I am thrilled that you are ready to start your aquatic journey! To book your lessons, please visit the Booking Page and make a selection about what type of reservation you'd like to make (Recurring or à la carte). If you choose Recurring, you will be prompted to fill out a quick form, which will give me all the information I need to start your sign-up process. If you choose à la carte, you will be taken to our online booking platform where you will be able to submit a request for a specific date/time of your choice. I look forward to seeing you at the pool soon!

All lessons are billed at $200/half hour. Recurring lessons are billed monthly (at the beginning of the month). À la carte lessons are billed individually (you will be charged for the exact number of lessons that you schedule).

Lessons are typically 30 minutes long, though there are cases where a longer lesson (ie. 60 minutes) may be more appropriate. Lessons for kids under the age of 5 are almost always 30 minutes long. Swimmers who are working on stroke technique or adult lessons oftentimes schedule a 60 minutes long. Please visit our Services Page to see specific recommendations for your skill level. If you are unsure what the appropriate class length is for you, email me at kate@headabovewaterswim.com and I would be happy to have a consultation with you and provide a recommendation.

I am a firm believer that swimming is for EVERYONE. That's why I offer services to swimmers age 4 months through adult. I also offer specialized services to children under 4 months, though a consultation is required before signing up. No matter your age, if you would like to set up a consultation with me to talk further about whether I may be the right fit for your needs, please feel free to email me at kate@headabovewaterswim.com.

No, I do not offer group lessons. I firmly believe that the private one-on-one lesson structure offers the best opportunity for successful learning. When there is more than one swimmer in a lesson, the instruction cannot be as tailored as I intend it to be. The only exception to this is my Group Parent & Me lessons, which require a consultation before booking.

Yes, I do! Over my 15 years of teaching experience, I have worked with many swimmers with all types of special needs, challenges, and delays. My background as a therapist helps me connect with students of all ages, abilities and needs. Just like with any of my students, special needs students will be met where they are and their swim lesson journey will be tailored to them. I welcome you to reach out to me about you or your swimmer's unique circumstances to see if working together could be the right fit!

No, I do not teach ISR lessons as the ISR methods do not align with my teaching philosophies and are contrary to my educational knowledge of child development. However, no matter what swim lesson program you decide is best for you and your child, I believe it's important to be fully informed about your options and be aware of all aspects of different swim lesson approaches. For this reason, I have included some further information about my program and ways in which it differs from ISR programs: A few words I like to use when describing my general teaching style are: attuned, compassionate and engaged. I believe in curating an environment where young children feel safe and can develop a trusting relationship with the water over time. I focus on building a positive foundation with the water and introducing skills based on a child's readiness. Over time, this will foster proper technique while the child builds confidence in the pool. My lessons for young children are filled with elements of fun, with many of the activities introduced through guided play-based learning. At the same time, I also believe in providing reasonable, age-appropriate challenges for any child when they begin their learn-to-swim journey. The key is that the skills be age appropriate with the purpose of enhancing independent learning and allowing the child to grow an understanding about how their body behaves in the water. For kids 4-24 months, another benefit of my program is that I generally recommend Parent & Me lessons for this age group (in ISR lessons parents are asked to stay out of the water and are oftentimes asked to not even watch the lessons). A child under 2 years old is constantly using their surroundings and experiences to form an understanding of the world. A big piece of this is learning who and what to trust. In addition, they are developing an attachment style that will often stay with them into adulthood. As such, during this critical developmental time in a child's life I believe in fostering the bonding time between parent & child. It is very comforting for a child to have their most trusted caregiver close to them when they are learning about something new in the world. Additionally, having a parent/caregiver involved in the classes will not only benefit the child, but it will also benefit the parent/caregiver in the sense that the parent/caregiver will gain much knowledge about how to be with their young child in the water in a safe and educational way. That way, caregivers can mimic the skills taught in the lessons if/when they have an opportunity to swim recreationally outside of swim class. It should be noted that I do offer lessons for kids under 2 without a caregiver in the water. But in this case, I do recommend that the parent/caregiver be close by and able to provide positive support to the child, both verbally and non-verbally, if/when necessary. With all this said, my lessons for kids from 4 months - 24 months are mainly about gaining comfort and confidence in the water while easing the child into awareness of the pool and its surroundings. Children will be introduced to various learn-to-swim skills such as kicking, arm motions, floating on their back, blowing bubbles, getting water on their head/face, going under the water, climbing out of the pool and more. But these skills are all performed with the assistance of the parent/caregiver and/or the instructor until the child is ready to graduate to having less assistance. I believe in allowing a child to naturally explore a new skill through trial and error in a fun and playful manner, while an adult maintains a safe hold on the child. In this way, we can scaffold the child's learning until they are ready to attempt the skill on their own. This is not to say that my lessons will be without any fears or tears. Learning new things in life can be scary, even when the learning is taking place in a controlled environment with a trusted caregiver. But the difference is, I remain attuned to each individual student I am working with to see what they are and are not ready for. I do encourage introduction of new skills and believe that children should be guided to try new things that they may be tentative about. However, in remaining attuned to the child in every situation, the skill may be pulled back if the child exhibits too much of a negative reaction, indicating that they may not quite be ready for the new skill. In the process of learning how to swim independently, I strive to provide a teaching experience where a child can develop more sophisticated motor, sensory and communication skills, improve balance and coordination, build physical strength, develop emotional confidence, have the opportunity for problem solving, and more. More than anything, I want the children I teach to grow to LOVE the water, rather than be afraid of it. That doesn't mean that swim lessons aren't serious. Water safety is very serious and swim lessons typically involve a lot of rule setting and boundary keeping as well as skill-centric teaching methods that move a child towards independent swimming. But all humans are different and a one-size-fits all method doesn't honor each child's unique timeline and journey towards learning how to swim. Moreover, with the nature of how young children's brains are constantly developing, babies typically do not retain information long-term unless the skills and information are repeated and practiced over time, which is why I believe in consistent, weekly lessons that continue throughout the child's developmental years. Reinforcement based on repetition is key to learning. While I am not an ISR instructor, nor have I gone through the ISR training program, I am aware of various aspects of the method and have also worked with many families after they had a negative experience bringing their child to ISR lessons. Based on my understanding, in ISR classes the instructor will physically manipulate the child in the same motion over and over in order to simulate what to do if they fell into the water without an adult present. This includes repeatedly dropping the child into the water or pushing them off the edge of the pool to know what it feels like to accidentally fall in. The child gets consistently pushed out of their comfort zone with techniques that mimic how it would feel for the child to be in the water alone, which can be extremely stressful for a young child who does not know how to swim. As I mentioned previously, in ISR lessons parents are not allowed to be in the water and in many ISR programs the parent is actually not even allowed to be in eyesight or watch the lessons. From an attachment perspective, when the young child is separated from their parent and then repeatedly tasked with doing new things that are far outside their comfort zone, there can oftentimes be fear responses such as crying and yelling. However, even when the child has negative, fear-related responses, the teacher won't stop what they are doing in an effort to reinforce the survival teachings. In this way, ISR uses a fear-based approach to conditioned learning, which, when forced upon a young child who doesn't yet have the full emotional capacity to understand exactly what is going on, can be traumatic. The memory of inflicted pain can be long-lasting and cause immediate water-related issues and/or issues that can resurface later on in life. There are so many swimmers who come to my program between the ages of 3-6 who have developed an intense fear of the water after having completed ISR lessons at a younger age. Reprogramming a child's understanding that the pool can be a fun and safe place, is quite a slow and lengthy process because it typically comes with a fear/phobia of water submersion, which greatly impedes the learn-to-swim process. Lastly, because of the targeted goal of getting the young swimmer to roll over onto their back and float, ISR lessons do not focus on teaching a child the necessary developmental skills in the water that lead to proper stroke technique. The survival-style lessons do not translate into effective swimming skills that older children and adults need in order to be able to truly enjoy the water and swim safely and competently. I hope this helps provide some additional insight and information as you are researching your swim lesson options. My aim is not to talk negatively about other approaches but rather to provide information about my approach as well as information about my own experience working with children who have experienced other approaches. I truly and whole-heartedly respect whatever choice is right for you and your family. If you have additional questions, please reach out to me as I very much welcome conversation on this topic.

This is probably my most frequently asked question and also the most difficult to answer because as humans, we're all different! In my 15+ years of teaching people to swim, one thing holds true — every student learns at his or her own pace. Knowing this to be true, my success in teaching comes from meeting each swimmer where they're at and employing a fun, gentle, attuned, developmentally-appropriate, skill-oriented approach in moving my swimmers towards their goals. The private lesson structure that I use allows me to customize a lesson plan based on the swimmer's background, previous aquatic experience, learning style, and unique goals. And by using a tailored approach, it allows each swimmer to get the most out of his or her classes. While lessons may look different from one student to the next, I don't ever believe in forceful or extreme teaching methods that can oftentimes backfire and create fears of the water. But that doesn't mean that swim lessons are just play time. Lesson time will be focused on learning skills and progressing abilities through repeated practice. There may be discomfort, fear, anxiety and even tears during the learn-to-swim process, as there can be with any new thing that we learn. But I strive to help every swimmer build a strong, positive mentality about the water with SAFETY remaining my number one priority at all times. Providing education on the learn-to-swim process is also very important to me and I find that it can be quite helpful to the families I work with. When it comes to the timeline of learning how to swim, here are just some of things that can affect a swimmer's aquatic journey: How old you were when you were first introduced to the pool, When you started formal swim lessons, How consistently you had lessons once you started your learn-to-swim journey, How swimming was talked about in your family, The type of personality you have (ie. anxious, fearless, timid, adventurous, confident, curious, risk-averse, etc.), Birth order, Whether you have a pool to practice in between lessons, and more! In my opinion, the most important thing is to not put pressure or expectations on you or your child's learn-to-swim journey. Learning anything takes time, consistency and patience. Everyone can learn to swim — but everyone will do it at their own time and I strive to honor each swimmer's individual timeline in navigating their aquatic journey. No matter how short or long it takes, I commit to providing FUN, PRODUCTIVE, and SAFE classes!

Because every human learns differently, I cannot guarantee how many classes it will take for a swimmer to reach their aquatic goals. You can read more about my philosophy on how long it takes to learn to swim by reading the answer to the question above.

While I never anticipate a swimmer having a poor experience in the pool, there could be reasons why the swim lessons may not work out for the swimmer this time around. Whatever the reason, if at any point throughout the course of your lessons you decide you want to discontinue your classes, I can always hold a credit on file for you to resume your lessons at a later time, or even provide you a refund for your unused lessons if you prefer to get your money back. When you sign up for lessons with me, you are never locked into any type of contract!

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy, which is in effect for cancellations of any kind including sickness, weather (rain/cold), vacation and any other reason. Cancellations need to be taken care of via the Client Portal. If you are not able to provide 24-hour notice, your swim lesson will be forfeited and no make-up lesson can be offered. If you provide at least 24 hours notice, the credit for the canceled lesson will be handled according to which type of reservation you've made: RECURRING LESSONS If you have signed up for Recurring Lessons, you are charged monthly, at the beginning of the month. If you cannot make it to one of your scheduled appointments and you provide at least 24 hours notice, the credit for that canceled class will be applied to the next month's billing cycle. À LA CARTE LESSONS If you provide at least 24 hours notice to cancel a class that was booked à la carte, the credit for the canceled class will remain in your account and will be used towards your next booking.

Lessons are conducted in all kinds of weather - clouds, rain and all. Children find it fun to swim in the rain! And no matter what the weather conditions may be like, you can count on the pool being heated up nice and warm. The only weather-related reason I would cancel the lesson is if there is thunder and/or lightning within 30 minutes before or during the lesson. In that case, we would get out of the pool immediately and reschedule the class. If you would prefer to cancel your lesson due to weather conditions (or any other circumstance) feel free to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance of your class via the Client Portal. Lessons are not eligible to be rescheduled due to chilly weather or rain if the class is canceled with less than 24 hours notice. I recommend checking the weather report the day before your lesson to make sure conditions are suitable for you.

I will not hold class if I am sick and I ask that you not come to class if you are sick. The 24-hour cancellation policy is effect for cancellations of all kind, including sickness. I do understand that there are circumstances where you may not have 24 hours notice if sickness pops up unexpectedly. But since I hold the time slot for you and no one else is able to book that time, I do have to enforce the 24-hour cancellation policy. Any lesson canceled with less than 24-hour notice will incur the full lesson fee.

The only form of payment I accept is credit/debit card. In order to make a reservation with me, I require a valid credit/debit card to be placed on file and your lessons are not confirmed until a credit card is on file. Depending on which type of reservation you've made, here are a few more details about how payments work: RECURRING LESSONS If you've made a Recurring Lesson reservation, your services will be charged on a monthly basis, at the beginning of the month. That is, at the beginning of the month you will be charged for the number of lessons you have scheduled for the upcoming month. Your billing account will then be reconciled at the end of the month and any lessons canceled with more than 24 hours notice will be credited towards the following month's billing cycle. Lessons will continue to be charged monthly until you discontinue your services. À LA CARTE LESSONS If you choose to book your lessons à la carte, you will be charged for the exact number of lessons you schedule. Payment will be taken within 1-3 days from the time your appointments are confirmed (you will receive an email confirmation when your requested lessons have been confirmed).

No, I do not offer lessons with more than one swimmer in the water at the same time. But you're welcome to schedule your children in back-to-back time slots (availability-dependent). Relatedly, I do not allow a sibling to swim in another area of the pool while the other sibling is taking their lesson. The only swimmer allowed in the water is the swimmer who has a scheduled class.

Yes! In my world, swimming is a year-round activity. And the fact that we live in a city with such a gorgeous climate makes it such that we can continue lessons 12 months/year, which is wonderful for consistency in the learn-to-swim process. In the fall/winter, the pool will be heated even more than it is in the summer. It is important to me that my swimmers always be provided with a comfortable learning environment, no matter what time of year it may be.

Yes, I am fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19 and I will continue to follow CDC guidelines for vaccinations and COVID-19 best practices. Your safety and health is very important to me!