Community Swim Program Kicks off Dec. 6
This Saturday marks the community’s first opportunity of the season to take part in Johnstown’s Community Swim Program at Johnstown High School. The pool is open to members of the GJSD community every Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m., starting December 6. After the February break, the pool will also welcome the public one evening a week, in addition to Saturday mornings. For a complete list of rules and age restrictions, please visit this link of the GJSD website.
The District’s ongoing “Medium Capital Project” allowed the pool to be drained this summer and fall for regular maintenance and safety upgrades, including repairs to pool tiles, the pool deck slab, and the basement concrete pool wall ,as well as the installation of a new basement sump pit.
After a thorough deep cleaning, the pool is now fully operational—just in time for the District’s Community Swim Program, school lessons, and the competitive season for winter swim and dive athletes.
GJSD integrates swim program into P.E. curriculum at all levels
Students in grades two through four at Warren Street have already dipped their toes in the water by participating in swimming lessons during gym. High school students in grades eight through twelve will take part in an annual swimming unit that covers a variety of skills, including elementary backstroke, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke, diving, and water safety. They also engage in water sports such as water polo and water volleyball.
“Swimming offers excellent physical fitness, builds confidence, and develops perseverance skills that are beneficial in all aspects of life. We are fortunate to have pool facilities that enable us to teach this essential life skill to our students. These lessons are an investment in their safety and the well-being of our community,” expressed Bob Kraemer, Director of Student Engagement and Athletics.
Essential water safety skills for elementary students
At the elementary level, students acquire vital water safety skills, including:
- The buddy system
- Entering the water feet first
- Avoiding shallow water dives
- Learning to float on their backs to conserve energy
- Mastering the survival stroke of elementary backstroke
Additionally, they develop foundational swimming techniques such as:
- Rotational breathing
- The flutter kick
- An effective arm pull for the front crawl (freestyle)
- Skills for the back crawl (backstroke)
“With 44 lakes in Fulton County and many more nearby, these techniques can be crucial in emergency situations,” said Cyndi Cromer, Warren Street’s physical education teacher. “The skills our students acquire also benefit them in the classroom, especially for our fourth graders during their annual boat trip on the Erie Canal,” she added.
Ms. Cromer works alongside high school aquatics instructor Julie Popp and assistant Emily Fleming to provide an engaging four-week swimming lesson, while prioritizing safety outside the pool as lifeguards. In addition to physical education classes, Mrs. Popp teaches a lifeguard course, allowing students to complete the semester-long program and earn their lifeguard certification. She also serves as the head coach of GJSD’s swim and dive team—combined with Fonda-Fultonville—which competes under the name FoJo.