As Monday 10/9/23 is a federal holiday, and there is no school, there will be no UTKD class. Have a good long weekend.
-Mr. Webb
UTKD
Monday and Wednesday Class Times
Good Evening Everyone,
I hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend!
Starting Wednesday, June 14th, we will be moving both the Monday and Wednesday classes to a 6:00pm start time.
Hopefully, this will be more convenient for people to get to after work.
Just a reminder, there is no class on Monday, June 12th.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Grand Master Sciuto
Rescinding COVID-19 Restrictions
Good Morning Everyone,
This email is being sent out to inform you that all of the restrictions that were put in place due to COVID19 at UTKD have been rescinded effective immediately. If you have considered coming back but have held off due to mask mandates, limited class size, not being able to sit in the gallery and watch a class while your child participates, your time to return is now.
Class schedules are Monday through Thursday 5:30 to 6:45 and Saturday’s 10:00 to 11:15. We are looking forward to seeing all of our students who have been reluctant to return back to the Dojang and start training again. As always please exercise common sense and if you’re not feeling well stay home.
Feel free in contacting me directly or any of the other instructors with any questions or concerns you may have. Train hard, train often and have fun!
Respectfully.
GM Drago
7th Dan USTIU
VP UTKD
VP USTIU
School Update
Hello Fellow Tae Kwon Doist’s
I am hopeful everyone is doing well and had been keeping themselves in shape during the Dojang’s closure. Per GM Sirois’s email we have been open now for three weeks with limited participation. We had a texting Board Meeting last night regarding the use of masks in the Dojang as it was one of the requirements upon our reopening. As many of you may know we typically fall in line with what the local school districts dictate, whether it be closure due to weather or in this case face mask use. Our neighbors in Massachusetts have a mandate that ends on 2/28/22 and the belief is it will not be reimplemented. That said there are several local communities in Southern New Hampshire which have already implemented a policy of personal discretion due to the decrease in COVID19 cases. After texting about this for some time the Board voted to remove mandatory mask use effective immediately and leave it up to our individual students to select mask use or not.
We all agreed that we should still limit our class sizes to 10 students and no gallery in the back of the school for the remainder of this month. I realize this may still present a challenge for some of the students or their families but we are trying our best to help keep everyone safe and get through these difficult times with as little disruption as possible.
The obvious is if you aren’t feeling well, have a runny nose, whatever, please stay home, exercise common sense and do not come to the Dojang. In my heart I know we are all sick of all of this but must remain vigilant and help one another to make it through. Thank you for your patience and understanding, train hard, train often!
Respectfully,
GM Drago
7th Dan USTIU
VP UTKD
VP USTIU
Welcome to February!
Greetings everyone!
I hope you all survived the Snowpocolypse.
We had paused accepting new students for the month of January, and we will resume in February which is starting on Tuesday. So, you will see some new faces, please welcome them.
It's been a tough season dealing with health issues, but we've been cautious and responsible. The reports of new COVID cases are heading down, and it gives reason for hope. Lets make sure we keep our good practices going: Masks are mandatory, and cleaning after class is required. Let's make an effort to get back to our training and continue to establish the habits which build our techniques and focus.
As we get back to training, remember (as stated on our web site):
Masks are still required. There is a limit of ten people including the instructor. No visitors will be allowed in the gallery. No children below the age of 5 will be allowed in the building. No contact will be allowed. IMPORTANT: If you do not feel well, do not come to the school. Even if you think you have a simple cold, please do NOT come to the school.
You may see changes in the rules in the coming weeks as things improve. We will strive to be prompt about making changes that will improve our TKD experience.
Stay healthy,
-Mr. Webb
Good Morning Everyone,
I am hopeful everyone had a joyous holiday season and that you are all doing well. I am sending this letter to let everyone know the Board at UTKD had a meeting to discuss reopening the Dojang which was scheduled for tomorrow the 10th. After discussing what the COVID numbers have been looking like and continually on the rise it has been decided that we remain closed for an additional two weeks which pushes our reopening until Monday 1/24/22 (assuming things improve). Please stay safe, healthy and continue to stretch and do some light kicking and punching at home, work on your poomse and 1 steps to stay sharp. As always feel free in reaching out should there be any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Barry Drago
7th Dan USTIU
VP UTKD
Board of Directors Meeting Regarding Re-opening...
Good Morning!
At a UTKD Board Of Directors meeting on 28 December, the following was decided as the best course of action in light of the current COVID situation:
1) The school will reopen January 10th, pending a review of conditions.
2) Masks will be required for at least the month of January.
3) There will be a limit of ten people including the instructor.
4) No visitors will be allowed in the gallery.
5) No children below the age of 5 will be allowed in the building.
6) No contact will be allowed.
7) IMPORTANT: If you do not feel well, do not come to the school. Even if you think you have a simple cold, please do NOT come to the school. By the end of January, we will re-evaluate our policies.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask any instructor or board member. Our goal is to keep UTKD a healthy and productive environment, and we've done a good job so far. Keep stretching and practicing, and stay healthy.
Happy New Year!
-Mr. Webb
UTKD
UTKD Temporary Closing
Hello Fellow Tae Kwon Doist’s,
It is with a heavy heart I must report that the Dojang will be closed for the next couple of weeks as we had someone who attended this past Tuesday’s class (12/7) test positive for COVID. A student who attended Tuesday’s class also attended class on Wednesday (12/8) further complicating things. The Board had an emergency zoom meeting last night and discussed the situation. It was determined that we will close the Dojang and alert our students of the situation at hand. As per the CDC guidelines, if you are feeling ill, or have any symptoms of COVID please get tested and follow up with your doctor regarding any care that may be needed.
Although this is a setback, overall we have done such a good job keeping this out of the school, we now have to move forward carefully. We will advise everyone via email regarding any further developments and with reopening information when it is available. The Dojang has been disinfected entirely and upon reopening it is extremely important that we continue to complete the COVID waiver forms, stay home if you’re not feeling well, and take care of one another. Should anyone have any questions please feel free in reaching out.
Respectfully,
GM Drago
7th Dan USTIU
September News
Hello Fellow Tae Kwon Doist’s,
I am hopeful everyone is doing well and remaining healthy. Although the times are still a bit crazy the Dojang has been open and we are training! We had a board meeting recently and it was decided that we will conduct a colored belt test Saturday, November 6th at 10:00AM. There will be no class that day and I would encourage students to take a look at the white board in the back of the school to check and see if your name is listed with the proposed test level, if it is you are scheduled to test. Please remember that we are still about 5 weeks or so out from that date, practice, practice, practice, now is not the time to take time off, or decided to “relax”. It is the time to focus and prepare yourself for that day so you can shine.
If you are testing and have any questions regarding what will be required or need reviewing anything please see one of the instructors and they will go over what the requirements are and any review that may be needed with you. Please ensure you have a school patch on your uniform, your uniform is clean and neat, and that you are prepared.
I would like everyone to contemplate the five tenants’ of Tae Kwon Do; Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, Indomitable Spirit. As martial artists we should all implement these tenants into our training, it may seem that these concepts are outdated, or not applicable. But I actually believe we should implement these not only into our training but into our daily routine in or outside lives. We should all work together for forward progress, supporting and helping each other to be the best Taekwondoists we can be. Remember train had, train often, train focused and seize the day!
Respectfully,
GM Drago
7th Dan USTIU
Labor day and Thursdays update...
Good Afternoon Fellow Taekwondoist’s,
I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that this weekend is Labor Day weekend and there will be no class on Saturday 9/4/21 and Monday 9/6/21. There is also a change in curriculum effective immediately for the Thursday evening class with GM Sirois as this class will now be focused on free sparring. That means if you plan on attending you should be beyond the basics of your training and ready to put your techniques together in a controlled, free sparring format, in essence this is not a beginners class. If you have questions regarding this class or it’s content please speak directly to GM Sirois or any of the other instructors. Business taken care of, I am hopeful everyone is feeling healthy, being safe, and enjoying what’s left of summer. If you haven’t been to the school in while, have been considering coming back, or ready to begin training, we are ready to welcome you. As always train hard, train often, train smart and hopefully we will see you on the mat.
Respectfully,
Barry Drago
VP UTKD
No classes July 3rd, 5th...
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone there are no classes this Saturday the 3rd and Monday the 5th, we will resume our normal schedule beginning Tuesday the 6th. Please be safe over the weekend, stretch and practice your techniques especially the candidates (you know who you are)!!! Thank you for your continued support and don’t forget; train hard, train focused, and train often!!!
Respectfully,
Barry Drago
7th Dan USTIU
VP UTKD
Poomsae Videos!
On our UTKD website, in the For Students section, the Colored Belt
Poomsae section is now complete with a video for each form.
<https://utkd.org/colored-belt-poomsae>
Grandmaster Pelletier with the video skills of Reverend Proctor created
this set of reference videos for all our students. THANK YOU!!
The Black Belt Poomsae videos are in review, and will be completed soon.
-Mr. WebbSchedule Updates...
Good Afternoon Everyone,
I hope everyone is able to enjoy this beautiful weather now that we can all go back to work! This email is being sent as there were a few scheduling issues with the colored belt test and pre test scheduled for this Saturday 6/5/21. In an effort to make things accessible to everyone we have shifted the scheduling around a bit. The following is what is now scheduled; this Saturday 6/5/21 there will be a 10:00 class, upon completion of that class there will be a colored belt test for those candidates who have been spoken to. Saturday 6/12/21 there will be a 10:00 class, upon completion of that class there will be a Black Belt pre test. Should there be any issues or questions feel free in contacting me directly or ask any of the instructors for clarification.
Respectfully,
Barry Drago
7th Dan USTIU
Memorial Day 2021 update...
Good Afternoon Taekwondoist’s,
I wanted to send a note out to everyone to let you know there will not be a class this Saturday 5/29/21 in honor of Memorial Day. Typically when we have a long holiday weekend there is no class scheduled for that Saturday unless otherwise announced. The school’s web site calendar is being updated to reflect this weekend/s closure as well as a couple of others throughout the upcoming summer (4th of July, Labor Day). I am hopeful everyone is well and remains healthy, if you haven’t been back yet perhaps it’s time to come take some classes and get yourself back into Taekwondo. Hopefully we will see you soon, as always train hard, train often, and train focused.
Respectfully,
GM Drago
USTIU 7th Dan