Procedures
WHAT TO DO ON YOUR FIRST DAY AT SPOKANE GYMNASTICS
On your first day, it's wise to come five minutes early, both to handle the paperwork and also to let your child look around this odd, colorful place and get comfortable. There will be lots of other children, lots of noise and lots of parents - it takes a little time to absorb it all.
When you come in, talk to Molly or Nadine. They will handle the paperwork and direct you to the changing room. Leave clothes and shoes in the cubbies. Cotton socks may be worn if little feet tend to get cold, but we love bare feet best.
We start our classes on time and ask that students be ready, in the lobby by the gate, to meet their coach and go to their first event together. If you do not know who your child's coach is please inquire at the service desk and we will introduce you. Since we take attendance, we do not require on-going check-in at the service desk. Each coach has their bio on the wall in the lobby along with a picture to help your child get to know them prior to their first interaction. Each coach has a roster for their class and will take their students as a group to their first event. It is busy and congested in the lobby but we have a plan and are much more organized than it might first appear. Once the students start to know their coach and class-mates, the transition of the start and end of classes gets less hectic. We follow a lesson plan and rotation schedule to ensure that your child has the best, most productive and enjoyable experience possible in the time they are in class.
We strongly prefer that parents do not go out on the floor because they tend to get hurt out there. It is full of uneven, padded surfaces and steel equipment. We adults should recall that we are no longer flexible, strong for our size and fully alert to our surroundings! However, in the extreme case that a preschool child is frightened and will not go with his or her group, the child's parent may walk along behind the group with the child in tow. Sit beside the group's activities until the child is ready to participate. When that happens, excuse yourself quickly and return to the parent area – carefully! To maintain a clean environment, we require that shoes are removed.
We have a viewing area upstairs for both our main “East Side” and new “West Side” gyms. There is a door upstairs so parents can move between viewing areas and watch their child's class at all times, no matter what event they are on. We have separate stairs and restrooms on each side of the gym.
WHAT TO WEAR TO CLASS
Dress is informal. For girls, the best dress from the standpoint of instruction is a cotton leo. A leo allows us to see exactly what position a child's body is in, the better to make corrections. Cotton is cool and it also gives the instructor a good grip if the need to spot (take hold of the child) should arise.
That said, if a leo is not available, a tucked in T-shirt and shorts or stretchy athletic style pants will do, but no belts, buckles or snaps are allowed on our equipment. No jewelry may be worn and hair shoulder length or longer must be tied back.
For boys, a tightly fitting t-shirt and shorts will do, again to be able to see the body well. Loose clothing gets in the way of skills and hinders spotting. If the boy's hair is long enough, it should be secured in a pony-tail.
PARKING
Please do not park in front of the “Hydraulics Plus Inc.” business at the west side of our building. We have additional parking on the east or north side of our facility and appreciate your assistance helping us remain good neighbors.
SNOW CLOSURES
Spokane Gymnastics does not close for snow days, even when schools are closed or delayed. Even in the most extreme weather our coaches have managed to come to the gym and have been prepared to teach their classes. To simplify things, our policy is to always offer classes unless there is a situation that causes the gym to be considered unsafe. We will be here and offer your class but if you feel that it isn't safe to drive to the gym due to weather please remember that we have many make-up options. We do not offer refunds for missed classes.
MAKE-UPS
We want to make sure you have the opportunity to make-up for missed classes. If you know that you will miss your class, a courtesy call is appreciated and we will do everything possible to accommodate a make-up class. Please inquire as to make-up class availability. We offer the following make-up classes on Friday afternoons: Preschool at 4:00pm, Co-Ed Levels 1, 2 and 3 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm and Girls Level 3&4+ from 4:00pm – 5:00pm (condensed class). PLEASE CALL AHEAD TO SAVE YOUR SPOT! Another option is the appropriate age-range Open Gym. We offer Indoor Playground Monday - Friday from noon to 1:00pm for ages 6 years old and under, and Open Gym on Thursdays from 7:00pm - 9:00pm for ages 6 and older. “Flippin' Fun Movie Night” is the 1st Friday of the month from 7:00pm – 9:00pm and may be used as a make-up option. For all make-up classes, and Flippin' Fun Movie Night please register to save your spot and for Open Gyms you may simply show up!
ARRIVING ON TIME TO CLASS
We have a pre-planned lesson for each class and start classes on time. Each student MUST complete a full warm-up and stretch prior to doing any gymnastics. If your child arrives less than 5 minutes late we will allow them to join the class but they will be required to stretch. If your child is less than 10 minutes late it is at the coach's discretion as to whether the child is permitted to join the class; any child arriving more than 10 minutes late will not be allowed out on the floor and will have the option of a make-up class. Please understand that this is for your child's safety as well as the integrity of the class in general. Your courtesy is appreciated!
PARENTAL DAILY ROLE AND GENERAL GUIDELINES
Parents play an important role in the development of a successful gymnast. We welcome your presence at class practice, functions and at every competition. We are a family friendly and family oriented gym. We want your input and support because we want your child to succeed. Please remember to remain positive with your gymnast at all times. All policies and procedures at Spokane Gymnastics are designed to ensure a fun, safe and successful program for everyone involved.
Parents are required to stay in the viewing area at all times. Parents may not enter the gymnastics area of the gym for any reason whatsoever. Please remain positive and supportive of your gymnast, coaches and the gym at all times. If you have questions, comments or concerns please ask.
Communication is important and we have an open door policy for all gymnasts and parents. Please come to any of your child’s coaches before class begins or after class ends if you have a problem or concern. We are in business to serve you and your child. Your thoughts and ideas are important to us.
Please let your child’s coach know if there is a problem with your child such as injury, illness or medication. Please communicate anything that may affect your athlete’s ability to work out or compete.
Please escort your child into the lobby and meet your child in the lobby as soon as their class ends. Parents are encouraged to stay and watch their child's class, but are welcome to leave, provided they return PRIOR to their child's class completion. For their safety, gymnasts are not allowed to wait outside the building or to leave with anyone other than their legal parent or guardian without the written permission of their parent unless it is a car-pool situation where the child arrives with the other parent.
It is possible that a gymnast will have to leave our program. This may include the gymnast leaving due to the actions or in-actions of his or her parents. We never want to punish a child for the actions of his or her parent(s). Our intent is not to punish the child in these instances, but we cannot tolerate parents who by their words or actions do not support the policies and values of our program or students who repeatedly cause disturbances to the point of disrupting the integrity of the class, or the safety of themselves, their coach, or other students. Spokane Gymnastics reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at any time for any reasons. Refunds are not given on any tuition or fees paid to Spokane Gymnastics should the actions of your family or child compel us to remove your child from our program.
Communicating effectively with every parent and student in our classes is a challenge, but one that we embrace! We work very hard to get information to you in a timely manner by putting information on the front door and chalk-board. We also provide literature to your child after class on a regular basis to keep you informed as to special programs and updates, plus we keep our website current with as much information as possible. Please check spokanegymnastics.com regularly to stay informed about your child's gymnastics program. Should you have questions, don’t speculate or assume, ASK! Don’t hesitate asking your coach a question. Our front desk staff is available to answer questions as well. You should always be able to reach a service desk staff by calling the gym at 509-533-9646, but if for any reason you have a question or issue that is urgent, please do not hesitate to call Nadine (owner) on her mobile phone at 509-590-6177.
We are excited to welcome you to Spokane Gymnastics and look forward to offering a fun, productive and safe gymnastics experience!