Teacher and aquatics instructor urge expanded K–5 swim lessons for safety and equity

A high‑school health teacher and department head urged the board to expand elementary swim instruction and water‑safety lessons for students in grades 1–5, saying current intermittent lessons (three non‑consecutive days in some grades) do not produce sustained skill acquisition.

"Right now we have students grades two through four that get swim lessons. They receive three days per school year. They are not consecutive lessons or days, so they're not built upon," Christy Johnson said. She asked the board to consider five consecutive lessons per year for grades 1–5 to improve safety, fitness and access.

Johnson read a letter from Brooke Bell, a life‑skills teacher, emphasizing that repetitive exposure to water instruction is potentially life‑saving for students with developmental and physical disabilities who often lack access to private lessons. "Providing consistent structured exposure to water safety instruction will not only build confidence and independence, it is potentially life‑saving," the letter said.

The district’s aquatics instructor, Thea Fran, told the board that early, consecutive instruction can teach essential skills such as floating on the back and reduce risks for children who lack other opportunities for swim lessons. Board members asked about transportation and summer usage of the pool and were told those logistical questions would need planning.

The board did not vote on the request at the meeting; members asked administration to follow up on transport, staffing and funding considerations.