Dear parents & students,

Thank you for very much for an excellent Summer! All too soon, it is Fall, and we prepare for school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year once again.

Thank you for another successful run of the weeklong Aikido Warriors' Camps. This year, we offered the camp twice: at the beginning of summer and the second run ended last week. Scheduling the camps this way enabled families to have their vacation while providing opportunities for the children to attend the camp either at the beginning or at the end of summer vacation. The camps were well attended, providing an introduction to Aikido for students unfamiliar with Aikido, and some extended practice for present students to improve themselves. With the success of the warrior camps this year, we will probably keep this summer schedule - with an addition of an intermediate level camp strictly for present students. I have yet to dream up a title for that camp. There have been requests that the camp be provided for adults over a weekend: Friday to Sunday. We will study its feasibility.

Heartfelt grateful thanks to the staff of Gordon Head Recreation Centre for providing excellent support for the Aikido programmes throughout the summer.

With the new school year, Gordon Head School begins life as a middle school. I look forward to an exciting year ahead at the school, with the new Aikido student committee led by president Ms Ciara Johnston. I wish them all the very best, and remind them to keep Principal Mr Kelly and myself informed of all meetings and activities.

New to this term, also, is the introduction of a morning class on Wednesdays beginning September 6. The session will begin at 6:30am and will end at 7:30am, with ample time to freshen and shower before going to the office or to school.

I wish our young students a good school semester and success with your studies; and a prosperous and successful season to parents and our adult members.

In harmony,
Rafael Oei Sensei.
Ueshiba Aikido (Victoria)