Grade 5 students at Douglas Road Elementary were the first to dip their toes into a new Burnaby pilot program offering students free swimming lessons as part of the school curriculum.
In January, the 29 students started the first of eight lessons to get them trained in the basics of swimming and water safety.
Their teacher Natalie Melanson said the program was a “really great experience” for the students.
“The kids had so much fun. They really enjoyed themselves,” Melanson told the Burnaby NOW.
She said the students were very engaged in the lessons and weren’t disruptive.
“They felt very lucky to be able to be a part of it, for sure.”
'Something they're going to remember'
Walking around the pool deck checking in on her students, Melanson said the kids would call out to her: “Come over here; watch our stroke! We’re doing this!”
She said she could see the students becoming more comfortable in the water, especially after the first two weeks.
“A lot of them were pretty confident in the water, but you could see their technique improve, because they’re getting tips on how to practice,” she said.
“You can see their confidence increase,” she added.
She said the program was “super well organized.”
Parents filled out forms with information on the kids’ swimming abilities, so the hour-long lessons, held twice a week, could be split into smaller groups of about three to five kids.
Half the students took lessons during the first 30 minutes while the other half had open swim time. After the first 30 minutes, the groups switched sides.
“It felt like they had a really good system of how to get everyone occupied,” she said.
Melanson remembers participating in a similar swim program when she was in Grade 5.
“I was able to tell (the students), ‘Oh, I totally remember doing this. It was such a fun experience.’ So I think they’ll have similar memories. … I think it’s something they’re going to remember for a while.”
Vision to reality
Burnaby city councillor Daniel Tetrault spearheaded the swimming in schools pilot program starting in 2023.
Tetrault said the idea came from the “two hats” he wears as a teacher and a parent after seeing the challenges many parents face when trying to access swimming classes or water safety courses.
“Often the kids who may need the lessons the most were being left on the sidelines because of not enough availability of classes and waitlists,” Tetrault told the NOW.
He noted the number of drownings across the province has increased over the last couple of years, stressing the need for water safety courses and swimming lessons to learn an “essential life skill.”
“The goal ultimately is to get to a point where we can offer a universal free swim program to all Grade 5 students across Burnaby’s public schools,” he said.
The city took time to ensure it had enough lifeguards for the program, including lifeguards for one-on-one training for any kids who need additional water support.
The pilot is currently funded by the city, but Tetrault said he hopes the province will see its success and eventually fund a universal program.
He noted the provincial government had a Grade 5 swim program in the '90s until it withdrew funding.
The Burnaby school board is pleased with the initiative too.
“We deeply appreciate this opportunity for Burnaby students and the strong partnership we have with the City of Burnaby,” said board chair Kristin Schnider in an emailed statement.
“Swimming is a vital life skill, but unfortunately, not all families have the ability to access lessons. Through this partnership, Grade 5 students can learn these essential skills during the school day, ensuring every child has the opportunity to participate.”
She added the board is “especially grateful” the program can provide one-to-one support for students with disabilities or diverse abilities.
Another 30 Grade 5s at Edmonds Community School are the next cohort to take swim classes as part of the pilot program.
Staff will evaluate the pilot and report back to council at a later date.
