Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

Go to our registration page online to view our class options. Once you have found the appropriate class for your swimmer(s), either go to our Customer Portal to create your family’s profile or complete a Swim Level Evaluation form to find out which level your swimmer is in.

Note; you may only register for our beginner classes (Parent/Child Swim Classes & Seahorse school-age & pre-school classes) without completing a swim level evaluation.

We believe in and strongly encourage year-round swim lessons. Ongoing swim lessons provide families with a consistent day & time until they choose to make a change. This results in a much better overall swim experience for both students and parents.

When learning to swim, year-round consistency of swims is more important than frequency. Put simply, a swimmer will make more progress swimming 1x a week over 12-month period than they would swimming 2x a week over a 6-month period. That being said, swimmers who swim 2x per week on a year-round basis do progress a little over twice as fast as those swimming 1x per week!

To view current class fees, visit our Pricing page.

The fee will be adjusted for months where you receive 3 classes (due to a holiday closing) or for months where you receive 5 lessons.

If you sign up in the middle of the month, we will prorate your tuition.

We charge an annual membership fee of $34 per child (max $50 per family), due at registration. This fee will be renewed annually on January 1. When you first enroll in classes, each student will receive a FREE Propel Swim Academy bag, swim cap, and car magnet!

Once you are registered through our system you will be asked to add a credit/debit card to your profile. Each family must keep a valid card on file with us while they are enrolled.

Our monthly fee will be deducted from you account on the 1st day of every month for the upcoming month’s swim lessons.

YES!!!! We offer family discounts!! Families with more than 1 actively registered swimmer will received a 10% discount on the monthly tuition for the 2nd swimmer and a 15% discount on any subsequent swimmers!

Schedule

Yes, repetition is the key to learning how to swim. While your child will progress with 1 lesson per week, swimming more often will speed up their skill development. The second lesson will be given at a 15% discount.
We understand that parents and students get attached to their swim instructors. We believe all of our swim instructors are AWESOME!!! We are continuously making decisions as to the best placement of instructors to ensure the best possible lesson for everyone involved. We also realize that different students respond to different teaching personalities; we try to accommodate when possible, however we cannot guarantee a request for a certain teacher. We often find that having a variety of teachers as your child continues through our program promotes self-confidence and encourages overall growth.
  1. Log in to your Customer Portal.
  2. Click MY ACCOUNT
  3. Click the “Enrollments” icon under the student for whom you wish to request a transfer.
  4. Click the TRANSFER ENROLLMENT button next to the class you wish to transfer FROM to launch the “Pick a Class” screen and initiate the transfer request.
  5. Click on the class you wish to transfer INTO. This will launch the “Transfer Enrollment Request” window.
  6. Enter the TRANSFER DATE (the date you wish to start the new class), along with any NOTES explaining why you are requesting the transfer.
  7. Click “Yes, please transfer!” to submit the transfer request, or “Cancel” to close the window without submitting the request.

You can see all available classes by accessing our Customer Portal and clicking BOOKING. Once on the Classes page, we recommend using the available filters to find the right class(es) for your family! Remember you will need to complete a Swim Level Evaluation prior to registering for any class above our Seahorse (beginner) level.

Each lesson in our Parent/Child and Learn to Swim programs are 30 minutes. Stroke School Classes range from 30-60min depending on the level. Adult Swim Classes are 30 or 45 minutes, depending on the class type.

You qualify for our family discount!! See our Class Fees page for more info. We try our best to accommodate families with more than one student. We offer a variety of classes for different ages and abilities to make it easier for families to schedule times together.

Programs

We do offer private lessons, but only for very specific situations. We are strong proponents of group lessons and believe most children grow & learn best in this environment. Private lessons are $65 per half hour and need to be arranged by the Operations Manager.
If you have a swimmer with special needs, we would love to help you determine whether group or private lessons is the best fit for your swimmer’s goals. We have instructors who have experience working with individuals with special abilities so feel free to call or stop by the school so that we can help you select the best learn to swim environment for your swimmer.

We adjust our class sizes according to developmental levels. For specific class sizes in each level, please see the individual class descriptions in Our Programs.

No, we believe that abruptly removing a child from a lesson will only reinforce any anxieties or fears the child may have. As with any new activity, it will take most children some time to get acclimated and comfortable in the water and with the instructor.

Developing a bond of trust with the instructor takes time! Patience, positive reinforcement and lots of encouragement from Propel Swim Academy staff and parents will help all children to become more comfortable with their surroundings and to develop a love for the water!!!!

YES!

Free Family Swim is offered twice per month on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. This is a fun time to enjoy with the family and practice skills! For more information, visit our Family Swim page under Our Programs, or sign up for Family Swim here.

  • Your child is continuously growing and skills change with different body proportions.
  • Regular practice ensures that your child remembers safety skills and stroke techniques!
  • Movement is essential for optimal physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. There are many studies that now show how swimming accelerates brain development and has a long term positive impact on a child’s learning.
  • Swimming focuses on the whole body which then improves health, strength and coordination.
  • When a child has a structured, consistent, whole-body movement activity such as swimming, they learn self-control, goal setting, listening skills and self-respect.
  • Drowning can occur anytime, not just in the warm weather.
  • Swimming is a gift you can give your child that last a lifetime!!!

Student Progress

YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS:

Our teachers do not have time during their shift to speak with parents, but we feel that asking questions and communication is very important.

  1. We always have a Deck Supervisor on the pool deck during lessons; if you have an immediate question or would like a Progress Update on your swimmer, please ask your child’s Deck Supervisor or send us an email and we will answer or get back in touch with you.
  2. Fill out our Parent/Instructor Communication Form.

Every student will learn skills at different rates. You should never look at another student wonder why your student is taking longer to master a skill. Learning to swim takes time, patience and lots of practice. The Instructors look for mastery of specific skills in each level before the student moves to the next level.

Once a swimmer has reached our standards for mastery on the specific set of Graduation Skills and are ready to advance to the next level, the Deck Supervisor will notify you and your student. Your student can pick up their CELEBRATION CERTIFICATE at the front desk; be sure to have your student go to our Celebration Corner and ring the bell so that everyone can celebrate with them! Don’t forget to take a picture!

This is our MOST frequently asked question! Every child is unique and wonderful with varying swimming abilities. There is no set time it will take a student to learn to swim; even children in the same family will learn at different rates.

At Propel Swim Academy, we believe consistency & frequency (at least once a week) are the keys to swimming success. Because we feel so strongly about swimming consistently & frequently, we also offer FREE Family Swims! Please check our website for dates and times.

As with all learning, children progress at different rates. We expect your student to move through each of our levels at a different rate. Don’t ever be discouraged! Speak with our Deck Manager to see what skills your child should focus on; coming to our free family swim to practice, adding on an additional swim day, or attending a swim camp can also speed up your student’s progress.

Speak with our Deck Manager about scheduling a Supplemental Private Lesson to get some 1-on-1 time to work on a particular skill!

Facility, Safety, Closing

  1. Food, drink and street shoes are not allowed on the pool deck. This is a health regulation and we strive to keep our facility as clean as possible. If you plan to watch from the deck or shower your children, please bring pool shoes with you. We so appreciate your cooperation and understanding!
  2. Our insurance requires a responsible adult to remain on the Propel Swim Academy premises for the duration of your child’s lesson. Parents are responsible for their child before, during and after the lesson.
  3. Parents may watch from either of our parent viewing rooms or you are welcome to sit inside the pool area and watch from one of our benches. We ask that if you have siblings with you that you DO NOT watch from the pool deck. We have a great play area for siblings that is safe and within the viewing room away from the water.
  4. No strollers allowed on deck. Please leave your stroller in the lobby, changing area or parent viewing room. This is again in an effort to keep outside contaminants off the pool deck!
  5. If your child is over the age of 5 (five) they need to use their gender specific restroom. However, we have a family restroom that is non-gender specific located in the changing room area. While it is large enough to change in, we would appreciate it being use only as a family restroom.

We will notify you via our Facebook, Instagram, email, text, and on our main website if we will be closed due to inclement weather. There may be times that we are closed in the morning, but not in the afternoon, so please be sure to check for updates.

If we are closed due to inclement weather everyone will receive a makeup class credit. These credits will last for 365 days, so you will have plenty of time to use it!

If we are open, but you decide that it is not safe for your family to travel, you can log in to your Parent Account and mark yourself Absent from the class so that you earn a Makeup Credit! Stay Safe! Watch this video to see how to mark yourself absent and book a makeup class!

In the interest of the health of all our swimmers and staff, we have a policy that requires all children under the age of 3, or those not toilet trained, to wear 2 swim diapers (a disposable swim diaper and 1 reusable) during their swim class.

Propel Swim Academy will be closed for various holidays throughout the year. In the event of a holiday closure, your monthly fee will be prorated to reflect the missed lesson.

First Day

  • Swimsuit
  • Goggles
    • These are available for purchase at the front desk
    • We do not offer loaner goggles as this is a health risk
    • Please put your child’s name on the strap. (Markers available at the front desk)
  • Towel
  • All Children in Parent/Child Classes need 1 reusable diaper & 1 disposable swim diaper
  • Stop by the Front Desk, where you will be greeted by a member of our Customer Support Team and they will show you how to check yourself in at our Self-Check in booth.
  • Check out the monitors located in the lobby or in the Parent Viewing Room to see where your child will be swimming!!
  • All swimmers must wait in the hallway by the main viewing area until a Deck Supervisor invites them into the pool area when it is time for their lesson. If your child is over 6, they can wait for their class on their own at the appropriate time.
  • Please remember your child is your responsibility until class begins.
  • There are NO street shoes allowed on deck. We realize this is a hassle, however this is a Loudoun County health regulation and unfortunately not an option for us.

Our showers are conveniently located on the pool deck near the big pool. Showers are equipped with soap, so if you wish to shampoo, please bring your own. Please exit through the double doors directly into the family changing area. Showers are only located on the pool deck.

We have one family restroom, a women’s restroom and a men’s restroom. Children 5 and up must use their gender specific restroom. If this is a problem, please use the family restroom.

Missed Classes

Please Read Carefully: We have a unique way of processing Makeup Lessons!

At Propel Swim Academy we know that children are most successful in a consistent, structured learning environment. However, we understand that kids get sick, parents get sick, and that in general, life happens. So, realizing these things, Propel Swim Academy is happy to offer Unlimited Make Up Lessons for our regular, weekly swim classes!

Here at Propel we handle make ups a differently than anyone we know! In fact, we really don’t handle make ups at all…YOU DO! Our make up system is designed for complete self-service.

At Propel, make up lessons require a community effort! Makeups are only available in spots that other existing families have cancelled. So think of it as good karma to be diligent about canceling your children from classes they won’t be there for! By doing so, you are opening up a spot for another family to schedule their Makeup. If everyone works together, there will be more than enough Makeup spots for everyone!

Overuse of rescheduling negatively affects classes and your child’s progress. Please honor the spirit of this privilege and use make ups for illness and serious conflicts only.

See the below FAQ to watch a video guide on using our Make Up System!

  • A Makeup Token will only be given for a missed class if you mark your swimmer absent through your Customer Portal at least 1 hour before the class start time.
  • Swimmer absences may only be reported by marking your swimmer absent through the Customer Portal. Phone or email absence notifications will not earn a makeup token.
  • If a makeup token was earned, it will show up in your account 30 minutes after the class you missed has ended.
  • Makeup Tokens are valid for 365 days.
  • Makeups are a privilege and a service that we offer. The availability of Makeup Classes is not guaranteed. Please only use the makeup system for illness or travel.
  • Once booked, and Makeup Class cannot be canceled or rescheduled. There are no “makeups” for missed makeup classes.
  • Instructors are not guaranteed for Make Up lessons.

General Tip For Booking Make Ups! We offer most of our class types every day of the week (except Fridays). When you have an unused make up credit, always check your My Bookings page a couple hours leading up to the shift, as many absences are unplanned and occur at the last minute. On a weekday, check the page around 12pm, then again around 2:30/3pm as many children come home from school sick etc. and cannot swim that afternoon/evening. For weekends, check the day/night before, and then again early in the morning!

Watch this How-To Video! It will walk you through everything you need to know about using our Self-Service Make-Up System!

How To: Absences & Booking Makeups from Propel Swim Academy on Vimeo.

  • If you need to withdraw your swimmer, we require notification by the 15th of the month prior to to the month that you wish to withdraw. For example, if you wish to stop your lesson in May, you need to provide written notice before April 15.
  • By withdrawing, your child(s) will be removed from their swim class.
  • Written notice is required for withdrawal. You may send an email to info@propelswimacademy.com or complete a WITHDRAWAL FORM.
  • Verbal withdrawal notifications are not valid.
  • You will receive an email verifying that we have received your request.
  • Accounts are charged on the 1st of the month.
  • There are no refunds.
  • We would love to have you back at anytime! Please note that if you are away for more than 3 months your child will need to be re-evaluated prior to returning, as skill regression can occur in a short time period! Our Membership fee will be waived if you are returning in the same calendar year.
  • Privacy Agreement: Propel Swim Academy will protect your privacy by not sharing your email address, cookies, or IP address with anyone. All forms stay with us.