Policy

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Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy

RULES, POLICIES, AND BY-LAWS

Mission and Purpose Statement:

The purpose of the Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy (NKGA) club is to provide a safe, affordable and accessible gymnastic program in Decatur County and its surrounding communities to students of all ages and abilities. We are a non-profit organization that provides educational and recreational activities.  No part of the net earnings of the club shall be distributed without Board approval.  The club shall have the power to engage in various fund raising activities as is necessary to accomplish its purpose.  There shall be an annual meeting of the club for the purpose of electing Board Members and club business open to all club members.  Board members shall comprise the grievance committee. THIS IS A VOLUNTEER BOARD, consisting of seven coaches, parents, and community members. The board may appoint a volunteer to fill a board position vacated prematurely or opt to leave the position vacant until the term expires. 

Instructors:

  1. All coaches and instructors for Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy are fully qualified for the class they are coaching.
  2. All coaches and instructors will have to pass a background check as soon as possible and before being left unsupervised with any minor students. 
  3. We reserve the right to change instructors at any time for any class as needed.
  4. Safety Certified, Fundamentals of Gymnastics Certified, CPR Certified and First Aid Certified instructors will be used as needed
  5. A coach certified in safety, CPR, and First Aid will be present in the gym at all times and for all classes.
  6. Bookkeepers, gym monitors and certified instructors/coaches may be compensated.  

Class Offerings:

  1. The club membership fee covers a student from September 1 of one year to August 31 of the following calendar year. 
  2. Class enrollment at any time during the school year keeps you enrolled until the last class of the Session 2. Class enrollment for the summer session is completed separately.
  3. Class offerings will be added or deleted due to instructor availability.
  4. We reserve the right to combine classes due to small enrollment, to limit class size, or to refuse student admittance to a class.

Class Cancellation:  

1.  If USD 294 in Oberlin cancels classes due to weather, Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy classes will also be cancelled. USD 294 OES/DCHS district information line is 785-475-2424.

2.  Class cancellations will be posted on our public and private FaceBook pages at Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy.   

3.  If the weather turns bad slightly prior to class time, please use your own judgment regarding attending class.

4.  Classes cancelled by Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy may be rescheduled.

Class Absences:

  1. Attendance is taken each class period. Please let us know if the student will be absent for a class or will be gone for an extended absence. Message the FaceBook page, Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy, or contact a coach privately. 
  2. No tuition will be refunded due to absence. 
  3. If absent due to injury, a doctor’s note is required before being allowed to participate in regular class activities again.
  4. If a class is missed, a make-up class MAY be available. This decision will be made privately between the head coach and the parent/adult on a case-by-case basis.

Payments:

  1. There is a non-refundable annual club membership fee for each participant, which entitles the student to full club privileges as written herein. This fee is due by the beginning of the first class attended in Session 1 or 2, or the first class of the summer session for students not enrolled in the previous sessions. The membership fee covers the student for the time period starting September 1st of one year (or the date of the first class attended during this time frame) to August 31st of the following calendar year. The amount of the membership fee is determined by the NKGA board and may be adjusted as needed.
  2. Payments are due in full on the 1st class of the month. Tuition is due regardless of attendance. There are NO refunds, transfers, or deductions for missed lessons or snow days. There will be a late fee of $5 that is due with your payment if it is received after the 2nd day of class. This fee may be waived under special circumstances on a case-by-case basis if prior arrangements have been made.
  3. Late enrollment: 
  1. New students to the program who begin classes after the session begins will owe the full month tuition for the month that they start.
  2. New students will be allowed to participate in one “trial” class before payment is due if they are unsure about attending. 
  3. All paperwork must be completed prior to participating in any activity offered by NKGA.
  4. Payments: 
  1. All cash or check payments need to be placed in the locked drop-box located by the office door or handed directly to a coach. Checks should be made to Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy (NKGA) and should include the student’s name and month for which you are paying on the check’s memo line. All cash payments should be placed in a sealed envelope with the student’s name, amount paid, and for which month you are paying.
  2. Payments may be made via PayPal @NWKSGA. Any payment received via PayPal will be subject to an additional fee to offset the fee charged by PayPal. Payment should include the student’s name and month for which payment is being made.
  1. There is a $15.00 charge plus attorney fees on all returned checks. 
  2. Monthly fees are based on lessons received for a full session. Tuition fees will remain the same each month.  Five-week months will average out three-week months. 
  3. There may be performances or entertainment for various community functions. Participation is optional but encouraged.  There may be an expense to parents for costumes.
  4. If payment is not received in full, including the late fee, by the end of the current month, the participant will be asked to discontinue classes at NKGA until payment due plus the current month’s payment is received in full. The student’s spot is not guaranteed to be held in this situation and may be given to another student if needed.
  5. NKGA has the right to file a small claims order against the parent or guardian of a student, or an adult student, for the compensation of tuition owed to the club. The student, or guardian, of said student will be responsible for the cost of any court or filing fees. 

Insurance Waiver, Rules & Policy Agreement:

  1. An Insurance Waiver, Rules and Policy Agreement MUST be signed and on file for every student. The waiver states that:

NORTHWEST KANSAS GYMNASTICS ACADEMY, IT’S DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, BOARD, COACHES, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, ALL SITES USED FOR CLASSES, MEETS, CAMPS OR PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING DECATUR COUNTY USD #294 AND ANY OTHER CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATION ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES SUSTAINED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN ANY NKGA CLASS, MEET, CAMP, OR PERFORMANCE.  If I do file suit against any of the above named parties and am denied judgment, I agree to pay all expenses incurred by all parties.  

2. The club is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged articles. Please label all shoes, bags, and attire with a name to make it easier to get left items back to you. If you have valuable items such as keys, a billfold, or phone, please ask a coach to place your items in the office. Check the lost and found located in the lobby for items left. Unclaimed items in the lost and found will be discarded or donated after 4 weeks. 

Rules of the Gym:  GYMNASTICS IS A DANGEROUS SPORT – These rules help ensure the safety of students.

  1. Students should arrive no sooner than 10 minutes before their class begins. Only participating students will be allowed in the building without parents.
  2. Parents are asked to pick up their children promptly. For their own security, children will not be allowed to wait outside. Walking students will not be allowed to loiter.
  3. Parents and students are not allowed in the office at anytime unless asked directly by a coach to do so.
  4. Chewing gum is not allowed. (Choking hazard.)
  5. Long hair must be tied back.
  6. Jewelry must not be worn. Small stud earrings will be allowed if the student’s ears are recently pierced.
  7. Gymnastic students should wear leotards, unitards, or snug fitting leggings/shorts and a snug shirt or a shirt that is long enough to tuck in. No socks or footed tights are allowed to be worn in the gym area. 
  8. Dance students should wear clothes similar to gymnastic students. Socks and shoes can be worn if needed for dance class.
  9. Taekwondo students should wear comfortable clothing that allows for easy movement and stretching and a dobok. A dobok (taekwondo uniform) is not required for beginning students. No socks are allowed to be worn in the gym area.
  10. Sweats may be worn during stretching.
  11. Running and roughhousing is not allowed. 
  12. Disruptive behavior will be disciplined in a healthy, non-physical manner, which may include time-outs, parental involvement, and/or dismissal from class. 
  13. Any graffiti or destruction of the building or property will be grounds for immediate dismissal, as well as destruction or theft of any personal property.  Restitution shall be made by the student/parents. Law enforcement will be called if needed.
  14. Respect for others is expected. Intentional bodily harm to others, foul language, name calling, willful defiance, and ignoring authority will not be tolerated and will have the following consequences for minor children: 
  1. Physical evidence of bodily harm witnessed by others or witnessed by a coach is grounds for dismissal from the program and the inability to return to the program for the rest of the gymnastic year and in the future without board approval. The head coach has the authority to offer a warning to the child and parents or to dismiss the child permanently based on the offense and age of the child.  
  2. Foul language, name calling, bullying, willful defiance, and ignoring authority will result in the student sitting out the rest of that class and the coach will talk to both the parent and child for the first offense.  A 2nd offense will result in dismissal from the program with the inability to return to class for that class year. The head coach has the authority to offer a warning to the child and parents or to dismiss the child permanently based on the offense and age of the child.  
  3. Offenses begin over each class year.  
  1. For an adult student, intentional bodily harm to others, foul language, name calling, willful defiance, and ignoring authority will result in permanent dismissal from the program.
  2. Substantial violation of any law designed to protect minors, such as child abuse, sexual misconduct, or sexual harassment, by a minor student, will result in parents of the offending child being notified and the offending child will be expelled from the program permanently. An offending coach, instructor, or adult student will be dismissed permanently from NKGA. Law enforcement will be notified.  
  3. Possession of tobacco/drugs/alcohol or use of said items by students, coaches, or instructors while attending NKGA classes or events is prohibited. For a minor student, this will result in the material being removed from their person.  Parents will be notified and the child will be expelled from the program permanently. Coaches, instructors, or adult students will be dismissed permanently from the program. Law enforcement will be contacted if illegal items are used or in possession of a student, coach, or instructor.
  4. Possession of firearms/weapons by students, instructors, or coaches while attending or coaching NKGA classes/events is prohibited. For a minor student, this will result in the notification of parents, the item being removed from the possession of a minor if there is no risk to the students or others in doing so, and permanent dismissal from NKGA. Coaches, instructors, or adult students will be dismissed permanently from the program. A student in possession of a small pocket knife with less than a 3 inch blade will receive one warning along with the above consequences before being expelled from the program, but only if the pocket knife was not used in a threatening manner. Law enforcement will be contacted if necessary.
  5. Only coaches will be permitted to have cell phones in the gym for emergency purposes, to record students for the sole purpose of helping that student learn a skill, or for music purposes related to coaching. 

Parents & Visitors:

  1.  Parents may not talk to the child or the instructor during the class (except for the parent/child class) unless there is an emergency.
  2.  FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND OTHERS, ALL NON-PARTICIPANTS MUST STAY OUT OF THE GYM AREA DURING CLASS TIMES.
  3. All participants must stay out of the gym area until coach allows entry.
  4.  At the coach’s/instructor’s discretion, and in the best interest of the child, a parent may be asked to stay or leave. 
  5.  Please no flash cameras. Video and non-flash photography of your student only is allowed. Ensure that no other students are visible in photo or video especially when posting to social media. Posts in violation of this rule may be requested to be removed.

Class Mobility:

Classes are conducted by a pre-determined skills progression and a student’s maturation level.   A student may be asked to change to an easier or more advanced level by a head coach/instructor based on observations of that class and that student. The parent of a minor will be notified of the suggested change and will be included in the decision making process. This class change can occur at any time if the head coach/instructor feels it is necessary to better benefit the student. Please note that the final decision is still made by the head coach/instructor. The student may be asked to leave the program due to uncooperative parents if the head coach/instructor feels that the student needs to change classes because of a safety issue.  

Communication is the Key:

We encourage you to discuss any problems or concerns about our program directly with coaches/instructors and board members.  We appreciate both positive and negative feedback concerning our program and instructors.  We also encourage you to communicate with the instructors regarding your children.  Please give any written correspondence to a board member and we will respond to the best of our ability. Board member contact information is listed in the lobby area. Contact may also made via direct message to our Facebook page at Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy.

Dissolution of Northwest Kansas Gymnastics Academy:

If NKGA dissolves as a non-profit club, all money, equipment, and other property of the club will be donated to non-profit organizations with priority going to those in Decatur County.  

updated 8-16-25

© 2025 NKGA, Inc.