As an inclusive martial arts school, Ko Martial Arts is committed to helping students of all abilities find healthier and happier versions of themselves. We know that the physical, social, and emotional learning is a major contributor to a child's wellbeing. We sat down with Cassidi Jobe, owner of We Rock the Spectrum Gym KC, to discuss what inclusion looks like for children with developmental differences and to hear their personal journey to find community-based facilities that allowed our children to play with their peers and have their unique sensory needs fulfilled.

With summer break quickly approaching, families are starting to plan what to do with all the extra time our children have each week. For a lot of kids, that extra time is going toward phones, computers, and video games. While making sure our children are comfortable using technology for their futures is important, there are also several benefits to reducing “screen time” including improved sleep, school performance, overall health, energy and attitudes.

Having the pleasure of working with children, teens, and young adults, we see first-hand the pressures that young people are under today so we reached out to Joy Ginsburg of the Blue Valley Educational Foundation to learn more about their social and emotional learning initiative, BV Well.

Camp is a safe and fun environment to discover new talents, friends, and passions.  You have the possibility of participating in activities that you’ve always wanted to try out and now have the time to explore. You can also perfect activities through practice. Here are four reasons why your family should consider a camp during school breaks.

The more active children are the better they learn, particularly for students with special needs. We asked Marena Mitchell, founder of Bringing Therapy Home, for her insights on how to incorporate more physical activity for students with special needs.

"Grit" and "resilience" are buzzwords for success from the boardroom to the classroom. According to Angela Duckworth, best-selling author, psychologist and professor, for anyone striving to succeed—be it parents, students, educators, athletes, or business people— the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.”

There are important lessons to learn in between kicking and punching. We believe our most important role is to help each student learn skills to be successful at school, at home, in the community, and most importantly, in their future. This is the black belt way.

While the holiday season gives us many reasons to celebrate with family and friends it can also bring its own challenges to our goals for physical and emotional health. We reached out to Brandon Calloway of Profile by Sanford to give us his insight on how to promote sustainable health and fitness choices now and into the future.

We know the training the students get will prepare them for a successful future. Here are benefits of martial arts training for teens.

The summer has flown by and kids are moving from spending all day at the pool to spending their days in the classroom, in extracurricular activities, and in the general routine of the school year. Make sure this transition is smooth and leads to a more successful year with these healthy habits for parents and kids alike!

Important life lessons are learned in between the kicking and punching.  At KOMA we are committed to support our students' social and emotional learning along their path to becoming compassionate and capable leaders.