Need your Swim Instructor Recommendations~ Please!

It’s almost pool time in Dunwoody!     Before my boys learned to swim I was a poolside NERVOUS WRECK every summer.   As I see it there are several phases to swimming…..Graduating from the baby pool, to vests/floaties, to swimming with a parent, to being all alone in the water, to dropping your child off at the pool under the supervision of just the lifeguards…   My oldest is almost 13 and a good swimmer but I’m still not sure I’m ready to just drop him at the pool at the mercy of the lifeguards!   So when my friend Deanne asked me about swim instructors I thought this would be a GREAT new list idea!

My swim instructor is no longer available.  Therefore I need help from all of you.   I’ll open up the comments to this particular post on my website so that you can provide feedback directly for everyone to view immediately.   Or if you prefer you can send me an email and I’ll post for you.   If I get enough feedback then I’ll organize and create a new “list” for everyone to use!

Please include as much information as you have about your recommended swim teacher such as….name, location, contact number, website, email etc.

If any of you Aha! Subscribers are swim instructors then feel free to submit your own information!   I want all the people I can find so we can get all our Dunwoody children swimming well!!

Here’s a photo of a local Dunwoody pool on a busy summer day…..I’m so glad to know my boys can swim but I realize that is not a guarantee of their pool safety.    Observant Lifeguards and watchful parents are also a must!

April 26th, 2011 Category: Advertisements, Community News 32 Comments

32 thoughts on “Need your Swim Instructor Recommendations~ Please!”

  1. I teach swimming lessons for ages 2 1/2 to 6 years old. The lessons run for 10 days, at 20 minutes each lesson. I teach 2 kids at a time from my pool in sandy springs. I have had many kids from the Sandy Springs and Dunwoody area if you need a referral. I am currently full for this 2011 swimming season but keep me in mind for next summer.

    Thanks!

  2. My kids learned to swim at seaventures on Holcomb bridge road – they have private and group lessons http://www.seaventures.com/

    Currently due to convenience my two youngest are taking lessons at the MJCCA – also excellent ( but you have to be a member.. I think they have summer only memberships)

  3. Hi! I am a swim instructor and I know quite a few swim instructors as well.

    My name is Asha Parian and I have taught swim lessons for the past 5 years. I previously worked at the MJCCA but now will be working this summer at Kingsley’s pool as well as individual pools. I am WSI certified through the Red Cross and Lifeguard Certified. My contact information is asha.parian@gmail.com or 912-663-2349.

    Natalie Rachael is also a great swim instructor. She has been teaching swim lessons for over 10 years I believe. She is also WSI certified as well as personal training certified. She is the owner of Fitness Attack, a great boot camp company. Her contact information is natalie@fitatt.com or 770-851-3965. She teaches out of private pools and will travel around if necessary. She is excellent!

    Krista Wolk is a super swim instructor. She has been teaching lessons for close to 10 years and coaching swim teams for just as long. She is the head coach of the Kingsley summer swim team and will be teaching lessons out of Kingsley’s pool. She is also WSI certified. Her contact info is krista.wolk@gmail.com.

  4. My name is Ryan Greenstein and I’d like to be added to the house call swim instructor list. I have two years experience as an assistant summer league swim coach and swim instructor. I have been swimming year-round at Dynamo for the past five years as well as Varsity at Dunwoody High School the past two. My email address is ry_usa@comcast.net and my cell number is 404-863-2073. Please let me know what other information I have to send you or what else I need to do to be put on the list. Thanks!
    Ryan Greenstein

  8. Forwarded and recommended by Leanne Kaplan:
    Hello!

    Summer is right around the corner, and my schedule is now open for swim lesson sign up! There are a few changes for this summer that I wanted to be sure to point out. I am conducting swim lessons this summer Thursday-Sunday with a make-up day on Monday. Since last summer, I have switched jobs and now get off work at 5:30, therefore the first lesson on Thursday and Friday will start at 6 p.m.

    My prices have changed a bit since previous summers. The price for 20 minute lessons is now $195 for 8, 20 minute lessons. If you opt to do a 30 minute lesson the price is $220 for 8, 30 minute lessons. Again I prefer to do 4 lessons consecutively.

    I hope you have had a wonderful winter, fall, and spring season, and I look forward to seeing you and your children again this summer!

    Please contact me any time at this email address or on my cell at 770-314-2004 with any additional questions.

    All the best,
    Rebecca

  10. We were very happy with Seaventures on Holcomb Bridge Rd. Our instructor was Lilly (her full name may be Liliana – I’m not sure). She’s a very fit, very sweet, very good and experienced swim instructor in her 50’s, with years of experience and lots of patience.

  11. Hello!
    I teach private swim lessons in my backyard in Dunwoody! I have been doing it for 2 years now and am moving onto my third summer in a row. I used to be a competitive swimmer and lifeguard and thought I would continue my love for water teaching lessons.
    I teach 20 and 30 minute lessons, the package is 8 lessons.
    I start teaching kids at the age of 2 and go up from there. If you are interested in hearing more information please contact me at rgreiss1320@gmail.com and I can provide references if need be. Thank you so much, hope to hear from you!

    Rebecca

  13. submitted by Gina Torjak:
    Ok I have 7-8 emails telling me today to send you my information, so here it is.

    I have taught SO many Dunwoody& Buckhead families, nearly 170 children, in the last four years! I teach from Jan-August indoors and out in Saline, heated pools. I’ll send you my information you can edit down for parents in a separate email. I have many, many personal testimonials of my children saving their life, actually even before finishing our program. I’m a Nationally certified Infant Swimming Resource instructor, we specialize in self rescue swimming. It’s the only medically based swim program proven to save lives. See my website, as I spoke on Fox news Atlanta as well, while at my Perimeter pool.

    We see students/teach M-F, 5 days per week, for 10 minutes daily. On average, children are skilled in 4-6 weeks. These skills are stored in muscle memory therefore the retention rate is extremely high, with little to no skill regression over the winter. Thus, kids only spend 2 weeks, some 1, refreshing back to full potential each spring – my personal favorite part for our winters here! My kids did this, before I became certified so I am not just an instructor- I’m a mom of ISR kids. If you can’t believe it’s true, come to my pool at 7:30-2:30 tomorrow! When you see a 13-15m old child swim float swim and safely exit a pool it will change your view forever 🙂 Plus, my students love the water!! I will say the lake home owners are big fans of the program too.

    Children can begin at 6 months and we instruct up to age 6 years. Our focus is safely surviving the water, and exiting the pool, so a child can survive any type of water environment including lakes, ponds & canals. Our children do a test in clothes, only after they are skilled and at the end of the program, to reproduce a real scenario – it’s proven that children drown do so while fully clothed, in the care of parents. ( careful, sharing this is possibly too much to your readers!!!). Simply stated we are the leaders in drowning prevention efforts. We never assume skills or ever toss/throw a child in the water. It’s all gentle teaching the promotes real life learning – so that ” Not one more child drowns”

    Gina Torjak

    Aqua Kids Swimming
    Certified ISR Instructor
    http://www.AquaKidsSwimming.com
    404-395-3885

  14. My name is Amy Olive-LeVasseur and I am a certified swim instructor and lifeguard. I have over 15 years of experience teaching infants, children and adults. I am also certified to teach children with special needs and specialize in children with autism and down syndrome. I worked several years with the Fowler YMCA with their Aquatic Special Olympics. I am registered at isport.com and work freelance as an instructor in the summer. I am a Georgia native and am very active here in the Dunwoody community and have lived in Dunwoody for over 12 years. I have worked as an Aquatics Director for the Metro Atlanta YMCA, Marcus Jewish Community Center and for many community pools. I am also trained to teach stroke technique, swim team, triathalon preparation and adult stroke clinics.

    I would love to be considered for a listing on your website and would certainly welcome any opportunity to teach. Teaching in the water is my passion and have worked with many children and adults alike to work on stroke technique and development, as well as working with children and adults who need water therapy for accidents, injuries or because they have special needs.

    If you would like more information about my skills or would like references, I am happy to provide them. Looking forward to providing any assistance with swim instruction here in Dunwoody this summer~

    Warmest Regards,

    Amy LeVasseur
    (904) 302-3185 cell

  15. Submitted by Debbie K. We’ve been happy with private lessons at Dunwoody Baptist Church fitness center. Instructors are associated with Dynamo Swim Club (Chamblee). When my daughter trained for the Ironkids triathlon we used Kai (not sure if he is still there). Every one we’ve had there has been good.

  16. Audra -Our lessons are Infant Swimming Resource lessons, ISR. We serve families with ages 6 months – 6 years.

    See the Fox News clip at the bottom. All information is here, and a big THANK YOU for helping so many families think of water safety before the pool opens. We cannot have enough people working on this cause, to stop childhood drownings.

    I start teaching every year in January-August. Children can learn as early as February, not swim, and still retain all their skills during the spring out of the water! They will still be great swimmers come Memorial day.

    Thank you for your interest in Aqua Kids Swimming, a Certified Infant Swimming Resource program. ISR is the safest provider of Self-rescue swimming lessons for babies & toddlers. At the age of 6 months – 6 years your child can learn to swim, survive and enjoy the water. Congratulations, you have just made the first step toward a safer future for your child & a life-long love of the water. My passion for this program is boundless, and truly from a parent’s perspective. This year, I begin my fourth year of instruction having taught over 170 children, many multiples and twin sets & am loving every minute of it!

    Lesson Locations: Lessons open now!
    Students can begin at any time – pending an approved registration with ISR. The link register is at the bottom. Non-fundable Registration must be complete, and approved, to attain a time slot on our schedule.

    1. Buckhead; February-March
    2. Perimeter; April- May 31, 2011
    3. Buckhead & Perimeter; June 6 -July, Indoor & Outdoor lessons
    4. Fall Perimeter; August-September 2011

    Our Spring lessons options are:

    * Perimeter, Indoors – Lesson registration is open at The Perimeter Fairfield Inn & Suites, 1145 Hammond Drive Atlanta, GA 30328. Offered times; Februay – May, 2011 8:30 am-2:30 am. Late Afternoon refreshers 2:30-4:30 in April 2011. This is an Indoor Saline, Heated Pool at 1145 Hammond Drive Atlanta, GA 30328. No sunscreen required!

    Our Summer lessons are held at:

    * Buckhead, Indoors – Lessons registration is open at The Buckhead Fairfield Inn & Suites, on Piedmont Rd south of Peachtree. Offered times; June 6 – July, 2011 7:00 am-10:30 pm. This is an Indoor Saline, Heated Pool at 3092 Piedmont Road Atlanta, GA 30305. No sunscreen required! We typically utilize this pool early June for chilly & rainy mornings. No sunscreen required!
    * Perimeter, Indoors & Sandy Springs, Private Residence outdoors- Saline, heated pool. Lessons are available at Riverside Drive, OTP. Offered times; June 6-July, 2011 12 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

    August & End of Season Refresher Lessons:

    * Perimeter, Indoors – Lesson registration is open at The Perimeter Fairfield Inn & Suites, 1145 Hammond Drive Atlanta, GA 30328. Offered times August 15, 2011 9:30 am-1:30 pm. creen required!

    * Brookhaven/Sandy Springs ITP – End of season Refreshers are a great tool to utilize the experience your child has and have us improve & troubleshoot safety skills prior to winter. Fall Refreshers discounted and offered after Public school resumes and before preschool starts.
    o Interested Sandy Springs & Brookhaven parents & pool owners should contact g.torjak@infantswim.com if interested in hosting an outdoor shorter session at their home June-July or August-September, heated only for early Fall 2011.

    Please respond via mail :

    1. What time slot you are requesting to swim? Do consider children cannot eat or drink for one and a half-two hours prior to a lesson.
    2. What week do you want to start?
    3. What location is closest to your home? Please be sure I am your closest instructor, or best time slot for your family, before registering.
    4. What planned vacations do you have scheduled, or major family events do we need to prepare for? Lessons interrupted by vacations, that involve swimming, can impact your lesson progression and fee schedule depending on the extent of the trip. Proper practice, as your instructor will teach you, can avoid any delay in skill attainment and keep your child progressing as scheduled while vacationing. In-water Parent lessons are included for every family, Fridays upon request.
    5. Please provide your best contact phone number, if we have questions that cannot be answered via email. We prefer email correspondences, but love to talk to you in person anytime!

    Registration Notes:

    Assignments are pending approved registrations & generally within 10-20 minutes of requested time slot. Registration can take up to a week, from application submission to approval, please plan well in advance. See attached Prospective parent letter for more information. Students can start swimming as soon as they have been approved per registration. Students complete the program anywhere from 4, 5 or 6 or 7 weeks.

    Tuition Notes, new 2011:

    All lessons, regardless of swim type are $90/week. New student lessons last 4-6 weeks on average, none less than 4. Thus, we require four weeks in advance, $360, for new clients. Students complete the program anywhere from 4, 5, or 6 weeks and sometimes 7, on occasion but not typical. All Refresher lessons are scheduled 2 weeks, but may need 3 and are $90/week. This is a child centered program, they progress at their pace and each students’ tuition will vary, even within your family. For example, your 4 year old may graduate in 4 weeks, while your 20m old could take 7; be prepared for one child to graduate 1-2 weeks in advance of the other. If you want a child to continue after test out, advance notice & weekly payment is required. All families, children & twins are unique therefore we teach each one until they are safely able to complete the skill set with your instructor, individually. Two ISR/reusable swim diapers are required, we do not allow disposable swim diapers any longer. One is free if you redeem you Coupon code but please order an extra one, for a fee, at the same time. Swim diapers are available for purchase poolside, but more cost effective in advance.

    Ready to Start?

    Ready to start please use the link below and register now. Do you need more information? If so, open the attachment for more specific details or email me your phone number so we can talk about your child and their needs regarding water safety. Regardless of your choice, please email me the answers to the 5 listed questions as it facilitates this process quickly & smoothly.

    Registration link/ URL:

    http://register.infantswim.com/register.php?k=800c6161ebe65aa6e26affb8c3bf5621

    Watch a clip from Fox News with Ms Gina and our Atlanta Students:
    http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/Teaching_Infants_to_Swim_Early_111609

    I look forward to meeting your family & children soon,

    Thank you,
    Gina Torjak
    ISR Instructor
    The Sooner. The Safer.
    http://www.AquaKidsSwimming.com
    404-395-3885
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwvv5IyPkXM

  17. Marci Barag (swimkidsga@gmail.com)
    I cannot say enough good things about Marci. She taught both my kids to swim very early – 2yrs, as well as many friends. She teaches in the privacy of her home during May – Sept and then at Midtown Atletic Club. She is certified in many different areas.

  18. I teach swim lessons in a heated pool in Sandy Springs beginning in May and continue throughout the summer. My time slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. I do my best to accommodate everyone and fulfill any special requests. Below are the classes I teach (private lessons also available).

    BABY & ME
    Introduce your little one to the pool in a safe and playful manner. Parent participation required.

    REHYDRATE
    A refresher for those who haven’t been swimming since last summer; focus is on getting reacquainted with the water and stroke mechanics. Must be an independent swimmer.

    BOOST
    A 10-day confidence building and skill enhancing class with the primary focus on building a self-sufficient swimmer (all while having fun).

    If you are interested in more details, please send me an email at allison_dubovsky@yahoo.com and I will be happy to send you more information. I look forward to hearing from you!

  19. It has been suggested that I contact you regarding needed swim instructors Before moving to this area two years ago, I was a swim coach with Star Aquatics in Greensboro, N.C. I also was an assistant high school swim team coach & gave swim lessons to youngsters for over 20 summers. I have been a USMS competitive swimmer for 20 years & am consistantly ranked Top Ten in the nation in my age group.
    I would welcome a one on one interview.
    Sincerely yours,
    Sally Newell
    swimsally@bellsouth.net

  21. Submitted by Leila Warren:
    My husband is an ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) Aquatic Survival Swim Instructor in Dunwoody. I would love for you to share our info.
    We teach children ages 6 months to 6 years. 10 minute lessons, Monday – Friday (you come each day) for 4-6 weeks.
    Here is just a bit about what each child learns in that time by age group (However, each child’s physical abilities determines what they will learn) *Infants 6 months-12 months old will learn to hold their breath underwater, roll onto their back & float unassisted.
    *Children (1 year and walking well-6 years old) will learn the following sequence: how to hold their breath underwater; swim with their head down and eyes open; roll onto their back to float, rest, and breath; and roll back over to resume swimming until they reach the side of the pool and can crawl out or be rescued by an adult.

    Since statistics show that 83% of all children who drown are fully clothed at the time, during the final week of lessons, while under the watchful eye of an instructor, each of our students have the opportunity to practice their self-rescue skills in both their summer and winter clothes.
    For detailed info, price, etc. Please check out our local website:
    http://www.isrdunwoody.com
    National Website:
    http://www.infantswim.com

    To check out our schedule you can click on the following link:

    https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AoqY_m5zBvrZdF8wNE9RNmJfcHdUWlZBcjM3bUJWYXc&hl=en

    If you have any questions we can be reached at:
    M.Warren@infantswim.com or
    770.399.6655

    Thanks so much for helping make sure not one more child dies in a drowning situation.

    Leila Warren
    ISR of Dunwoody:
    Aquatic Survival Swim Instruction
    http://www.isrdunwoody.com
    M.Warren@infantswim.com
    770.399.6655

  22. Submitted by Susan M.
    Annie Lashinsky (out of Wynterhall) assistant coach, three year’s experience teaching lessons aklashinsky@gmail.com (17years old, rising DHS senior)
    Sarah Lashinsky, certified Lifeguard, former Girl Scout counselor and lifeguard at Misty Mt., current lifeguard at the JCC sklashinsky@gmail.com (19 years old, rising Ga Tech sophomore)

  23. Hi Audra –

    One of my friends, Frances Johnson, is a great swim instructor for kids!! She is teaching a couple of my Vanderlyn friends children now. She is a member at the Dunwoody Baptist pool and can teach kids there (if people are members it is less expensive) or she can teach at someone’s home pool.

    Her info is:

    Frances.johnson@gmail.com or cell 678-549-7907.

    I have copied her on this e-mail. Frances – please add any additional info you want to share.

    Thanks!
    Beth Reaves
    770-350-0720

  24. It’s Stephanie Donlan, 4624 Stonehenge Drive, Atlanta, GA 30360. Phone is 770-458-5839 and her email is: glyphknot@bellsouth.net.

    I asked her today if I could submit her name and she’s fine with that.
    She is a good friend and I have seen her work with children and adults. With her skills and fun personality she does a great job.

  25. Hello! My name is Erica Porten, I recieved your information through Lauren Wayne via Amy Rippens (both former clients of mine). I am a 4th grade teacher in Gwinnett County and have been coaching/teaching swimming for 11 years. I worked at the JCC as a lifeguard/swim instructor for 5 years, I coached for both Norcross High School and Druid Hills High School over the last 5 years and have been teaching privately for all 11 years. Since I do not have a “home” pool this summer I am willing to travel to the Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Duluth, Norcross areas. I charge $25 for private 1-1 lessons and $35 for semi-private 2-1 lessons (I will drop my prices if there are multiple families at one pool at one time- some of what I am charging now is, sadly, for travel costs). If a customer does not have a pool I do have a pool that I can use when necessary. I have plenty of references and would LOVE to get on your list.
    My e-mail is eporten@alumni.flagler.edu and my phone number is 678-907-8144. Since I am a school teacher, please do not call me before 4:00. I leave my phone on for emergency puproses.

  26. Submitted by D. ChastainAudra—here are my two recommendations—my kids have graduated out of ISR and still every summer take stroke refresher/technique improvement lessons from Joe each summer. Both teach in Dunwoody.

    Helene Peters
    Infant Swim Resource

    Joe Norton
    Stroke Lessons/Technique Improvement
    678-882-5333

  28. submitted by K. Yates
    Audra, I would love to recommend my friend Deb Ellis who is a certified swim instructor through ISR (Infant Swimming Resource). She taught my son, my niece, and my friend’s daughter. All three children were scared to death of the water and the whole idea of swimming, but Deb was wonderfully patient and kind with their fears. The ISR philosophy is extraordinary in its ability to quickly teach kids to be safe in the water, regardless of their age. I have seen Deb work with children as young as 6-months — truly incredible what she is able to do with the little ones!

    Deb Ellis
    Certified Instructor
    Turtle Tots Swimming
    (self-rescue swim lessons, 6 mos – 6 yrs)
    private, heated saline pool in Dunwoody
    404-717-2212
    turtletots@comcast.net
    http://www.turtletotsswimming.com

  29. Gina taught my twin boys how to swim when they were 2 years old. We moved into a house with a pool and were terrified for their safety. We have a fence around it, but it still scared me. Gina also taught lessons in our backyard one summer. After the 1st group of sessions, I felt confident with them being around the pool and after the next group of sessions/refreshers they were swimming in a swim – float swim manner. Now at 4 years old they are swimming the whole length of the pool and will be on pre team this summer!!! Thanks to Gina, we avoided a lot of scares at our house!! I highly recommend her, especially if you have multiple children that will be hard to keep up with at a pool this summer!
    Lauren Black

  31. I’m a American Red Cross certified lifeguard, with CPR and AED qualifications. I’ll be lifeguarding at Mill Glen again this summer.

    I’m also a member of Wesleyan’s 2012 State Championship Team and 2013 State team. My specialties are breaststroke and IM.

    Swimming for Wynterhall Swim & Tennis Club since I was 5 years old, I’ve participated in Divisional and Championships many years.

    I offer 1/2 hour or full hour one-to-one lessons, from “pre-team” for 3 and 4 year olds, endurance and stroke-improvement training for older swimmers. I strive to make lessons fun while keeping your child safe – and teaching them to be water-safe.

    Swimming is a life-skill and every child should know how to swim!

    For younger kids, I’m also happy to offer supervision for several hours.

    You can reach me at williamlee104@gmail.com

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