GRAFA Policies
AKA: Welcome to the fine print!
Billing Policies
Beginning Classes
Beginning classes are billed monthly.
The price is the same regardless of the number of class weeks per month. If the student starts the last week of the month, we do not bill for this week or month; it's free.
If the student starts the class in the middle of the month, we prorate the invoice for half the month's payment.
If the student misses some classes during the month, we do not prorate every week.
The invoices are emailed in the last week of the month, and payments are expected in the first week of the month.
Intermediate & Advanced Classes
Intermediate and advanced classes are billed semi-annually or annually (at the parents' request).
The billing cycles are September – February and March-August.
When the fencer transitions to our Intermediate-advanced class, we prorate the invoice monthly to reflect the month when the fencer joined the intermediate class.
Our semi-annual packages include discounts, so we do not prorate for the missing classes.
Intermediate and advanced-level fencers have many different options for the makeup of the missing classes. GRAFA management does not keep track of the makeup classes, so it will be the parents' and fencer’s responsibility to keep track of the makeup classes. GRAFA’s responsibility is to provide makeup options.
The tuition invoice will have a grace period of more than 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks overdue, the 10% late fees will be automatically added to the invoice.
If the tuition payment is overdue more than a month (30 days), the GRAFA reserve the rights to deny the training opportunity to the fencer(s).
Private Lessons
To be eligible for private lessons, the fencer must have a current GRAFA membership.
If a fencer cannot attend a private lesson, the fencer must cancel it 24 hours before the scheduled time by emailing the coach. The fencer will be charged for the full lesson if a private lesson is not canceled 24 hours before the scheduled time.
The fencer is fully responsible for payment for all scheduled private lessons, makeup, and classes.
USA Fencing Membership
Individual Membership
Every new GRAFA fencer must sign up for United States Fencing Association (USFA) membership.
It is the fencers and parents responsibility to obtain the membership, which starts every year on August 1st, and present a proof of it to GRAFA.
If the fencers do not have the current USFA membership, then the parents must download and sign a Liability Release waiver and email it to GRAFA.
We recommend that every new fencer sign up for the USFA non-competitive individual membership, which costs $29 annually.
All fencers competing or considering competing at tournaments during the season must sign up for the USFA competitive membership, which costs $99 annually.
As we said above, membership begins on August 1. However, if you are a new member and applying for USFA membership before August 1, you will receive free membership for the remainder of the season and the membership for the next season, which starts August 1.
Clicking the button below will take you to USFA’s Membership page. Registering will take about five minutes.
Lockers Policy
Guardian of the Locker Room ⚔︎
Guardian of the Locker Room ⚔︎
Guardian of the Locker Room ⚔︎
Guardian of the Locker Room ⚔︎
We take locker etiquette seriously at GRAFA…
No phones or other video or voice recording devices are allowed in fencer’s lockers.
No gatherings allowed in the locker rooms.
Renting a locker is highly recommended.
If the fencers do not rent a locker, they must take their personal and fencing belongings home every night after practice.
Every last Thursday of the month, the locker room will be cleaned out — items left in lockers will be thrown to the trash dumpster.
GRAFA is not responsible for fencers’ equipment or belongings.
Holiday & Weather
Closings
Holidays
GRAFA will be closed on major holidays:
July 4th
Memorial Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas
New Year’s Day
All other closures will be posted well in advance.
Our holiday schedule is subject to change.
GRAFA Calendar
vs. Everyone Else
We DO NOT follow School District holidays or weather-related closings.
GRAFA makes its own decisions about holidays and weather-related closings, so please make sure you stay engaged and follow the proper communication channels (see “Weather”).
Weather
Depending on the situation, all weather-related closing information will be posted daily before 4 PM.
Summer: Closed if the temperature goes above 90 degrees around 5 pm.
Winter: GRAFA will be closed in the event of poor weather conditions.
Check WOOD TV Channel 8’s list of closings and look for “Grand Rapids Fencing Academy”.
Check the closing information on GRAFA's Facebook, look for a bright yellow announcement bar at the top of our Home page, and check the Remind app on your phone.
Depending on the situation, we will publish the closing information about the same-day evening activities between 4-4:30 PM.