Resident urges Monroe-Woodbury to restore swim-enrichment programs for safety and public health

Lorraine Loaning, a district resident, asked the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District Board of Education on Oct. 8 to reinstate the district's pool enrichment programs that were suspended during the COVID pandemic.

"My name is Lorraine Loaning. I'm a district resident," she said during public comment. Loaning described personal family benefits from prior district swim programs and argued that restoring lessons is important for safety and public health. She cited federal data, saying, "According to the CDC... drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause for children 5 to 14," and described these incidents as preventable with swim instruction.

Loaning noted that district swim programs were suspended during COVID and have not been reinstated despite other activities returning. She told the board reinstating learn-to-swim classes, diving instruction and adult water-aerobics would reengage families with the facility and could increase support for future facility investments. "I respectfully urge the district to bring back the swimming enrichment programs as soon as possible," she said.

Board members acknowledged her request; no formal action or timetable to restore the programs was announced at the meeting.

What happens next: The request was raised during public comment; district staff and board members will determine whether and how to add swim programming back into offerings, including budget and staffing considerations.