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Today we face a new challenge – how to teach the critical skills of water survival and stroke development while responding appropriately to the COVID-19 era.
We are committed to providing everyone with a clean and sterilized environment that enables our critical mission of water safety for students of all ages and abilities while addressing the health and safety concerns presented by COVID-19.
Here’s a quick overview what to expect, please see the very detailed FAQs below all you need to know:
As Covid-19 is now part of our daily life, learning how to survive a water incident and also experiencing the fun of learning to swim is still one of the most important activities to stick to! Survival and swim techniques are pivotal in preventing drowning and near-drowning incidents, with as much as an 88% reduction in drowning for those who have completed formal swim instruction.
We are sure you have many questions, and we hope to answer them in the FAQs below.
Watch this video for an overview of our British Swim School Cares CAMPAIGN.
Are you testing the temperature of your employees before a shift?
Although all our pool deck employees are vaccinated, if an employee reports 2 or more covid related symptoms, the employee will be sent to be tested to be on the safe side. We are no longer tracking or checking temperature for incoming individuals into our facilities.
Are you testing the temperature of students and parents?
No, we will no longer test the temperature of every person before they enter the facility, this includes parents and students. If a student or a parent presents themselves with more than 2 symptoms that may be of covid relation, we will ask them to leave and recommend they get tested before returning ; a make-up will be generated for that last minute absence.
If you or your child have been out of the country, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, or have come into contact with anyone with a confirmed or suspected case of the virus please notify us before returning to class. We will be asking that anyone exhibiting any signs of illness stay home until fully recovered. In some unusual instances, we may need to ask you to obtain medical clearance to resume lessons.
Symptoms related to COVID-19 include:
Are your instructors COVID-19 tested?
All pool staff members are vaccinated. We currently do not plan on regular re-testing, but will review this policy regularly.
What happens if any instructors show symptoms?
Employees who show symptoms of COVID-19 are immediately separated and isolated from the pool area, and sent home, according to CDC guidelines. We have extensive follow-up procedures in place to make sure they only come back when they are not infected.
Will I be informed if any staff member or other student is tested positive?
In the case that a staff member tests positive, we will notify every family who has been exposed to this staff member. We will also inform you if we are notified about another student in your class receiving a positive test. We will follow all CDC guidelines on contact tracing and informing possibly exposed persons.
Will Deck Ambassadors wear Masks?
Wearing a mask is optional and up to each individual to choose or not to wear a mask in our facilities.
Will Instructors wear protection?
Our instructors have the option to wear, or not, a face mask or a face shield, to their discretion.
Are parents required to wear masks?
Wearing a mask is now optional for all patrons (students and parents/guardians within our facilities. Each individual has the option whether or not to wear a face protection while interacting in our facilities.
Are children required to wear masks on deck?
It is optional for children to wear a mask. Mask cannot be worn during the class in the water
Will parents in a Tadpole and Swimboree class wear a mask?
It is optional for the parents in the pool to wear a face shield or a face mask in the water during class.
Will the schedule be the same as it was before?
Class schedules stay unchanged at this time.
What are your class sizes?
Are the instructors still in direct contact with the students?
Direct contact has been limited as much as possible throughout all our lessons since the beginning of the pandemic, but it will depend on the class level. In our survival classes, the instructor is still required to have some contact with the students. We have developed new ways to reduce the amount of contact needed, as well as how we implement physical distancing and separation.
Can I be in the pool if I am not yet comfortable with an instructor holding my child?
Yes. If they choose to, we will now allow parents to join in with the class in all levels where this has not previously been required.
Do parents need to wear a mask in the water?
Wearing a mask or a face shield is optional for the parent/guardian in the water while taking the lesson with the baby for Tadpole and Swimboree classes.
Does the signature BSS teaching method change?
The teaching fundamentals at the heart of our aquatics program will not change, so your child will still love being in lessons with us. However, in addition to the safety precautions mentioned above, adjustments to the delivery of our program will be made as necessary and will be tailored to the situation in each pool and region. Our long-term commitment is to return, when safe to do so, to our traditional swim family interaction and closer student contact – key to our gentle, fun and progressive offering.
Will there still be playtime?
Yes, there will still be playtime, as it is an essential part of our program. We will have less toys however, and no noodles. Any toys in use will be cleaned and disinfected after each use. We will also monitor social distancing during playtime (except for siblings). We highly recommend bringing your own toys.
What about the swim rings? Are they safe?
Swim rings will continue to be part of our program, but we are not sharing used swim rings amongst students. After each use, the rings will undergo a cleaning procedure with EPA approved disinfectant, so all students will always receive a freshly cleaned and disinfected ring.
*** We do recommend purchasing your own swim ring from us, writing your student’s name on it with a sharpie and bringing it to the pool for each session.
What about toys?
We will limit the toys to solid balls and nothing that fills up with water. We will have less toys however, and all toys will be cleaned and disinfected after each use. We will also monitor social distancing during playtime, except for siblings. We highly recommend bringing your own toys.
Will you do your famous High-Fives?
No clapping high-fives! We are introducing contactless “Air High-5s”. They are just as much fun!
Do parents need to wear a mask in the water?
Wearing a mask or a face shield is optional for the parent/guardian in the water while taking the lesson.
Are the locker rooms open?
Yes, locker rooms are opened for locations that have locker rooms in the facilities. Same regarding bathroom access. Those are sanitized regularly.
Are showers open?
Showers are opened in locations that do offer showers. However, we also encourage all students to continue to shower prior to lessons (for class timing efficiency) and to help us maintain the chemicals used in the pool.
Where can I change?
We ask that children arrive for class with their swimsuit on, this will limit the total amount of time spent at the pool and reduce contact with high touchpoint changing tents and equipment.
Please come “ready to swim” and immediately leave the facility after your lesson. We have learned in other states that wearing a bathrobe and bringing two towels is a good practice to adopt, and kids enjoy it. We do have additional changing tents available, which will be disinfected after every use.
Do you have hand sanitizer on deck?
Yes, we have several “Sanitation Stations” with touchless dispensers of hand sanitizer as well as disinfecting wipes. We will encourage all swimmers and their guardians to properly wash/sanitize their hands before and after each lesson.
How often do you clean and sanitize the deck?
What about air flow on the pool deck indoors?
Wherever possible, we will increase airflow from fresh air into the pool area.
What else are you doing on Deck?
We have temporarily removed crayons, toys and any non-essential items from waiting areas and the pool deck and will transition to other celebrations instead of our usual high-fives – just for the time being – to be extra careful!
Will you limit visitors to only one parent or guardian per student?
Yes, we are allowing only one parent or guardian to accompany a child to their lesson. This includes the pool deck and viewing area. Special exception for parent/guardian for the tadpole and Swimboree classes with a parent/guardian in the water with the student: We are allowing a second parent/guardian to be on the pool deck during the lesson while the first parent/guardian is taking the lesson in the water with the student.
Can the pool water carry the virus?
According to the CDC, “there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds. Additionally, proper operation of these aquatic venues and disinfection of the water (with chlorine or bromine) should inactivate the virus.”
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
Is the pool water chlorinated?
Yes, every one of our pools (even the saltwater pools) have the necessary level of chlorine to deactivate the virus. The chlorine levels are checked every hour and maintained at a level high enough for disinfection and low enough for safe swimming.
Waivers will need to be signed!
Each family is required to sign our waiver before your first class with us. Please do this by logging into the parent portal online or the Mobile App. You will automatically be prompted to re-sign. The best way is to download the App and log in today.
Download our App!
Download our Mobile App, we will post important safety information within the app, plus you can now schedule all Make-Ups through the App and report your absences!
Call Center Availability
The best way to communicate with us is while you are at the pool with our deck ambassadors or with the onsite manager in duty regarding anything related to your class and tuition. Alternatively, you can contact us via our self-serve service through our Mobile App (“contact us” tile on the homepage of the app). Our call center is solely focusing on new enrollments.
And the most important action to remember:
If you, or anyone you have come into close contact with is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any flu-like virus, please notify us of your absence and do not attend the class. We ask that you make sure you are fully recovered before returning to lessons.
Jersey City, NJ 