Perpetual Lesson FAQ’s
Q: Why did you switch to perpetual lessons instead of sessions?
A: #1 We promote and believe in year round swim lessons in order for your children to learn to swim and be safe in the water. Our goal is to eliminate the mentality of seasonal lessons because this approach usually leads to the loss of swim skills and wasted time and money on your part.
#2 Perpetual lessons provide a more affordable option for customers and eliminate having to come up with such a large sum of money up front.
#3 Perpetual lessons provide clients with a consistent day and time until they choose to make a change. We won’t be rearranging the schedule each session anymore, providing more consistency for students and parents. Now there are no more worries about signing up every few months. You won't need to wonder anymore if you will get the same day and time for next session.
#4 This consistent “perpetual” approach has proven to advance swim skills at a much faster pace in swim schools all across the country.
Q: When can I sign up for lessons?
A: Any time! Our lessons are ongoing! We believe that a consistent year round approach is necessary for children to learn how to swim and be safe in the water.
Q: How do I register for lessons?
A:
- Choose your child’s level (see level descriptions under swim levels). If you are unsure of what level to sign up for, our sales staff will be happy to help with the placement of your child.
- Decide how many classes you would like to take per week (most students swim once per week.)
- Call or stop by Goldfish Swim School and we will register your child for lessons.
- Reserve your class request with a credit card, checking or savings account, cash, or check.
- Download the waiver/consent form and the payment form off of our web page and complete them. Then, bring them with you to your first lesson. As a reminder, your child will not be able to swim until these forms have been completed and turned in to GSS.
Q: How do I pay for lessons?
A: Families enrolling at Goldfish will have three payment options:
- Automatic checking or savings account debit
- Customers will have either their checking or savings account debited on the 1st business day of every month for the upcoming months swim lessons. Families must sign up for a minimum of 8 lessons. To withdraw from swim lessons, families will need to provide Goldfish 30 days advanced written notice. (Withdrawal forms will be provided at the front desk as well as online)
- Automatic credit card debit
- Customer will have their credit card (Master Card, Visa, American Express, and Discover card only) debited on the 1st business day of every month for the upcoming months swim lessons. Families must sign up for a minimum of 8 lessons. To withdraw from swim lessons, families will need to provide Goldfish 30 days advanced written notice. (Withdrawal forms will be provided at the front desk as well as online)
- Cash or Check
- If a family decides that they would like to pay by cash or check they will be required to pay for minimum of 12 lessons. These clients will need to re-enroll 30 days in advance in order to reserve their same day and time. If you do not re-enroll with 30 days notice we will assume you are withdrawing and you will be dropped from the class.
Q: Why do you charge for one month in advance when I first sign up?
A: Because our schedule is very full, therefore we cannot reserve a spot without payment. For your benefit and for scheduling purposes, we cannot allow clients to hold spots and then drop out at the last minute. We determine our staffing needs and class schedule based on enrollment.
Q: Why do I need to pay for 12 lessons at a time if I pay by cash or check?
A: Administratively it is helpful to have everyone on direct debit. To try and keep up with everyone’s 3 month anniversary of signing up is time consuming and cumbersome to our staff.
Q: How did you determine your 8 lesson minimum?
A: We do not feel that it is fair to your child or to a teacher to “try” swim lessons. Eight lessons is a total of 4 hours. We believe this is the absolute minimum amount of time for a child to adjust to our structure and begin the learning process. We pride ourselves on being the #1 place for children to learn how to swim and be safe in the water. It is a reflection on our reputation whether or not your child learns how to swim. We have seen so many children have a major breakthrough in lessons and learn to swim in weeks 8, 9, 10 and beyond. We would hate for your child to lose out on the opportunity to learn how to swim because they were pulled out of lessons too early.
Q: How do I withdraw from lessons?
A: Families who wish to withdraw from swim lessons must provide us with 30 days written notice of their desired end date. Withdrawal forms can be found at the front desk or online. Customers need to confirm that Goldfish Swim School has received their request.
You will need to submit your withdrawal form 30 days from your last lesson. Example: If your child is taking lessons on a Thursday and you have determined that your last lesson will be 30 days from that date you will be pro-rated for your remaining days in the following month.
Q: Why do you need to give 30 days notice before withdrawing from a class?
A: Our wait list is long and 30 days gives us sufficient time to fill your spot effectively. Also, the monthly billing cycle is run on the 1st of the month so therefore each month is paid in advance. We determine staffing needs, supplies, and other operational costs based on enrollment for the month.
Q: How much do lessons cost per month?
A: Pricing
2008 Swim School Fees are as follows…
|
Group |
Semi-Private |
Private |
| 1st child |
$78/mo |
$121/mo |
$182/mo |
| 2nd child |
$73/mo |
$121/mo |
$182/mo |
| 3rd child |
$67/mo |
|
|
*These fees are a monthly cost and will be debited on the 1st business day of each month.
*As always there is a $25 annual administrative fee per child with a max family administration fee of $45/family. Families will pay the registration fee when they sign up and then on their anniversary date each year.
Q: What if I join in the middle of the month?
A: You will pay the pro-rated amount for the month in which you are starting swim lessons as well as the amount due for the next full month then give us your completed payment option form. You will then go onto the automatic billing system for all future months.
Q: Are you closed for any holidays?
A: We close down for most US legal holidays and several other designated days throughout the year in order to provide our clients, staff, and facility with a break. We provide you with the specific dates that we are closed in order for you to better plan your swim lesson schedule. You’re monthly fees will be credited the full cost of the class when the swim school is closed. Holidays that we are closed for in 2008 are Memorial Day (May 26th), Independence Day (July 4th and 5th), Summer Holiday (August 29th - September 1st), Halloween (October 31st closed at 3pm), Thanksgiving weekend (November 27th, 28th, & 29th) and Winter Holidays ( December 24th - January 3rd). Starting in 2008, we will also be giving credits for missed classes do to the celebration of Rosh HaShanah (Tuesday September 30th) and Yom Kippur (Thursday October 9th). Those clients celebrating Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur will need to notify Goldfish Swim School of your absence for these holidays in order to receive a credit.
Q: Do you offer make-ups, credits, or refunds for missed classes?
A: In order to provide the highest quality possible in teaching your children how to swim we cannot offer refunds, credits, or make-ups for missed private, semi-private, or group classes. Unfortunately our operational costs do not change when a student is absent from class. We will have a qualified instructor and warm water waiting for your child each week. If your child is unable to attend, we look forward to seeing your child at the next scheduled lesson. Consistency is one of the keys to our program. We ask that you do your best to regularly bring your child to swim lessons. We offer a free Family Swim for the entire family ($15 value) if it is necessary for your child to miss a lesson. If we cancel a class for reasons which are within our control, we will apply a credit to your account which will be deducted from your next month’s tuition.
Q: How long does my child attend lessons?
A: Our classes are “perpetual” which means that they continue indefinitely until you turn in a withdrawal form 30 days prior to your last lesson indicating that you wish to take a break. There are no more sessions at Goldfish Swim School.
Q: If I want to pull out of lessons can you guarantee that my day, time, and teacher will still be available when I return?
A: When you choose to pull out of lessons that spot is now available to other students to register in. We will do our best to work with your schedule and your requests for teachers but we cannot guarantee that there will be a spot for you when you return. If you are extremely inflexible with your day, time, and teacher choice then we suggest you stay in lessons even if you are going to miss a few. Throughout the year, those few lessons that you may miss will not hinder your child learning to swim as much as pulling out of lessons all together would.
Q: Now that I can enroll at any time, what happens when my child gets put in a class with other children that have been there for a while and are more advanced then my child?
A: We run on internal sessions at Goldfish, therefore we know what skills your child should be doing in order to get placed in a specific level or class. All of our teachers have been trained to split teach levels (meaning some classes may be a blend of two similar levels or various skills). There isn’t always a “cookie cutter” level for students to fit in when they sign up. We are very flexible in working with each child’s individual strengths and weaknesses within each level. We are also constantly evaluating the students and making adjustments to levels if they are above or below the goals. Level names are changed as soon as the children advance beyond the skills required for that class.
Q: How do I change my day or time?
A: You may change day or time by talking to our sales staff. If no spot is immediately available we will place you on our waiting list and will do our best to make the changes as soon as openings become available.
Q: Do I need to change classes when my child changes levels?
A: Classes tend to progress together. If this is not the case we will speak to you about looking for a class more appropriate for your child.
Q: What if my class has only one or two students?
A: If a group class has only one or two students, as always, we do reserve the right to consolidate that class.
Q: Can you guarantee my request for my favorite teacher?
A: Some of our students and many of our parents have become attached to their teachers. Our teachers are wonderful and we continue to make decisions regarding where teachers are placed based on our effort to provide the best swimming experience possible for everyone. We know that different students respond to different teaching personalities. We will always try to accommodate these needs. We cannot guarantee a teacher and we will always reserve the right to change teachers if necessary.
Q: What happens when a teachers schedule changes during the course of that year but I can’t change my time and day?
A: All of our teachers go through an extensive hiring process and training period at GSS. They are all extremely qualified in teaching children how to swim and be safe in the water. We understand that you may have specific requests and we will do our best to meet those needs. However, we cannot control events that may occur in our teacher’s lives that may require them to change their schedules occasionally.
