Swim Skool FAQs
Very Important Lesson Information please read ALL information below regarding pricing, class structure, instructors, ages and level and how to book.
Registration starts the FIRST Saturday of March every year.
Where are lessons held? All lessons are held in my personal pool at:
3801 Norton Drive
Richland Hills
Bad Weather Policy?
Classes are not cancelled the day before, hours before or in light rain. I try my best to complete lessons so that make ups are not needed on the weekend. In Texas, the weather changes minute to minute and I simply cannot cancel an entire day or morning/afternoon worth of lessons because the weather man says it's going to rain.
In the event of rain, we WILL still swim in light to medium rain. The kids are already wet. However, I take safety very seriously and I watch for lightning alerts up to a 20 mile radius. I do not play with lightning.
In the event of a heavy rain, sometimes it messes with the chemicals in the pool and classes may be cancelled so I can get the pool chemicals correct again. Tiffany will not respond to texts about classes being cancelled due to rain or storms. She lives an hour away and the weather is never the same as it is in my pool.
In the event of lessons being cancelled or delayed, the text will come directly from me (Kaleb). I will also be the one who lets you know of the make up day. Make up days are always the Saturday and Sunday of your week of lessons, at the same time. The last make up class will be your show off day. Failure to make plans prior to scheduling for the event of bad weather will not result in a refund or being added to a future class. Please make sure you leave the weekend open in case.
What Venmo do I send payment to?
@Kaleb-Kirkham-1 There is an image of myself in the pool swimming as the profile picture. Please make sure you send it to the correct Venmo handle. If payment is sent to the wrong Venmo, you are responsible for contacting Venmo to get the payment cancelled. Last 4 digits if asked for confirmation is 1736
Where can I find a list of openings?Under the Menu button at the top of the page you can find the link to direct you to current openings.
What if I need to change weeks?
If you have already booked a lesson and it is paid for, there will be a $25 per child charge to change weeks In the past there has been no charge for needing to change weeks, however it is increasingly becoming more common and it makes it difficult to fill spots last minute. This is common practice among summer camps. Please make sure that you have verified your schedule prior too booking to avoid this expense. Rebooking fees will need to be paid at the time of rebooking.
What age do you start?
I start kiddos at age 2. However, if they have a birthday over the summer months (May-August) I will take them if they aren’t quite 2 yet.
How much are lessons?
Lessons are $300 for the week per child. We do not offer a sibling discount. However, if you register for additional weeks there’s a $25 discount per child.
How long are classes?
Classes are Monday-Friday and an hour long each day.
What should I expect the week of lessons?
-Sunscreen and bathroom prior to lessons.
-You do NOT need a life jacket, puddle jumper or any other floating device for lessons.
-If your child is in a swim diaper stay close by in case there is an accident and a change is needed.
-Bring your child around to the back and then promptly exit the yard so that lessons may begin.
-I encourage parents to read, have some quiet time in your car or even run an errand or two if you need during lessons.
-Promptly pick up your child at the end of class as the next class needs to start on time.
-If you have questions or concerns during the week, please direct those questions to me (Kaleb). DO NOT message or call Tiffany regarding lessons once lessons have started (She only helps me schedule and confirm payments). These questions need to be directed to me at this time.
What is Monday-Thursday drop off?
Monday - Thursday, parents do not stay for lessons. You bring your kiddo around back to meet me and my assistant and then promptly leave the backyard.
I do this for many reason, but mostly to maintain a controlled class. I promise the excitement and surprise of what your child has learned at the end of the week is worth the wait!
**I understand that some may not be okay with drop off lessons. I ask that if you cannot respect and trust the process of lessons, then these may not be the lessons for you, and I respect and understand that. There is the instructor (Kaleb, myself) and one assistant in the pool during lessons. Sometimes there is an additional assistant in training as well.
What is show off day on Friday?
Show off day is on Fridays. Bring friends and family to watch your kiddo show off their new set of skills. The kids work so hard during the week and they truly are so excited and proud to show off for you on Friday! I ask for you to bring your own folding chair to sit in so that there is enough seating for everyone to sit an enjoy showoff day. Pictures and video are encouraged! I love for you to share us with your friends!
My child is crying and doesn’t want to go back on Tuesday/Wednesday, what do I do?
This is completely normal, especially for the littler ones. Many kids have some sort of apprehension about the water or fear of water on their face so it’s completely natural for them to be anxious. Our routine is the same all week long. Once the kiddos realize they aren’t doing anything different on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that they did on Monday, they aren’t as apprehensive. I recommend lots of positive praise and how excited you are to watch them show off on Friday! Swimmers must participate in lessons, I work with them on overcoming their fears and as soon as they realize they CAN do it, they are beaming with pride!
How do I know what level class to out my child in?
I work with each child on a 1:1 basis. This allows for you to have all your children in the same class at the same time. Classes are not by level. A more advanced swimmer will work on higher level skills than a child who cannot swim at all.
How many kids are in a class and how many adults?
Classes are booked at 6 kids per class. There is myself (Kaleb) (Instructor) and my assistant who sits with the kids waiting their turn to work with me on the side of the pool.
-I reserve the right to add a 7th child to the class. On occasion a child or a sibling may have a medical reason they are unable to attend their scheduled week of lessons and I find the best fit to get them in as soon as possible.
How do I prepare my child for lessons?
If your child is shy or doesn’t like to be apart from you, we encourage you to talk to your kids leading up to lessons. Let them know they are going to get to meet super fun Mr. Kaleb and learn to swim and do really fun things in the pool. The more you let them know the better off they will be. I encourage you to show them videos/show off say pictures clients have posted to the FB page so they can see other kids swimming with Mr. Kaleb.
When is enrollment?
Enrollment is the first Saturday in March every year. At 8:00am, you simply text (it’s Tiffany's digital paper trail) Tiffany at 817-925-8907 with your child’s FIRST AND LAST name, age and what week and time slot you want.
Once you are on the schedule, you will receive a confirmation text. Please keep in mind it takes her several hours on enrollment day, so please know that if you continue to text it pushes your text to the bottom on the list.
**New for 2023**
We will not be putting more than TWO 2 year olds in the same class. With 2 being the youngest I will take for lessons, it can be very difficult if there is a class full of 2 year olds that are newbies.
What if I text you and can’t get the spot I wanted?
It happens a few times a year on enrollment day. Not often, but it does happen time to time in high demand spots. If she gets to your text and there are no spots, she will call/text you to find a time that works best! Please try to have 3 choices of classes or times that work best for you.
We want to book with friends, how do we do that?
On enrollment day, have ONE parent send me the text message with everyone’s name, age, parent contact info and location. This way I know you want to be grouped together.
What’s your guarantee?
Most of our kiddos are swimming at the end of the week on Friday, I would say 99%! However we have a few exceptions to that. Children with special needs or disabilities and children that are barely 2 or not quite 2 sometimes are not swimming.
If your child is fully capable of swimming at the end of the week but isn’t, we will arrange to put you in another class at no cost to get them to where I feel they should be... for their age. This doesn’t happen often so I have never felt the need to post about it. However, over the past few years it’s a question that comes up!
Of course, I also ask for you to know that a 2 year old is not going to be able to swim with the same stamina and distance as a 6 year old and a 6 year old is not going to have the strength and stamina as a 9 year old. I ask for you to use reasonable expectations according to your child’s age and ability. While I wish everyone was an olympic swimmer on Friday, that is simply not reasonable. The more you work with your child in the pool with the techniques I use and demonstrate to you on show off day, the stronger swimmer your child will become over the summer months.
******Swimming lessons are NEVER a guarantee your child will be able to save themselves. Every child should be monitored in the pool at all times.******
How do I pay?
Each person will be responsible for sending their own Venmo. In the photos section of the Facebook page or at the bottom of this website, you will find an album labeled Venmo/picture of Venmo handle. This shows you my Venmo Handle and everything you need to send payment. After your enrollment is confirmed payment must be received within 24 hours to keep your spot. Yes, your spot will be filled if payment is not received.
In the notes of your Venmo payment, please put your child’s first name and last initial, week and time. You can mark the payment as private so that only Swim Skool sees your info.
Once you’ve paid, please screenshot your payment and text it to Tiffany. When Venmo changed their format, it made it more difficult to go in and find payments. This saves us a ton of time.
Venmo Handle is @Kaleb-Kirkham-1
Last 4 digits of phone number for security on Venmo are 1736
You may also send a check or drop off cash to:
Kaleb Kirkham
3801 Norton Drive
Richland Hills, TX 76118
What about cancellations?
Cancellations made greater than 3 weeks out from lessons will receive a full refund.
Cancellations made less than 3 weeks from lessons will receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations made less than a week out from lessons will not receive a refund.
What if we are sick?
If you need to cancel your lessons due to sickness, there will be two options for you to choose from.
1. We can reschedule your lessons to another week.
2. You can get a credit for the next summer. If you choose to have a credit for the following summer, please reach out to Tiffany at 817-925-8907 PRIOR TO MARCH 1ST. This ensures that you can get a priority spot before enrollment opens up.
What if an instructor is sick or has a need to cancel a class during the week or the entire week?
Time to time there are situations where a class or week has to be cancelled. This is why I ask you to leave the weekend open (same time) in case of one or two make up days. If for one reason or another a class is cancelled and make ups are scheduled for the weekend, there will be no refunds or make ups for not being able to attend the scheduled make up days.
What will my child learn in a week of lessons?
Your child will learn the basics of the breast stroke for the basis of their swimming technique (Stamina and Distance). They also learn floating, pool safety, how to enter and exit the pool properly, how to get out of the pool in case they fall in, other pool safety instruction and lastly their favorite… going down for rings.
I also offer more advanced swimming in students that are ready for the next level. I will not teach any additional swimming strokes until your child has mastered the breast stroke. This will be based on how I feel they are swimming They need to be confident and fluid in swimming this technique before I am comfortable moving them on to different strokes. I use my best judgement to whether or not your child is ready for the next level of swimming instruction. If they are not ready, it will not be taught.
