Juneau Pools is excited to launch Lil’ Swimmers, a new learn-to-swim program for preschool-age swimmers, beginning October 21.

Lil’ Swimmers will use a non-traditional format to teach children ages 3 to 5 basic water skills, with multiple instructors serving as “learning stations” for different skills throughout each class session. This format provides a streamlined learning process that allows the prioritization of skills not yet mastered.

“We’re excited to offer a program that gives children the opportunity for more varied learning as they’re getting comfortable in the water,” said Aquatics Manager Terra Patterson. “This format makes it easier for kids to spend more time on individual skills that need a little extra work, and it encourages a positive and upbeat environment so our youngest swimmers will feel excited to come to the pool every lesson.”

Children who pass Lil’ Swimmers will have learned the same skills as traditional Preschool Level 1 students and be ready to enroll in Preschool Level 2 lessons.

Lil’ Swimmers Session 1 will take place on Saturdays over seven weeks between October 21 and December 16. (See the full schedule in the registration portal.) Classes are available in three half-hour time slots: 10:30 a.m., 11:10 a.m., and 11:50 a.m. Each class has a maximum capacity of 16 swimmers, for a total of 48 available spaces.

Registration opens Thursday, October 12 at 12 p.m. Register online under the Juneau Pools tab. Classes cost $70 + tax for seven lessons.

Dimond Park Aquatic Center will offer several swim lesson sessions this fall for preschool & youth age groups. Each session lasts five weeks with eight lessons in total.

Registration will open on Monday, September 18 at noon. To register, visit the Parks & Recreation online registration catalog and click on the Juneau Pools tab. Registrations will not be taken over the phone, in person, or in advance. All classes cost $80 (tax included) for 8 lessons.

Swimmers must be evaluated for swimming skills by DPAC staff before they are able to register for classes at Levels 2, 3, and 4. All swimmers interested in registering for upper-level classes are invited to the Swim Lessons Exposition on Sunday, September 17 any time between 3 – 4 p.m. Evaluations will take less than ten minutes per child in the pool.

Please note that swimmers who took lessons at DPAC in May, June or July 2023 do not need to attend the Lessons Exposition. Children with little or no water experience should enroll in Level 1 classes and do not need to be evaluated.

Lessons are thirty minutes long and take place Monday and Wednesday evenings. Classes are offered between 3 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.; see the registration portal for a detailed schedule.

• Session 1: October 2 – October 30 (no class on October 18)
• Session 2: November 13 – December 11 (no class on November 22)

Preschool classes are open to children ages 3-5 and youth classes to ages 6-12. Classes are limited in ratio based on the age of the students. See the Juneau Pools website for complete class level descriptions.

For more information, please contact Juneau Pools at (907) 586-0839 or email [email protected].

Registration for fall sessions of Parent & Tot swim lessons will open Wednesday, August 30 at noon. Register online under the Juneau Pools tab. Registrations will not be taken over the phone, in person, or in advance.

Parent & Tot Lessons are open to children age 6 months to 3 years. Each child must be accompanied in the pool by an adult, and children are required to wear swim diapers during class. See the Juneau Pools website for a full class description.

­Session 1 runs from September 5 to September 28. Classes meet each Tuesday and Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for children aged 6-17 months and 5:40 p.m. to 6:10 p.m. for children aged 18-35 months. The session costs $80 for 8 lessons.

Session 2 runs from September 23 to October 28. Classes meet each Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. for children aged 6-17 months and 9:40 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. for children aged 18-35 months. The session costs $60 for 6 lessons.

All classes have 10 spaces available, for a total of 40 spaces across both sessions. That’s 30 more spaces than our last round of Parent & Tot lessons, so if you’ve been thinking about introducing your child to the pool, now is the time! And stay tuned for more information about Preschool and Youth swim lessons this fall—registration will open September 18.

Juneau Pools offers a great working environment, a flexible schedule and a free pass to all Juneau pools – plus a competitive salary and full benefits. Visit bit.ly/Join-CBJ for more information on open positions, and be on the lookout for information about periodic training opportunities for aspiring lifeguards and swim instructors.

For more information, please contact Juneau Pools at (907) 586-0839.

Due to staffing capacity, Dimond Park Aquatic Center will be open for reduced hours during the Labor Day holiday weekend on Saturday, September 2 and Monday, September 4.

DPAC Labor Day weekend hours

Saturday, September 2           9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, September 3              12 p.m. – 6 p.m. (regular hours)

Monday, September 4            12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Like many organizations, Juneau Pools is facing ongoing staffing shortages. Juneau Pools offers a great working environment, a flexible schedule and a free pass to all Juneau pools – plus a competitive salary and full benefits. Visit bit.ly/Join-CBJ for more information on open positions, and be on the lookout for information about Juneau Pools’ periodic training opportunities for aspiring lifeguards and swim instructors.

Visit juneaupools.org for the full Dimond Park Aquatic Center schedule.