Philosophy and Policies
Swim Lesson Philosophy
Learn to be Safe in the Water, Enjoy Swimming for Fitness and FUN
Our instructors follow a curriculum where water safety comes first. Lesson plans are designed to teach the critical lifetime swim skills you and your child need to be safe in and around the water. It is ideal for children to be proficient swimmers by no later than third grade and should begin their aquatic development as early as six-months old. No one is ever drown-proof, but being able to swim 300 yards continuously will significantly lower you or your child’s chances of drowning.
What are the benefits of learning to swim early?
Learning to swim early will not only help keep your child safe, but will also help shape their character. Swimming teaches confidence, determination and self-reliance, as well as developing motor skills and balance. Swimmers tend to be high academic achievers because swimming teaches how to set goals and achieve them. Swimming is a year-round activity and a very effective exercise to keep you and your child healthy and happy.
How long will it take to learn to swim?
This depends on you or your child’s age and level of fitness. It may take three or more sessions of 6 lessons each for preschoolers to learn the basic skills of floating, kicking, returning to the wall and rolling over on their back to breathe, float and rest. Older students that have mastered the first skills of breathing, floating and kicking will learn more rapidly.
How do I know when I can discontinue swimming lessons?
Knowing how to swim means that a person can maintain themselves indefinitely in the water. To do so requires the ability to exhale used air and inhale new air. That’s called Aerobic Swimming. (Just like being able to talk while you jog!) Our standard is that a person should be able to swim 300 yards non-stop, and swim a variety of different styles of swimming to be considered a “swimmer.” 300 yards is important. Scientists have found that humans can swim 200 yards without being able to breathe effectively. But without the ability to breathe effectively, eventually that person will tire and get into trouble, and possibly endanger their life. We go 1/3 beyond that point to set the standard of 300 yards of non-stop swimming.
Swim Lesson Policies
Extended Swimming with a Lesson
**During Swim Lessons and Swim Team practice times parents and siblings receive 25% off Day Passes, if capacity allows. Also available to the lesson student who wishes to swim before or after their lesson!
Make-Up Policy
UVAC does not offer make-ups or refunds for missed lessons. If a student does miss a lesson, we do our best to bring swimmer up to speed on skills covered in their absence.
Withdrawals
We do not offer refunds. Depending on circumstances a credit may be authorized by our Swim School Director.
Pool Closures
Please be aware that the pool sometimes closes without advance notice due to inclement weather or “accidents”. Feel free to call the weather hotline at 802-698-8361. All notifications will be sent out via email, Text if you’ve opted in, and posted on our homepage, and on Facebook.
Class Size
We reserve the right to cancel or consolidate a class if enrollment minimum of 3 is not met. There will be up to 4 to 1 ratio for younger children and 6 to 1 for older children.
Membership Fees
To receive membership rates, all memberships must be active at time of registration and for the duration of session.
Important Facts
- Swimming is one of the few sports you can do throughout your lifetime.
- Swimming is the best possible exercise. It works all the body’s muscles and burns the most calories.
- Having a great relationship with the water opens up a whole host of other water sports and opportunities.
- Swimming lessons are the first lessons your child needs. They are the only lessons that could save your child’s life.
- A swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child age 4 and under.
- 70% of all preschoolers who drown are in the care of one or both parents at the time of drowning. 75% are missing for 5 minutes or less.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children between the age of 1 and 14.
- Approximately 11 people drown in the United States every day.
- Children aren’t the only ones at risk. In 2000, victims ranging in age from 15-44 accounted for 45% of all drowning deaths in the United States.
- Being able to swim 300 yards continuously means you can: scuba dive, snorkel, become a lifeguard, compete in triathlons, play water polo, be on a swim team, teach swimming and much more.
Source: CDC, swimamerica.org
Get the News
- Keep your email address up-to-date in case there are changes to facility or class schedules.
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, to get up-to-date schedule changes on our home page.
- Call the Weather Hotline at 802.698.8361 to find out more about class cancellations during bad weather.
