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West Shore Recreation Commission
Aquatics
All aquatic programs are held at the West Shore Natatorium
(unless stated otherwise) located inside Red Land High School.
Rec Swim Schedule
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Sundays, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
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September 8 - January 26* (No Rec Swim on December 1 and 8)
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Pay at the door: $5 per person (age 2 and under are free)
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Please bring small bills or exact cash amount
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*Please note - No Rec Swim on December 1, 8 & 29. Other dates are subject to change for staffing, emergency, maintenance or other reasons outside our control. If Rec Swim or Lap Swim is cancelled for any reason, a notification message will be recorded on our phone system up to 1 hour before the program. We suggest checking the message (717-920-9515 and press 3) before traveling to the pool.
Lap Swim Schedule
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Mondays & Wednesdays, 7:00-8:00 pm
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September 9 - November 11
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Pay at the door: $2 per person (limited capacity)
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Please bring small bills or exact cash amount
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Swim Floats used during swimming lessons (optional purchase - we also provide them at class)
- After purchase you will need to remove one of the foam cubes. We can assist with this adjustment if necessary the first night of class.
- We only use/allow 3 foam pieces per cube for instructional purposes. They are sold with 4 separate foam squares per swim float.
Swim Lessons
Skills Checklists
Youth Swim Lessons
Youth 5-15 years are encouraged to learn water safety and enhance their water enjoyment, progressing from level 1 through 6 in the American Red Cross water safety program.
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Participants must pass their current level before registering for the next one.
Lifeguard Review (Recertification)
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Must be a current American Red Cross Lifeguard with a certification that is 30 days or less beyond the expiration date (beyond 30 days you must enroll in the full Lifeguard Certification class - no exceptions)
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Must be able to successfully complete the lifeguard swim test (listed above) immediately upon arrival at the first class
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Anyone who fails the swim test will receive a refund minus a $50 administrative fee.
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After reviewing all skills, students must successfully demonstrate proper techniques and pass the written exams to obtain recertification.
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Bring your CPR Mask, whistle, swimsuit, towel, water and lunch to every class
Class Dates:
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Saturday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
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December 21
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Cost: $156; discounted resident rate: $120
Lifeguard Instructor Certification (November 2, 3 and 9)
Course Purpose
The purpose of the American Red Cross r. 24 Lifeguarding Instructor course is to train instructor candidates to teach the basic-level courses in the American Red Cross Lifeguarding program.
Course Prerequisites
- Be at least 17 years old on or before the final scheduled session of the Lifeguarding Instructor course.
- Possess a current basic-level certification in American Red Cross Lifeguarding (Including Deep Water) with
CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid. (Note: r.17 Lifeguarding certification accepted)
- Obtain instructor and participant course materials before starting the course.
- Successfully complete the online session of the Lifeguarding Instructor course prior to the precourse session.
- Successfully complete the prerequisite skill assessment scenario to continue in the course. The prerequisite skill
assessment scenario evaluates the following skills:
o Entry
o Swimming approach
o Surface dive in deep water (7 to 10 feet)
o Passive submerged rescue
o Rapid extrication (with an assisting rescuer)
o Rapid assessment
o Single-rescuer CPR (3 minutes)
Course Length
The Lifeguarding Instructor course is delivered in a blended learning format, consisting of an online session (completed independently by the candidate) and in-person sessions (led by an American Red Cross–certified instructor trainer).
▪ The online session for the instructor course takes approximately 2 hours to complete.
▪ The instruction time for the in-person sessions, including the precourse session, is 16 hours.
Successful Completion
To successfully complete the Lifeguarding Instructor course and receive a Lifeguarding Instructor certification, candidates must:
▪ Successfully complete the Lifeguarding Instructor Course online session.
▪ Successfully complete the prerequisite skill assessment scenario.
▪ Successfully complete the Lifeguarding Instructor skill practice and polish session, demonstrating the following
skills to instructor-level competency:
o Entries and approaches
o Active rescues at the surface
o Passive rescues at the surface
o Passive submerged rescues in shallow, moderate-depth and deep water
o Feet-first and head-first surface dives in deep water
o Rapid extrication using a backboard
o Putting on gloves with wet hands
o Two-rescuer CPR with AED for an adult
o Surveillance and rotation procedures
o Spinal motion restriction and extrication in shallow water
o Multiple-Rescuer Team Response Scenarios
▪ Attend the entire course and participate in all class sessions.
▪ Actively participate in all course activities.
▪ Successfully complete teaching assignments.
o Small group teaching activities
o Practice Teaching Assignment I
o Practice Teaching Assignment II
▪ Demonstrate instructor-level skill competency in all skills. This means being able to demonstrate all of the skill
steps as they are written, in the correct order, and in accordance with the proficiency criteria to meet the
objectives of the skill.
▪ Successfully pass the final written exam with a minimum grade of 80 percent.
Certification
- Candidates who successfully complete the Lifeguarding Instructor course will be issued the following American Red
Cross certificate: Lifeguarding Instructor, valid for 2 years.
- To maintain the Lifeguarding Instructor certification, the instructor must successfully complete the Lifeguarding
Instructor Recertification blended learning course within the 2-year certification period.
- If the instructor certification is expired, the instructor is eligible to participate in the Lifeguarding Instructor
Recertification course for up to, but no longer than, 1 year past the Lifeguarding instructor certification expiration
date. This 1-year grace period applies only to achieving recertification. It does not extend the instructor
certification and the instructor may not teach courses during this time.
Class Dates:
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Saturdays from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm; Sunday from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
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November 2, 3, and 9
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Cost: $285; discounted resident rate: $219
Lifeguard Certification
To participate in the Lifeguarding course participants must:
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Be at least 15 years old on or before the final scheduled class of the Lifeguarding course.
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Successfully complete the two prerequisite swimming skills evaluations:
Prerequisite 1: Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest:
▪ Jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface then swim 150 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both. (Swimming on the back or side is not permitted. Swim goggles are allowed)
▪ Maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs
▪ Swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both
Prerequisite 2: Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds:
▪ Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. (The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed).
▪ Surface dive (feet-first or head-first) to a depth of 7 – 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
▪ Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping the face at or near the surface.
▪ Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.
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The mandatory swim testing (mentioned above) will take place immediately upon arrival the first day of class.
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Anyone who fails the swim test will receive a refund minus a $50 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after the first day of class.
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This is a blended learning course where most of the classwork must be completed online prior to attending the first in-person class.
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Upon passing written and practical exams, you will also be certified in First Aid and CPR for the professional rescuer.
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Bring your swimsuit, towel, water and lunch to every class
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Each participant will receive a CPR mask and whistle after the first class
Water Safety Instructor Certification - no class currently scheduled
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Must be at least 16 years old
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Must be able to swim strokes at a Red Cross level 4 competency (see skill levels listed above)
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Must attend all classes and complete online coursework before the first in-person class
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Students will need to either buy, download or print out instructor candidate manual
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