DIVE BACK INTO GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

For the last few years our normal family routine has been spending Sunday afternoons at Goldfish Swim School as my kids have gone through lessons and participating in the swim team there. In mid-March as the coronavirus began spreading into Michigan little did we know that visit to Goldfish Swim School may have been our final chance to dive into their pool. As things began to get crazy with the pandemic impacting the State that Sunday in March was one of our last moments of normalcy as the next week my son and daughter's school shutdown while my wife and I's work places went into lockdown. As we all know now life has changed quite a bit over the last five months.

Originally, it was thought the virus would burn out and life would resume back to normal in a few weeks. Yet it is August and my wife and I are still working from home. It looks like the kids' school year will start off with online learning from home. And that Goldfish Swim School we enjoyed spending our Sundays at has been shuttered since our last visit in March. We were one of the last families in the pool before the pandemic closed the place down.

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Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

Fortunately for families some sense of normalcy may be returning as our local Goldfish Swim School just opened again. Kids can dive back into the water and resume swimming lessons starting today! The Swim Force has been cancelled so we may not be back but my kids have had a golden experience at this swimming school that we will always appreciate. Now during these tough times it is nice to know that Goldfish Swim School can brighten the days with swimming lessons for kids who have been sticking close to home for a very long time and are probably very stir crazy to get out and about.

During our time at Goldfish Swim School, the staff not only focused on building the kids swimming skills but also emphasized water safety. So you know Goldfish Swim School is going to be taking the safety of their re-opening during this coronavirus pandemic very seriously! Here are some of the ways that they'll be letting children dive back into the pool being conscientious of the ongoing public health crisis:

Screening Swimmers & Caregivers

• No one will be allowed in the building before being pre-screened for exposure to the virus and having their temperature checked.
• Only one caregiver per family allowed in with swimmers. No non-sibling swimmers allowed inside.
• The parent will have a designated socially distanced seat in the observation gallery corresponding to the lane their child will be swimming in.
• Wearing masks by everyone is required. Children can remove masks when in the water.

Building Adjustments

• Screening barriers have been added alongside the edge of the pool to separate children in their lanes when out of the water.
• Showers and some changing rooms will be unavailable. Please come having your child wearing their swimsuit. Please don't linger and leave immediately after classes.
• Shared amenities such as hair dryers have been removed.
• Decals promoting social distancing and circulation of traffic flow through the building have been added.
• The facility will be a cashless operation with all purchases being charged to your account.
• Will not have googles on the pool deck to borrow.
• Specially designated cleaning staff will be continuously sanitizing the facility throughout the day.

Swim Class Sizes

• Group lesson ratios will be 3:1 instead of the usual 4:1.
• Mini 3 lesson ratios will be 2:1 instead of the usual 3:1.
• Mini 1 and 2 lesson ratios will be 4:1 instead of the usual 6:1.
• Swim Force team training sessions and competitions are cancelled.
• No Family Swim or Birthday Parties at this time.

Staff Precautions

• All staff will be temperature checked and will complete a self-assessment upon arrival. Anyone experiencing a fever or any symptoms will be sent home. 
• All dry side staff members will be wearing masks and all wet side staff will be wearing face shields. 
• Staff will go through a number of trainings to help keep themselves and swimmers as safe as possible.

Dive back in! The pool is back open! Go to goldfishswimschool.com for more information.