School Instructional Swim Program

The City of St. Catharines' Kiwanis Aquatics Centre offers the Lifesaving Society's Swim to Survive survival training program to area schools and students.

Program benefits

Students are taught the minimum skills necessary to survive an unexpected fall into deep water and develop healthy, positive attitudes to stay safe in, on or around the water through their in-classroom safety lessons. Skills are taught through the Canadian Swim to Survive Standard:

  • Roll into deep water
  • Tread water for one minute
  • Swim 50 metres

Learn more about why your students should take the Swim to Survive program and how it differs from swimming lessons by visiting the Lifesaving Society's website.

Students receive

  • An essential skill that can save their lives
  • A bookmark, sticker and Buddy the Lifeguard dog catcher
  • A certificate of achievement

Teachers receive

  • An opportunity to teach students an essential life skill
  • A teacher resource package with classroom activities and handouts
  • A parent information letter

Time commitment

The in-water program runs for one hour per week for three weeks. Available times include:

  • Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursdays or Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Fees

The fee for a group of up to 20 students is a flat rate of $229.77.

Grants

The Lifesaving Society offers a Swim to Survive school program grant to help provide a minimum of three in-water Swim to Survive lessons to students in Grade 3 during school hours. Grant funds may be used to help offset the costs of:

  • Transporting students between the school and pool
  • Instructor costs
  • Aquatic facility rental costs

Swimming Lessons Continuum

  • Add swimming lessons to the Swim to Survive Program to create a five week program.

Time commitment

The in-water program runs for one hour per week for five weeks. Available times include:

  • Monday, Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday or Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Fees

The fees for a group of up to 20 students is a flat rate of $302.55. The fee per additional child (up to a maximum of 20) is $15.10.