The Milestones on the Journey
As a new practitioner in the school, you or your child will need to know the promotion process to ensure a clearly defined path for successful training and advancement. Please remember at the DOJYM we stand by our policy of “Giving only what was earned and continually earned”. Practitioners are held to the standards presented here and are expected to work towards each stripe and belt promotion.
The 4 Steps for Belt Promotion
- You must first have at least 6 classes for every stripe and 18 classes for every belt promotion.
- You must go online and complete an Elemental Online Test for the level you are in a week before your red stripe test Red (if you are Black Belt Club Red Belt you will do this a week before you test for your Green Stripe). Hence if you are a Yellow Belt you will go online to the Earth E-learning (Elemental Learning) portion of the ElevoDynamics.com website found under the Martial Arts/Ninja E-Learning tab. On that page you will find two tests, one for Yellow Belt and one for Yellow Black Belt. As a Yellow Belt soon to test for your Red Stripe you will take the Yellow Belt Test.Note: Ninja Dragons (ages 4-7) are exempt from online testing. However if they are still training once they reach the Ninja Warriors class (7-12) they will be expected to go back and take the online test for their previously gained ranks. They are also expected to start taking online test from that point on.
- You must have completed your minimum of three acts of service requirements per-belt (Two acts of cleaning at the DOJYM and one attendance at a special event such as Fourth Friday or another event).Note: You will not receive a Red/Green Stripe if you have not completed your Acts of Service or your Online Test. You will instead receive a Blue Stripe for incomplete or needed improvement.
- You must next have received three stripes (2 black and 1 red). Two if you are a Red belt or above Black Belt Club member (These students get 1 Black and 1 Green).
- You must pass in 7 out of 10 areas evaluated during Elemental Advancement Testing. The categories of the areas evaluated are Ukemi (rolling/breakfalling), Scenario Based Techniques, and Striking.Note: If any of the above are not completed then you are not eligible for graduation.
If a Student Doesn’t Pass Evaluation
If you or your child doesn’t pass an evaluation, you or the child will receive a blue stripe. This means there is needed improvement in certain areas. The areas needing improvement will be identified on their Ninja Attendance Card in the Evaluation section. During the first week of the following month you will have to turn in a Stripe Re-Evaluation sheet (found at the front information table) in order to be re-evaluated to access if there has been improvement in the areas needing identified during the last assessment.
Note: The first week of every month is Re-evaluation week. If a student misses Re-evaluation week then they will have to wait for that month’s stripe week at which they can only receive the one stripe they missed and not two stripes.
If a Student misses Stripe Week
If you or your child is not present during a stripe week it is your responsibility to fill out a Stripe Re-Evaluation Form and give it to the instructor during the next class or the front desk person. The date of re-evaluation is written on the form as RE ____/_____/_____ and then the form is given to an instructor. You can get a Stripe Re-evaluation Form from the front hanging bin labeled Stripe Re-evaluation Forms or download it on the Elevo Dynamics website.
Meaning of Stripes
Black Stripe: The Black Stripe symbolizes that a student has met the standard for the 5 Key Areas – Attendance, Knowledge of information, Character, Acts of Service, and Technical Performance.
Red Stripe: The Red Stripe symbolizes that a student has met the standard of the 5 Key Areas in the Dojym but additionally they have also met the testing requirements.
Green Stripe: The Green Stripe symbolizes that a student has met the standard of the 5 Key Areas in the Dojym but additionally they have also met the testing requirements. This stripe is only received by Black Belt Club members who have their Red belts and above.
Blue Stripe: The Blue Stripe symbolizes that a student has not met the standard of the 5 Key Areas and thus they have to be reassessed during reassessment week. The 5 Key Areas are Attendance, Knowledge of Information, Character performance, Acts of Service and Technical Performance (Technique, Ukemi, and Striking).
If a Student’s Stripe is removed
For infractions in behavior (fighting at home, being disrespectful at home, etc.), lack of discipline in class (calling out, dragging belt on the floor, etc.) or continued failure to retain information the instructor may take a students stripe away. Since you get what you earn at the DoJym if a student is not continually earning their stripe then it can be taken away.
When is Graduation?
The last Wednesday of the month is Mandatory Promotional Testing also called Elemental Advancement Testing. This is mandatory for all Ninja Warriors (ages 7-12) and Ninja Protectors (13 and above) who have a Red or Green Stripe to attend in order to be promoted to the next belt. Dates for these tests and guidelines are on the Elemental Advancement Testing Sheet at the Front Information table.
Note: Arrive 10 minutes early for graduation. Use this time to warm up and stretch. If you are more than 5 minutes late for graduation you will not be allowed to partake in the ceremony. It is disruptive to those promoting for a late student to join in while the graduation is in process. Please be respectful and wait to graduate in the next class you come to.
Note: Keep in mind Ninja Dragons do not have to come to graduation they receive their promotions in class.
What to bring to Graduation
Graduations are scheduled on a monthly bases and you will know if you are graduating because you will have a Red or Green Stripe (remember you graduate the month after you get your Red or Green Stripe). You should always wear your full uniform and belt at graduation (If you come without your uniform you will not be able to participate in graduation). If there are ever any changes then you will be notified ahead of time. You should also always bring your equipment to graduation.
Missed Graduation
Tesing is free if you come on the mandatory scheduled test night. However if you miss that Day then you will have to pay a $25 Retest fee to participate in a make up testing on the same Friday of that week.
Stripe Re-evaluation Form
If you or your child is not present during a stripe week then it is your or their responsibility to fill out a Stripe Evaluation Form. This will make the Elevo staff aware that you need to be evaluated. You can get a Stripe Evaluation Form from the front desk or download it below:
Stripe Request form
(Right click and choose “save as” to download. You may either print the form and bring it to the Dojym or email it to Grow@ElevoDynamics.com)
