Swimming lessons begin June 18 at Iola Municipal Pool and will continue until July 20.
This year the Recreation Department is trying something new by grouping students by age and not by swim levels. According to recreation activities aide, Kristy Sutherland, it was becoming difficult to provide students the attention they needed according to their age.
Private lessons are being offered, where the student has a one-on-one session with the instructor, and public lessons are also given where six students are in a group, Sutherland said.
Private lessons with one-on-one attention from an instructor are available, Sutherland said. Public lessons include up to six students in a group.
Pool employees will conduct the swim lessons, and though the pool does not offer Red Cross swimming lessons the instructors have all gone through training provided by Sutherland.
The younger students can expect to learn how to be comfortable with the water by learning “water adjustment,” Sutherland said.
The older students will be learning proper strokes, how to tread water and even the oldest kids will be learning to dive and water safety.
One of the more important lessons a student can learn, according to lifeguard Celeste Ambrose is “being able to float, for safety.”
Private lessons are filling up quickly whereas the public lessons still have quite a bit of availability left. Monday was the first day the recreation center was allowing sign-up for swim lessons. By mid-afternoon a stack of appliacations had been received, Sutherland said.
The lessons are 30 minutes a day for five days. Students can take up to two weeks of lessons. The first week of lessons are June 18 to the 22, and the last week of swim lessons are from July 16 to 20.
Private lessons cost $30 per student and public lessons are $15.
For more information on how to sign up for swim lessons contact the recreation department at (620) 365-4990 or visit the center at Riverside Park.
