Joan’s Swim School

Honoring the legacy of Mrs. Joan Kroc, the benevolent founder of the Kroc Centers, our updated swim program is dedicated to equipping every community child with essential water safety skills. 

As part of Joan’s Swim School, there will be five class offerings: 

• Parent & Child Aquatics 
• Learn-To-Swim: Levels 1-3 
• Preschool Aquatic
• Adult Swim 

Before we tell you more about the specifics of each class, there are some things you should know about the redesigned program: 

• The schedule of classes is dramatically different from before. Please ensure you read the specific information pertaining to each individual class to know exactly when that class will be taking place and the frequency of those lessons. 

• We have partnered with the Red Cross Centennial Program to be able to offer some scholarships for Joan’s Swim School. The Kroc Center is very grateful for the Red Cross’ generous assistance as we strive to ensure every local child is able to access water safety lessons.  

• Scholarships are offered for participation in the Learn-To-Swim program. Immediate eligibility extends to Kroc Scholarship recipients and children presently enrolled in South Bend Empowerment Zone Schools. There’s also the possibility of additional scholarships becoming accessible, and we encourage those interested to reach out to Eleanor Boothman – [email protected] for further details. 

• For every Learn-To-Swim session, there will be six scholarships available. Scholarship recipients will pay just $10 for all eight lessons. For qualifying recipients, scholarships are allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

• Enrollment for Joan’s Swim School becomes available at 9am on the second Friday of the month preceding the scheduled lessons. To give you an example, registration for lessons in March 2024 will commence on the second Friday of February. This schedule will be consistent throughout the whole year. 

• There will be a limited number of waitlist spots for Joan’s Swim School. Those participants who are on the waitlist will be automatically enrolled into the next month of lessons if a spot does not become available for their waitlisted month. 

Now for the program specifics of each offering within Joan’s Swim School: 

Parent & Child Aquatics  

Parent and Child Aquatics is a program that teaches children and their parents water safety skills and how to be comfortable in the water. The program is designed to help children develop cognitive and motor skills and strengthen family bonds.  

Some activities that may be included in Parent and Child Aquatics programs include: 

• Water exploration 

• Learning to enter and exit the water safely 

• Submerging and practicing breath control 

• Floating on the front and back 

• Changing body position in the water 

• Playing safely in the water 

• Wearing a life jacket  

Programs may also include games and songs that use repetition and rhymes to teach basic water skills. 

Learn-To-Swim: Levels 1-3 

Our swimming classes for kids are tailored to the needs of each child, so that he or she can progress at a comfortable pace. And although some children may advance more quickly or slowly, our instructors ensure that everyone receives the instruction they need. 

The Learn-to-Swim program focuses on building skills one step at a time. By giving them the opportunity to master one element before moving on to the next, our kids’ swim classes make it easy to build confidence in the water. 

During their swim lessons, children will spend time on the following four levels: 

Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills: Students will learn how to feel comfortable in the water and safely enjoy it. 

Level 2: Fundamentals of Aquatic Skills: Children will learn basic swimming skills. 

Level 3: Stroke Development: Additional guided practice will help students improve their skills. 

Each month, we will run eight individual lessons throughout the first two weeks of every month. These lessons will take place Monday through Thursday evenings. In each of these sessions, the capacity is 18 students (6 x scholarship recipients). 

The cost of these lessons is $10 for scholarship recipients (available to Kroc scholarship recipients, currently Empowerment Zone enrollees and other students on a case-by-case basis). For Kroc members, the cost is $116.20 and $128.80 for non-Kroc members. 

Preschool Aquatic

Looking for a fantastic way to introduce your little ones to the joys of swimming? Join us at the Kroc Center for our Preschool Aquatic Classes designed especially for swimmers aged 3-5!

In our fun and interactive classes, your child will learn essential water safety skills and foundational swimming techniques through the trusted Red Cross curriculum. Our certified instructors create a safe, supportive, and playful environment where young swimmers can gain confidence in the water while making new friends. Your child will learn about water safety, mastering beginner strokes, floating, and kicking. Our classes are designed to encourage independence and comfort in the water, building your child’s confidence as they progress.

Our small class sizes ensure personalized attention, allowing each child to progress at their own pace. Whether your child is a beginner or has some water experience, our Preschool Aquatic Classes are the perfect place to develop lifelong swimming skills. At the Kroc Center, our certified instructors are experienced and friendly, providing a fun and interactive learning environment. Our focus is not only on swimming skills but also on water safety, ensuring a well-rounded aquatic education for your child.

Spaces are limited, so don’t wait! Enroll your little swimmer today and watch them dive into a world of aquatic fun and learning at the Kroc Center.

Adult Swim   

We offer adult swim lessons through our learn-at-your-own-pace Learn-to-Swim program. Developed for older teens and adults, our program gives adult swimmers at every level the opportunity to improve their skills in a safe environment – and under the guidance of a Water Safety Instructor certified professional. 

Our Adult Swim lessons allow swimmers to progress at their own pace, mastering one set of skills before moving on to the next. Swim lessons for adults are available in the following three levels, developed to meet the needs of adult learners: 

1) Learning the Basics: Earn basic swimming strokes and skills needed to become water competent, which is a combination of knowing water safety, having swimming skills and knowing how to help others in a water emergency. 

2) Improving Skills and Swimming Strokes: Participants will gain proficiency in basic aquatic skills and the six basic swimming strokes. 

3) Swimming for Fitness: Participants will learn to refine their front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke and turns to build endurance. 

If you have any questions regarding Joan’s Swim School, please contact Hunter Jackson at [email protected].