Preliminary Questions about the School Swimming Lessons Initiative
Q. Will there be bussing from schools out of Bath? Or just Fisher-Mitchell?
A. The program will be offered throughout all of RSU1. All third and fourth graders will get a unit of swimming this academic year if our fundraising initiative is successful. The program includes bussing to and from each school.
Q.Will the program include all 3rd graders in the first year or will it be ramped up each year to include more and more kids? Should it be offered only for non-swimmers?
A. No third or fourth grader will be excluded. Our community is small enough and our certified instructors are knowledgeable enough to be able to tailor the lessons to the skills of each child, matching students with like skills with instructors.
Q. How many children in the pool at one time? What will the teacher to student ratio be?
A. This will be run by the YMCA as a swimming class. It will be properly and appropriately staffed.
Q. What about supplying towels/swimsuits with children who forget or cannot afford them?
A. Teaching the children to be responsible for their own clothes and equipment is, of course, part of the daily lesson we as parents and teachers impart to our children. That won’t be any different here. We of course expect that the lesson will require reminders and forgiveness. In those instances, our budget includes some contingency plans for extra equipment.
Q. Can parents opt their kids out of the program?
A. As Francie Tolan reminded us the other night, apparently parents can “opt “ their children out of any aspect of the required curriculum. It would be our hope that all parents would see and understand that this is a part of the physical education curriculum which opens a world of safety, health, and fun to their children, like soccer, football, archery, and track, all units of the physical education curriculum currently, do.
Q. Does the Y have enough certified instructors? Who will the instructors be?
A. Yes. The Y is a facility authorized to teach swimming of all ages. The instructors are all employees at the Y.
Q. When is the program starting? How much of the program has been funded?
A. The program will not start without our fulfilling our fundraising commitment to the RSU1. We must raise $22,000 to make that happen. We are soliciting donations from each PTA, private foundations, local and national granting organizations, private individuals, and local businesses. If each of us give according to the need and according to their ability we expect to have met our goal before Christmas break.
Q. How long will it take to bus children, shower before and after swimming, dress, dry hair, etc? How long will the actual pool time be?
A. Our committee includes two of the RSU1 elementary school gym teachers. We are also taking our cue from the fact that we are not reinventing the wheel. This has been done before, albeit for 5th graders. Many of those swimmers went on to be leaders on the Morse High School Swim teams. This is a six week program that will pose logistical challenges to those who have to make it work. Like Candy Hernandez said at your meeting last week, when it was done years ago in the schools, it was worth it and it wasn’t that hard. We can make it happen because we are focused on saving lives and making strong swimmers.
Q. Have all the teachers weighed in?
A. I am not sure what you mean by “weighed in.” I will defer to the superintendent and the teachers to answer this. As I stated the other night, the committee members who are teachers will assure that this works. That means cooperation, creativity, and contingency plans.
Q. How often will the lessons take place for each child per week, per month? How long will the swim lessons session last?
A. Please see above.
Q. Will wet towels, swim suits go back to school with children or stay at the Y?
A. They will not stay at the Y. The Y does not offer laundry services for those who use it. As with the sneakers, snowpants, and gym clothes that our children have to bring back and forth on gym or cold days, our children will need to be responsible to their parents for getting their gear back and forth.
Q. How will different levels of swimmers be handled? Will the accomplished swimmers be bored?
A. Please see above regarding swim skill allocation and attention. The lessons will be short. The students ought not to be bored if they are attentive to the lessons and the direction of the instructors and their teachers.
Q. Will there be bussing from schools out of Bath? Or just Fisher-Mitchell?
A. The program will be offered throughout all of RSU1. All third and fourth graders will get a unit of swimming this academic year if our fundraising initiative is successful. The program includes bussing to and from each school.
Q.Will the program include all 3rd graders in the first year or will it be ramped up each year to include more and more kids? Should it be offered only for non-swimmers?
A. No third or fourth grader will be excluded. Our community is small enough and our certified instructors are knowledgeable enough to be able to tailor the lessons to the skills of each child, matching students with like skills with instructors.
Q. How many children in the pool at one time? What will the teacher to student ratio be?
A. This will be run by the YMCA as a swimming class. It will be properly and appropriately staffed.
Q. What about supplying towels/swimsuits with children who forget or cannot afford them?
A. Teaching the children to be responsible for their own clothes and equipment is, of course, part of the daily lesson we as parents and teachers impart to our children. That won’t be any different here. We of course expect that the lesson will require reminders and forgiveness. In those instances, our budget includes some contingency plans for extra equipment.
Q. Can parents opt their kids out of the program?
A. As Francie Tolan reminded us the other night, apparently parents can “opt “ their children out of any aspect of the required curriculum. It would be our hope that all parents would see and understand that this is a part of the physical education curriculum which opens a world of safety, health, and fun to their children, like soccer, football, archery, and track, all units of the physical education curriculum currently, do.
Q. Does the Y have enough certified instructors? Who will the instructors be?
A. Yes. The Y is a facility authorized to teach swimming of all ages. The instructors are all employees at the Y.
Q. When is the program starting? How much of the program has been funded?
A. The program will not start without our fulfilling our fundraising commitment to the RSU1. We must raise $22,000 to make that happen. We are soliciting donations from each PTA, private foundations, local and national granting organizations, private individuals, and local businesses. If each of us give according to the need and according to their ability we expect to have met our goal before Christmas break.
Q. How long will it take to bus children, shower before and after swimming, dress, dry hair, etc? How long will the actual pool time be?
A. Our committee includes two of the RSU1 elementary school gym teachers. We are also taking our cue from the fact that we are not reinventing the wheel. This has been done before, albeit for 5th graders. Many of those swimmers went on to be leaders on the Morse High School Swim teams. This is a six week program that will pose logistical challenges to those who have to make it work. Like Candy Hernandez said at your meeting last week, when it was done years ago in the schools, it was worth it and it wasn’t that hard. We can make it happen because we are focused on saving lives and making strong swimmers.
Q. Have all the teachers weighed in?
A. I am not sure what you mean by “weighed in.” I will defer to the superintendent and the teachers to answer this. As I stated the other night, the committee members who are teachers will assure that this works. That means cooperation, creativity, and contingency plans.
Q. How often will the lessons take place for each child per week, per month? How long will the swim lessons session last?
A. Please see above.
Q. Will wet towels, swim suits go back to school with children or stay at the Y?
A. They will not stay at the Y. The Y does not offer laundry services for those who use it. As with the sneakers, snowpants, and gym clothes that our children have to bring back and forth on gym or cold days, our children will need to be responsible to their parents for getting their gear back and forth.
Q. How will different levels of swimmers be handled? Will the accomplished swimmers be bored?
A. Please see above regarding swim skill allocation and attention. The lessons will be short. The students ought not to be bored if they are attentive to the lessons and the direction of the instructors and their teachers.
