Who we are?
Skill Samurai is an after-school coding and STEM academy for children ages 6-18. We provide a great curriculum, along with tools, mentorship, and other resources based around computer science for a quality educational experience. The experience at Skill Samurai is fun, engaging, and thorough. Providing a fantastic learning environment that our students love and feel comfortable in is a big focus!
How does your pricing work, what is a membership?
One simple monthly price.The most flexible in the industry.
Pause your membership at any time. Need to go on vacation or take a break? No problem, we have you covered. Why pay for a service that you aren't using? That's outdated!
My child is struggling at school, will coding help?
Most people don't know, but coding helps kids improve across almost all subject areas (The research proves it). We also know that some kids struggle with math and English, so coding classes can be a great way to bridge the gap and help students improve exam grades and build a love of learning.
Do you offer make-up classes if my child misses a class?
Students are able to make up a class during the same month.
My child already learns coding at school, should they do more?
Definitely! Like many subjects, school introduces students to the basic concepts. If your child has shown an interest in coding (computer programming), our classes will build on that knowledge and take students to advanced levels, which schools can not provide. Our curriculum builds into long-term career skills and certifications.
What if my child doesn't like it?
No problem, we can switch them to another program, and work with them to find a program that they will enjoy.
We're parents too, which is why we believe in keeping things simple and flexible!
I have a busy schedule, how flexible is your timetable?
We get it, family schedules can be hectic. We've designed a world-class curriculum that is project based and self-paced. What does that mean? It means that your child can attend any scheduled class, any day. If you need to cancel at short notice, no problem, our booking system allows you to easily cancel, book and rebook. We've designed it especially for busy families.
My child can't focus for long periods, is coding right for them?
Our classes are one hour in duration, the perfect length to hold a students attention and achieve learning outcomes. Each class is divided into bite sized lessons and focused on a project that is aligned with their interests (i.e. Minecraft, websites Roblox, apps, etc)... Perfect for kids with short attention spans!
My child is addicted to devices and gaming, is more screen-time a good idea?
Learning to code can be one of the best ways to change their focus and reduce their addiction. Instead of passively consuming videos and games, students learn how their favorite websites and games are created.
Students then crave knowledge and learning, they find themselves wanting to create their own technology rather than being controlled by it!
My child is struggling socially, how can coding classes help?
Put simply, coding is a great way to bring like-minded kids together. Some of our curriculum and holiday camps are team oriented, so it's a great way to build social skills. You never know, they might meet (or become) the next Steve Jobs or Elon Musk.
As a parent, I don't know anything about coding? Do I need to learn the basics?
You don't need to know how to play Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.14 in order to teach your child the piano... That's our job... Not teaching piano, but teaching kids to code.
Seriously though, you don't need to be tech savvy, our coaches will guide your child so that they thrive... Not just as programmers, but as tech creators, innovators and students
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand needs and priorities change, and you may need to cancel classes. We do request that you give us a 30-day notice of intent to cancel. You may do that by sending us an email with the date that you would like to stop. However, we are not able to refund you for any classes that you have missed in the months before.
Our Camp cancellation policy is as follows.
30 days prior to the start of camp refund minus a $10 processing fee
14 days prior to the start of camp 75% refund.
7 days prior to the start of camp 50% refund.
Less than 7 days prior to the start of camp, no refund.
Our refund policy is strong because many of our summer programs sell out, and the closer that we get to the start of camp, the harder it is to find a replacement. In many cases, our owners have paid for staff, equipment, and software, and those funds are not refundable.
Monthly memberships require 30 days cancellation.
How is Skill Samurai Different?
Enrolling in Skill Samurai is much different than a typical, adult-style computer science education or an online course. Kids don’t like lectures and the idea of going to another school after school can sound boring. Instead, our students learn computer science through play. We give them real projects to tackle, such as building the same games they’ve played before while learning coding principles along the way. Students develop games, play them, and then share their masterpieces with each other. Additional topics, such as virtual reality contribute to a more diverse skill set. The result is a fun, collaborative learning environment unique to a traditional coding school.
Skill Samurai offers more courses than other coding schools.
We offer a wide range of career certification courses to help students qualify for entry-level careers.
What does a typical day of camp look like?
A typical day of camp looks like this:Check-in between 8:45 and 99:00-9:15 Mixer game to help the campers get to know each other.9:15-10:15 Computer time. (Since our classes are based on the abilities of the campers, not every camper will work on the same programs. We will do our best to make sure your child is learning and having a great time. We will often try different learning platforms with the campers until we find the one that connects with them.)10:15-10:30 “Recess” Students step away from their computers, eat their morning snack, and hang out. We offer board games and Ga Ga Ball for them to play during breaks. Weather permitting we head outside.10:30-12:00 Back on the computers12:00-12:30 Lunch12:30-1:00 Students hang out and play outside.1:00-2:00 Computers2:00-2:45 Group game/activity. We want the campers to be active and to get to know each other. We also want them to learn problem-solving so they do STEM activities every day.3:00: Pick up, or play on your own devices until students are picked up.Parents are encouraged to pick up their camper between 2:45 and 3 pm.
What is your behavior policy?
Level 1Arguing, swearing, refusing to listen, being inappropriate, personal space issues.
1st incident:Time out, removal from activity, or loss of privileges, followed by debriefing.2nd incident:Time out, removal from activity, or loss of privileges, followed by debriefing. Meeting with Center Director. Brainstorm possible solutions. Phone call home to update parents to work on solutions together.3rd incident:Time out, removal from activity, or loss of privileges, followed by debriefingPhone call home by Center Director and likely removal from Skill Samurai.Level 2Violence (i.e. hurting others, self, or property); stealing or threatening violence.
1st incident:Meeting with Center Director and learning coach to brainstorm possible solutions.Phone call home to parents/guardians and to work on solutions. Consequence and behavior contract or removal from class.2nd incident:
Any student removed from class will need to be picked up from center immediately by their parent. They will not be permitted to finish out the day. They will be removed from all activities and wait with the Center Director for your arrival. If you are unable to pick them up, a ride will be arranged with one of your emergency contacts.
How are your programs different from public school programs?
Public School computer education is a good start, but even though they also offer classes such as math and PE, parents still use the help of tutors to have their children learn math and enroll in team sports. School gives the bare minimum while developing a solid skill such as coding takes time, practice, consistency and effort outside of class. We offer the opportunity to make that happen.
What do students need to bring to their class or camp?
All students need to bring headphones.
Minecraft students are required to have their own license for the Java version of Minecraft, which can be purchased at minecraft.net. Please note that Minecraft for consoles, and portable devices, or the free version, are not compatible with modding in Minecraft.
Roblox students should bring their Roblox account information.
Youtube students need to bring a Youtube (Gmail) account, a recording device and the required cords to attach them to our computers.