Bellingham Athletic Club

Swim Lessons Q&A

Q. Do I need to pay when I sign up or can I pay on the first day of class?
A. In order to reserve your spot, payment is due at the time of sign up. If payment is not made during registration, you will be placed on the waiting list. If the class fills up before you make a payment for your lessons, you may need to find a class with open slots at a different time.

Q. Do I need to get in the water with my child?
A. If your child is under the age of three and has never done swim lessons before, we offer a parent child swim class in which the parent does get in the water with the child. If the child is over the age of three, they are placed in a class with an instructor and other children who have the same skills, and the parent does not need to be in the water.

Q. My child can swim, but I don’t know which level to put him or her in?
A. The swim levels are posted on our website with the corresponding skills taught in that level. If your child can do the skills listed in a particular level, then they should be placed in the next level up. If you’re unsure, give us a call! Any of our instructing staff can place students in the appropriate level.

Q. How do I know my child is in the correct swim class level?
A. The first day of class is designed to assess the skills of the children in the class. If we think your child would benefit more from a different class, the Aquatics Director will notify you after the first day and your child will be placed in the class they will be most successful in.

Q. How big are your classes?
A. The maximum number of students to one instructor is 5. For Angelfish and Swim Team, the maximum number of students to one instructor is 12.

Q. This session has already started; can I still sign my child up?
A. Yes, if there is a class with open space, we will gladly accept sign ups after the session has started.

Q. Can I request that a class be offered at a specific time?
A. Yes, you may request a class if you have a specific time that you would like a class to be offered. The Aquatics Director does his or her best to schedule the class at the times requested, but if due to availability, the class cannot be scheduled when requested, it will be offered within 30 minutes of the requested time (either 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after the time requested).

Q. When are your swim lessons?
A. Our swim lessons are Tuesdays and Thursdays and usually run in 4 week sessions of 8 lessons. We have morning (10-12), afternoon (3:30-5:30), and evening (5:30-7:30) times so you can come when it’s most convenient for you. Classes are 30 minutes long and begin every half hour.

Q.Do you have swim lessons on other days of the week besides Tuesdays and Thursdays?
A. We do not. Our swim lessons are only on Tuesdays and Thursdays as of right now. However, private swim lessons can be schedule at any time throughout the week (as long as the pool is not in use for another program or class).

Q. Can I just sign up for one day a week (Tuesday OR Thursday)?
A. Yes. If we have spots available in a class, you may sign up for just one day a week and pay a per class rate. The price per class for non-members is $9, for children of members is $8, and for members is $7.

Q. Do you prorate the price if I miss a class?
A. We are able to pro-rate lessons if you know about the absence at the time of registration! The pro-rated cost is $9/lesson for non-members, $8/lesson for children of members, and $7/lesson for members. However, if you do not tell us about the absence at the time of registration, or if your student gets sick and is not able to make it to their lesson, we are not able to provide a refund.

Q. Where can I find a schedule of the classes offered?
A. We post schedules for swim lessons on our website on a monthly basis! Want to keep updated without having to check the website? Just email the Aquatics Director at aquatics@bellinghamathleticclub.com and ask to be put on our email list! We send out an email blast once a month with the new schedule.

Q. When will the Aquatics Director be in the club so I can talk to him or her?
A. The Aquatics Director’s hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-12pm, and 3pm-8pm. You can reach him or her during these times or leave a voicemail message if he or she is not available. The aquatics voicemail is checked multiple times a week and your call will be returned promptly. You can also feel free to email at aquatics@bellinghamathleticclub.com at any time.

Q. Do you offer private swim lessons?
A. Yes, we offer private swim lessons at a rate of $25 per half hour for non-members and $20 per half hour for members. We can also offer semi-private or group private lessons! Just give us a call at (360) 676-1800 to submit a private lesson request.

Q. When are the times I can schedule a private swim lesson?
A. Private swim lesson times are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 3-5 and 7-8:30; Saturday from 10:30-12, 3-5, and 6-8:30; and Sunday from 1-2, 3-5, and 6-8:30. However, private lessons can be scheduled at any time that the instructor is available and there are no other conflicting activities in the pool.

Q. I need to cancel or reschedule my private lesson, how do I get a hold of the
instructor?
A. Instructors will schedule private lessons with you individually, so they will give you their contact information when they call you to schedule. If you do not have the instructor’s contact information, please email (aquatics@bellinghamathelticclub.com) or call the front desk and they will notify the instructor for you. NOTE: The front desk CANNOT give out instructor’s contact information for any reason.

Q. The class I want to sign up for is full, will another class be opened?
A. If we are able to staff an additional class and there are two or more people on the waiting list, we will open up another class for that time.

Q. I put in a private swim lesson request and I have not heard back yet.
A. Private swim lessons are scheduled based on the instructor’s availabilities. The Aquatics Director has to find an instructor who is available during the requested time, which may take a week or two. If it has been more than two weeks, the Aquatics Director will call you with an update.

Q. How big is your pool?
A. Our pool is 50 feet long and 30 feet wide. The shallowest point is 3 feet and the deepest point is 4 feet.

Q. What is the temperature of your pool?
A. We keep our pool between 84 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Additional questions, contact aquatics@bellinghamathleticclub.com.