FAQ

Enrollment Questions

(Accounts, Fees, Payments, etc.)

How do your classes run?

Classes run year-round, and are based on perpetual (ongoing) enrollment. Families can enroll any time throughout the year; however, new families need to start within the first two weeks of the month. Tuition is billed monthly. Classes meet once per week.

Students will automatically keep their spot each month as long as needed and as long as the class exists. Students may move out of time slots as they are promoted to another level, may request a different time, or may submit a withdrawal request.

If you are new to our program, though it’s not required, we recommend sticking with it for at least 3 months to truly start to see the benefits.

How do I enroll?

To enroll in our program, simply fill out the Waterbabies Web Registration Form to create your family account. After you submit your form, you will receive an email confirmation which will include a link to your Parent Portal as well as a helpful instructional video. Once you have logged in to your Parent Portal, you will be able to enroll in classes, waitlist for classes, update contact and student information, edit payment details, and much more.

To enroll in a class, go to ‘Classes’, then ‘Find Classes’. Select the particular class you would like to enroll in, click ‘Enroll in this Class’, select the student, then ‘Enroll.’ A box will pop-up to confirm you were enrolled and you will receive a confirmation email. Once enrolled, you can view the class details on your portal dashboard or under ‘Classes’ > ‘My Schedule.’

What does ‘perpetual enrollment’ mean?

Perpetual enrollment means once you’ve enrolled your child in a class, they will automatically continue each month unless we receive a withdrawal request. Students will be able to keep their time slot as long as needed, and as long as the class exists.

How do I get on a waitlist?

To get on the waitlist for a class you want, login to your Parent Portal. Go to ‘Classes’, then ‘Find Classes’ where you will see options for Locations, Ages and Wait Lists. Click the slider to show you full classes with Waitlists. For the classes you want, click on ‘Join Waitlist’, select the student, then ‘Enroll’. A box will pop-up to confirm you were added to the waitlist. Now you can see all the classes you are waitlisted for on your Dashboard.

How does the waitlist work?

When a spot opens up in a class, we immediately look to the waitlist to find the next eligible family. First priority will be given to enrolled students who need to move up to a new level, followed by enrolled students who prefer the different class option (based on when they got on the waitlist.) After that, classes openings be will offered, on a first-come first served basis, to waitlisted students who are not yet enrolled in a class.

When are payments processed?

Tuition is billed monthly. The monthly billing amount may vary based on the number of lesson days in the month, including adjustments for holidays or other closures. (See our 2022 Calendar for ‘No Class’ dates.)

Tuition for the upcoming month is billed on the 24th of the current month. Once you are enrolled in lessons, you will continue to be billed monthly until you notify us of your withdrawal request via the Withdrawal form (see ‘Withdrawing from Lessons’ below). Tuition for your first month will be prorated based on the number of classes left in the month and will be billed within the week of your enrollment.

Product payments are processed usually within the week of purchase. All other fees are processed within several days of posting.

What if my payment doesn’t go through?

If a monthly payment is declined, you will be notified via automated email so that you can remedy the situation via your Parent Portal. If unresolved after one week, you will receive an email from our office alerting you to the problem and allowing one more week to make payment. If payment is not made within two weeks of the initial notification, the student may be dropped from the class.

All payment processing is handled directly through our PCI compliant registration system, Jackrabbit Technologies, and all credit card and bank draft information is securely saved for ease with future enrollments. We ask everyone to ensure their payment details are up-to-date to avoid any issue during monthly billing.

How does the Annual Registration Fee work?

Effective 2020, enrolled families will be charged a non-refundable $36 Annual Registration fee in January. Any family enrolling later in the year (after January) will be prorated the Annual Registration fee. This fee helps offset the administrative costs associated with enrollment each year.

This fee only applies once a family has enrolled in a class; they will not be charged for simply setting up their Parent Portal.

How do I cancel my enrollment?

To withdraw from lessons, please complete and submit the Withdrawal form. To avoid being billed for the upcoming month, please submit your withdrawal request form no later than the 15th of the current month. If you submit the form between the 16th and the 23rd of the month, we can remove your student(s) from the next month’s lessons with a $30 per student late withdrawal fee. If between the 24th and the end of the month, we can remove them from next month’s lessons, and we will refund 50% of your tuition with no late withdrawal fee. If between the 1st and 7th of the same month, we can remove them from lessons, and we will refund 25% of your tuition with no late withdrawal fee. After the 7th of the same month, there will be no refund.

What else do I need to know?

For more detailed information, be sure to visit our Policies and New Family Preparation pages.

Class Questions

(Which level, Tracking progress, Make-ups, etc.)

I’m new and my child has never had swim lessons. Which level should I enroll in?

If this is their first time in a swim class, please enroll them in the appropriate class based on their age when you plan to start classes: WaterBabies 1 (4-10 months), WaterBabies 1 (10-18 months), WaterBabies 1 (18-36 months), WaterKids 1 (3-5 years), or WaterYouth 1 (6-9 years.)

My child has had prior swim lesson experience. Which level would be the best fit?

To help figure out the most appropriate class level for your child, please complete our online Swim Assessment.

Please note: If your child is under 3 years and has taken lessons elsewhere, we highly recommend starting in our WaterBabies 1 class since they will be brand new to our particular program. The Waterbabies program is unique, and is different than other programs. Quite often, parents believe their child can come into our program starting in a higher level because of prior swim experience, only to find that the next level up is much too advanced.

Are there makeups if I miss a regular class?

There are no make-ups, credits, or refunds if you miss a class.

What happens when my child is ready to move up a level?

Once the instructor is confident a student is ready for the next level (they’ve mastered the required skills in their current level):

  • We will work with you to find an open class in the level needed or waitlist you for desired time slots.
  • If there’s no space, the instructor will adjust their curriculum to challenge the student with higher level skills so they can remain where they are until a more appropriate spot becomes available.
  • If most of the students in class are ready to move up a level, we will simply advance the class to the next level and everyone can remain in that same time slot.

How can I track my child’s progress?

As instructors progress the students through the critical skills, they will update your child’s progress within your portal. Parents will be able to see when new skills are started, tested and attained. Instructors can also leave notes, so you know where your child needs a little more work before they can confidently say the skill is attained.

What if I need to change my class time?

If you need to change your class time, we will work with you to find a class that fits your schedule to the best of our ability.

Can my spouse and I take turns being in class each week?

For the purposes of consistency and stability, Waterbabies recommends that the same parent attends each weekly class. However, if parents would like to take turns being in the pool, we recommend that both parents be on site during each class to observe, as different skills are taught weekly.

Health Questions

(COVID-19, Colds, Ear Infections, etc.)

My child is sick but I’m not sure if I should bring him/her to class?

Please reference our Health Guidelines section for answers to this question.