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Let us help answer your questions!
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Where are you located?From Sept-June we rent space at indoor pools in the Newtown PA area. Our primary location is the beautiful George School Marshall Platt Indoor Pool at 1690 Newtown-Langhorne Rd in Newtown PA. The facility is conveniently located right off of the Newtown Bypass. ISR students will have access to pool facility locker rooms which are right next to the pool, providing a space to get ready before & after lessons. The Summer session is typically held outdoors at host pools in the Newtown area.
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How many days a week are lessons and how long is each session?Lessons are attended 10 minutes a day, 5 consecutive days a week for approximately 6 weeks. The consistency of daily lessons is critical for learning efficiency. These are NOT traditional swim lessons! We are teaching highly specialized skills and it is very important to attend class every day. If you cannot commit to this schedule, you may not register until you are sure you can.
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What time of day are you offering lessons?Available lesson times can vary but lesson times are typically between 7:40-11a. New student slots tend to begin around 8 or 8:10a. The earliest slots of the day are maintenance slots for returning students.
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Do you offer PM lessons?We are not currently able to offer afternoon or evening lessons. Early mornings, however, are offered for those families that may need before work or school timing. We understand it is frustrating to not have PM avails or an unlimited amount of early morning slots but please note we are working parents of young children ourselves. Being in the pool early morning AND after work is not feasible if we want to see our own children. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience knowing as many slots are being offered as possible!
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We are only available on weekends. Do you have weekend classes?Lessons are 5 consecutive days a week so you will always need to attend lessons on weekdays. Currently and for the foreseeable future, we will be operating on a Mon-Fri schedule.
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If I enroll my child in a Fall or Winter session, will they forget by Summer?We encourage families to consider lessons in the "off season" to arm their child with aquatic skills BEFORE pools begin to open for the summer. It is for this reason that Fall & Winter are the sessions that have the most slots for new students, but a common hesitation from parents is that the child will forget if they don't learn right before swim season. Luckily ISR Self-Rescue Skills are a sensorimotor skill- just like crawling, walking, or riding a bike. Sensorimotor skills are not simply forgotten, although they can certainly get rusty without use. This is why we will encourage you to return for Refresher and Maintenance lessons periodically after your child’s initial learning- Maintenance in particular is very low commitment. These follow up learning opportunities will ensure your little one gets to adjust their skills to their rapid growth and will keep things sharp.
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Will you come to my home to do private lessons?For private lesson inquiries, email us and we can let you know if it's something we are able to work into the existing or upcoming schedule. We typically can only fit in one private stop in the summer session. Private lessons start at $400/week/student (no sibling discounts can be applied) and depending on location may incur an additional travel fee. If you want lessons to be at your home for convenience purposes but without the private lesson premium, consider applying to be a summer host pool. Host families allow us to use their pool for a daily ~2.5 hour block of time, M-F in the 6 week summer session. The perks of hosting are preferred choice of timeslot for the host family's children and the host family can enjoy a non-existent commute. Hosting is also a great way to "do your part" ensuring not only your own children get skilled, but to help us reach more children in your very own community. Primary requirements are a convenient/centrally located location in Newtown PA, a heated pool to 86-88 degrees (by a heater, not just the sun!) a set of shallow end steps or sun shelf, and neighbors who won't mind a bit of "kid" noise. Email us for a full list of requirements for hosting!
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Do you give group lessons?No, lessons are always one-on-one.
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Do I have to get in the water?Parents are not required to get in the water during lessons BUT your instructor may suggest a time when it may make sense for you to join a few lessons with your child, towards the end of the session, to learn how to play with them in the water while honoring their hard earned skills!
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Do you work with children who have special needs, unique medical circumstances, behavior diagnosis, etc.?Yes! All students do need to be cleared to participate in lessons by our team of nurses via a medical history that is completed online once a slot has been secured. Most often, when children have a medical or behavioral diagnosis, the nurses will communicate with the parent prior to lessons beginning to gather pertinent information. From there, they issue the instructor specific protocols that help customize the child's learning experience.
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How much does it cost?Tuition pricing for 2024 sessions (Winter, Spring Fall) and 2025 sessions (Winter, Spring) will be $1150 for a 6 week session for one student. The Summer session (2024 + 2025) will be $1250 for a 6 week session for one student. Note lessons are 5 days a week for 6 weeks. A non-refundable, non-transferable $350 deposit ($400 for Summer session) is due at the time of slot selection to secure your slot and is payable via Venmo. For Spring & Summer sessions, the remaining tuition balance is due in Week 1 of lessons. For Fall & Winter sessions, the remaining tuition balance is due 60 days after slot selection & deposit. Payment plans for tuition balances are available for families with siblings and/or those who need it. The is a one-time registration fee of $105/child which goes directly to ISR- this is separate from tuition and does NOT go to your instructor. The registration fee covers a comprehensive medical background check that you complete online when you register your child. ISR’s staff of nurses reviews all the information in full to ensure your child can safely participate in lessons. One example that might prevent your child from being trained by ISR is a history of seizures. Registration links will be sent out approx 4 weeks prior to the start of lessons at which time you will pay the fee.
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Why are ISR lessons so much more expensive than regular swim programs?Great question! ISR has been researched and developed for 55+ years. It’s nationally recognized as the safest swim program for infants and children. Your children will learn life saving skills that traditional lessons do not provide. If you are looking for a swim class that focuses on socialization and play rather than safety and survival, you might consider traditional swim lessons. 1. ISR teaches your children to SWIM. There are no other programs in Pennsylvania that will teach your child to swim with his face in the water or offer any sort of guarantee about what he will learn. Many parents come to us after spending hundreds of dollars on traditional “swim” programs frustrated because their child doesn’t have any discernible skills after weeks, months, or even years of lessons. 2. You do not need to enroll your children into swim lessons summer after summer, year after year. Once they learn these skills, they have them forever. With maintenance and refresher lessons, they will retain their skills indefinitely. You end up spending more money over time on traditional lessons that are taught by former high school swimmers or college students trying to make some spending money over the summer. Speaking of teaching credentials… 3. Every ISR instructor undergoes 8 weeks of intense training. Hands on, in the pool with an ISR Master Instructor and students, learning the ISR method. For 8 weeks, we are in the pool 5x per week for several hours a day, for a minimum of 60 hours with ACTUAL students. In addition, we receive extensive hours of academic training in anatomy, physiology, child psychology, behavior and development, sensorimotor learning, and how each relates to the aquatic environment. Every instructor also maintains CPR and First Aid certifications, as well as annual recertification and testing to maintain our ISR certification and skills. Lastly, if you add up what you’d spend in a traditional swim program for a few weeks during the summer – where he leaves the class with little to no skills – and then multiply that by every summer until he is 6 years old, this program costs significantly less and the value is infinitely greater.
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That's more than I can afford. Are there other options?Working out a payment plan is a great option for families who may be a bit overwhelmed at the cost, particularly with siblings enrolled. Please inquire with your instructor about options to spread payments out a bit before and during a session.
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Lesson Credits/MakeupsLessons missed by the family for illness, vacation, late start date, etc. will not be made up or credited because lessons are priced by the session rather than priced by the lesson or the week. It's important to note that our 6 week timeline for sessions is an average time..some kids need less to master the skills and some need more! If a child needs more time to finish with reliable skills due to missed lessons that are excused (illness, extenuating circumstances, etc.) more time will be carved out for them in a subsequent session and tuition will be waived or discounted. If a child finishes in less time and the parent & instructor agree that the child can shift to a Maintenance schedule before the end of 6 weeks, it's just less time the family needs to devote to getting them there daily for their initial learning. That said, lessons WILL be made up or credited if the instructor needs to cancel lessons for any reason- illness, pool issues, etc.
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Is my child too old/too young for ISR lessons?The ISR program is for infants and children aged 6 months-6 years, but really there is no upper age limit! Older children are just more likely to learn in a shorter period of time than the typical 6 week session. On the younger end, he or she must be 6 mos AND must be able to sit in an upright position independently.
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How do you teach a baby/young child to hold their breath? Will They Swallow Water? What About Dry Drowning?These are some of the most common questions and concerns from parents who watch ISR videos and wonder....HOW in the world is that possible?! And is it safe? ISR with a real, Certified ISR Instructor is indeed safe. Our training to become certified is a rigorous process, as it should be given the vulnerable population we serve. Your child's medical and development history is a mandatory part of the ISR national registration process (this info is kept confidential) and their health and well-being are closely monitored by their instructor daily. As for teaching young/non-verbal children to hold their breath, this is our first and highest priority in lessons. We shape breath control in all students using highly effective positive reinforcement techniques and continue to reinforce proper breath control throughout all lessons. Lastly, dry drowning is an outdated term that terrifies many parents but is not a recognized medical term. It has been sensationalized by the media and sensationalized in tv/film. Drowning does not happen days after being in water and it is also not something to be concerned about in ISR lessons given the level of training of the instructor as well as numerous safety protocols employed to ensure safe lessons for all students. There are 3 types of drowning: fatal, non-fatal, and non-fatal with injury. If any person has a drowning event they should be seen by a medical professional immediately for monitoring and necessary care to avoid further complications and/or injury. Here are some reputable sources where you can read more about the subject: American College of Emergency Physicians, Critical Decisions in Emergency Medicine, Volume 32, Number 9 https://bit.ly/3geqls6 @ameracadpeds, Prevention of Drowning, May 2019, 143 (5) e20190850; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0850 @uofmichigan, Dispelling ‘Dry Drowning’ and Other Swimming Safety Myths https://bit.ly/3Co81Fz @unitypointhealth Dispelling Myths about Dry Drowning https://bit.ly/3Akvffd @clevelandclinic ‘Dry Drowning’: Separating Fact From Fiction https://cle.clinic/3hH0oSG Kid Nurse ‘Your Kids Aren’t Dry Drowning (Because It’s Not Real)’ https://bit.ly/3IH8VBu
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My child loves/hates/is fearful of/has no experience in the water. Will he still be able to learn the skills?Absolutely! We teach children to have a healthy respect for the water, and we work in very small increments each day. We present children with small achievable tasks and always set them up to succeed. They learn to trust their skills, and in turn, they gain an incredible amount of confidence in the water.
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What if my child cries? Will he develop a "fear" of the water?"Some children cry the first few lessons due to anxiety. He is in a new building with a pool he's never been to being handed into the water to a stranger - it's normal for him to be wary of the situation! It's important for us to teach your child to trust his/her instructor and eventually to trust the water. Many kids can't wait to come to lessons by the end of the first week! Remember, fear is a learned behavior. We didn't come out of the womb afraid of spiders or water or large dogs. When someone has a negative experience that involves the fearful object or experience, fear is developed. Your child will only truly be fearful of the water if he or she has witnessed or experienced a traumatic aquatic event.
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I don't want my child to cry under any circumstances. Ever.ISR might not be the right fit for your family. Parents who have lost a child to drowning will tell you they'd give everything to hear their child cry again. If it makes you uncomfortable to hear your child cry, think about what it would feel like to never have the opportunity to hear him at all. And more importantly, remember some of the reasons children cry...
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What happens when a session of lessons is over?Once your child completes the session, he/she is fully skilled to survive an aquatic emergency and in most cases has a successful rollback-to-float or swim-float-swim sequence. Despite being skilled, there is no substitute for adult supervision and parents should still employ layers of protection- pool fences, pool alarms, door alarms, etc. It is essential to make a plan with your instructor before your child's initial session of learning ends if you want to keep your child's skills intact for the future. Maintenance lessons are suggested for most students at a cadence of 1 or 2 lessons (not weeks, just individual lessons) per month when available. Refresher Lessons- 1-2x weeks of daily lessons every 3-6 months- are another option but are limited in availability. Maintenance lessons are the primary offering for returning students. While maintenance/refreshers are fully optional, not making a plan with your instructor OR not participating in the instructor-suggested follow up will make it more difficult to get back on the schedule in future sessions due to the high demand for lessons. Once your child is ready we can help make a recommendation for a swim instructor who can take their skills further....learning strokes, swim mechanics etc. should we determine their self-rescue skills are not at risk of being lost by doing so!
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How do I register?Here is the registration process: 1. Read through all the information on this website. When you are ready to proceed, e-mail Jenna Porcelli at j.porcelli@infantswim.com. An auto responder email will come right back to you with next steps. Throughout most of the year the message will offer a link to any currently available schedules/slots or will instruct you to add your child's name to the waitlist to hear about upcoming enrollment opportunities as soon as they are available. 2. Keep your eyes peeled for email and social media annoucements about upcoming enrollment opportunities. When schedules open they tend to fill VERY quickly! Once you go through the process of selecting a slot you will need to secure it within 24 hours with a $350/student non-refundable, non-transferable deposit via Venmo. 3. About 4 weeks prior to lessons, you will receive a link to register your child with ISR (This is a one-time $105 fee for new students, $35 annual fee for returning students) as well as a link to your Parent Resource Handbook + various start docs from your instructor. Please read through and complete the required documentation prior to the start of lessons. Your tuition balance will be due in Week 1 of lessons. 4. You will receive an email from your instructor approx. 1 week before lessons begin which includes directions to the pool location, BUDS sheets information, ISR Policies, & a Welcome letter that contains many helpful hints and reminders to get your child's ISR lessons started.
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I have enrolled in a slot in an upcoming session but wish to change to a different session. What are my options?When you enrolled initially, you paid a non-refundable & non-transferable tuition deposit to lock in your child's slot. Some sessions may also require an advance payment of the tuition balance with the same terms. The non-refundable and non-transferrable verbiage is mentioned multiple times during the digital enrollment process to ensure everyone is aware of the policy prior to committing to a session of lessons. While we totally understand "life things" come up that may throw a wrench in your plans to participate, the business incurs hard costs to be able to guarantee your child their slot in the specific session you originally selected, hence the non-refundable/non-transferable terms. As a small business we thank you in advance for understanding why this policy is in place and why it needs to be strictly enforced, regardless of the circumstances behind the request. If you wish to make a change you can consider one of the following options: ** If your lesson slot time (not the session dates) are the issue, you can inquire with your instructor if there are any other slots in your current session still available or if any have come available last minute. Many sessions do book out fully ~6 mos in advance, but if you have flexible timing there is the possibility we may be able to accommodate a shift in lesson time. Please note this is very unlikely in highly sought after sessions (Spring, Summer) and at certain times of day (pre-9a). That said, if we are able to help accommodate a shift in lesson time within your current session we will, and you will not need to forfeit your deposit. **If the session dates are the issue, or if the slot time is the issue and you cannot shift within the session you are enrolled in, you can forfeit your deposit & re-book a new slot for your child in a different session during the next enrollment opportunity. You will need to submit a new deposit to lock in your new selection.
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