Group Youth Learn to Swim - For Ages 4-13
(Enroll younger swimmers in Ducklings and older swimmers in TASI)
If you would like to have your child's skill level assessed prior to enrolling for SPRING 2024 please ask for an evaluation at public swim hours before March 15th.
Registration for Spring Progressive levels is Friday March 22nd at the pool hallway 6:30 PM-9:00 PM First Come, First enrolled, pay on the spot at Registration as we did Pre-Pandemic.
Spring Saturday Classes are scheduled April 6, 13, 20 and May 4, 11, 18 (NOT April 27)
Spring has a NEW schedule! This NEW schedule is the best we can offer this session due to staffing challenges. Enrollment is limited by space available and staff to student ratios. This is a 6-day session of 1/2 hour group instruction.
(FYI Advanced levels Flamingos, Osprey Seahawks Falcons 8:30-9:00 AM)
Progressive Levels
9:05-9:35 AM Plovers, Puffins, Pelicans, Gulls, Petrels
9:40-10:10 AM Sandpipers, Skimmers, Plovers, Puffins
(FYI Ducklings 10:15-10:45 AM)
Progressive Levels
10:50-11:20 AM Plovers, Puffins, Pelicans, Gulls, Petrels
11:25-11:55 AM Sandpipers, Skimmers, Plovers, Puffins
Registration Fees: Deer Park Residents: $40 / Non-Residents: $80 per student
*Scroll down for detailed descriptions of the levels and the progression in our program. Be prepared to request the appropriate class when you come to register.*
Once we start the session, if a child is found to be enrolled in a class that is potentially unsafe or not an appropriate challenge, changes will be made. Every effort will be made to properly accommodate that child by switching class, but withdrawal will be recommended for safety if accommodations cannot be made.
Parent observation from within the pool area permitted only on the first day and the last day of classes to minimize distractions, to enhance the safety of all participants and to comply with Health Dept. requirements.
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Swim Level Descriptions and More about our program:
This customized swimming program incorporates American Red Cross guidelines and provides a positive learning experience for swimmers ages 4-13 following a developmental pattern of progressive skills over an expanded set of levels. We do not issue American Red Cross certificates at this time.
Sandpipers is an introductory level with no pre-requisites other than age. This class is for 4 and 5 year old beginner swimmers. Swimmers will be oriented to the structure of a group class. They will be encouraged to gain comfort in the water, to put parts of their faces in and to try different body positions to experience buoyancy and floating. (Ducklings with a parent or other adult from the same household is the appropriate enrollment level for preschool children under age 4)
Skimmers is a beginner level for ages 4-5 building on the routines and skills learned in Sandpipers. Skimmers could, in rare cases, be a recommended first level for a child from Ducklings. Swimmers at this level will be expected to put their faces in the water during bobs and floats.
Plovers is both an age appropriate starting place in shallow water for beginning level students ages 6 and over and an appropriate class for swimmers age 6 and up who need extra practice with fundamental skills in shallow water after Skimmers or between Puffins and Pelicans. Skills at this level include breath control, floating on front and back and coordination of arm and leg patterns. Swimmers in this level will gain water skill competency to move to a deeper water class in the future. (Roughly Red Cross Level 1 Beginner - 2 Beginner)
Puffins and Plovers are advanced beginner levels that are not necessarily sequential. For example; some swimmers will never do Plovers, some will be in that level between Skimmers and Puffins, some may start at Plovers and go directly to Pelicans without ever doing Puffins. The individual progression will be totally dependent on each child's needs and the appropriate challenge for that child. There is no typical number of classes participated in indicating progression at these levels. Swimmers will gain experience and independence floating and swimming increasingly longer distances from a few body lengths to half way across the pool or more. There is a significant depth increase from 3 1/2-4 ft of water at Puffins and another depth increase from 4 - 5 feet for Pelicans. (Puffins/Plovers roughly match up with Red Cross Level 2 Beginner +)
Pelicans, Gulls, and Petrels are intermediate levels that all require experience and skill proficiency from previous levels or previous swim lesson experience to build on. These are the most specifically sequential in our program. Pelicans is one of our most sought after classes and is the most critical hurdle in the progressive levels for many participants trying to achieve water competency. Controlled, well coordinated technique and overall endurance develop here and there is a significant increase in the depth of water where each of these classes are held from 4 -5 1/2 ft. Pelicans swim partial widths - full widths by the end of the session, Gulls start with full widths and increase in repetition each class, Petrels start with widths and work up to swimming pool lengths by the end of a session. Students sometimes get "stuck" at one or more of these levels for several sessions until there is an appropriate balance in their skill competency and overall strength and endurance showing readiness for the next progressive level and indicating safe participation in the corresponding deeper water. (Roughly, progress here matches up to Level 3, 3+ and starting level 4, from stroke development - stroke improvement)
Flamingos, Osprey, Seahawks and Falcons are advanced level classes swimming lengths of the 25 meter pool that require instructor recommendation or verification of skills prior to enrollment. If your child has been in our program we have record of their readiness for these levels. These advanced levels require students to swim multiple lengths (25 meters each) of the pool during the 30 minute class. Good fundamental technique must be demonstrated in front crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, back crawl, butterfly and sidestroke with increasing consistency and increasing endurance to progress through Flamingos (stroke improvement) and Osprey (stroke refinement). Then, Seahawks (swim and focus on Personal Water Safety) and Falcons (swim and focus on Fundamentals of Diving) are together the highest level and can be options for the most advanced swimmers. (These advanced levels roughly match Red Cross levels 4-6 including the level 6 options)
*We do not offer make ups unless we cancel and will only make up a cancellation if we can fit it in the operational schedule. We cannot accommodate make up attendance at different times, swimmers must come for the class for which they are enrolled.
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