether or not its spread is managed in such a way that our healthcare system can keep up with it. This suggests that doing what we can to limit social spreading is wise, but that panic is unnecessary (and likely unhelpful). So we feel that closing the physical Dojang is a positive move to this end.
As we get our Virtual Dojang up and running, please give us feedback. Once it is live, you’ll be able to post comments on each lesson, and we will be responsive. You can also contact us directly via email. This update was sent to all our students via email. You can find staff email addresses in that message.
March 12, 2020
Our primary concern as an institution is the growth, health and well-being of our students. We are not inclined towards panic, but we do recognize that current indications regarding the seriousness of COVID19 are concerning and worthy of caution. Our impulse is to have our response be as science-driven as possible. Because the information coming from the federal government at this stage is muddled at best, misleading at worst, we are instituting the following practical policies:
- Students showing signs of respiratory illness and/or fever will be asked to stay home. For special events (such as testing) that are impacted, we will offer make-ups.
- While in the Dojang, students and families
should follow these CDC recommendations:
- Avoid close contact with individuals showing signs of illness. If you see someone who seems sick, please let a staff member know.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth without first washing your hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Please limit your use of the hand sanitizer that is available in the Dojang. What is out for your use represents our total stock and we are uncertain when more will be available.
- Students will be required to wash their hands before stepping onto the training floor. Please put on your uniform and then wash your hands.
- If you are the parent or guardian of a child student, please consider dropping your child off rather than staying to watch class. You are always welcome to watch class, but the fewer people are in the building at a given time, the less likely transmission is.
- The TMAA staff will clean commonly used surfaces regularly. If you have concerns about a particular area or surface, please inform a staff member.
- Martial arts training requires physical contact with others. If this is a concern for you or your child, you can opt out of this aspect of training. You or your child will be assigned alternative material to work on during class.
As the quality of scientifically clear information is released, we will modify our policies as needed. Currently, we plan to follow AISD’s closure policies.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding TMAA policy and COVID19, please talk to a staff member.
