Administrative Policies

Staff Certifications

At Charles River Aquatics, the Aquatics Director, all assistants, instructors, and coaches have current CPR, First Aid, and lifeguard certification.

Staff Background Checks

CRA runs detailed background checks on its full time staff and coaches, including Criminal Record History Information (Cori) and Sexual Offender Registry Information (Sori).

Locker Rooms

No child is allowed to be changed on pool deck.

CRA has use of the women’s and men’s locker rooms when our programs are in session. If a visiting team from another college is using the women’s locker room, BU will allow us to use the women’s faculty locker room, two flights up from the pool. Since this locker room is used by BU faculty, we ask that CRA members respect their property.

Boys seven years old may NOT use the women’s locker room, and girls seven years old may NOT use the men’s locker room. (CRA is renting the pool at Boston University and cannot provide a family locker room.) If a parent chooses not to send his/her child into the appropriate locker room, please bring a sweat suit, so your child can put this on over his bathing suit before going home.

Parents on Pool Deck

For the first six weeks of swim lessons, parents are NOT allowed on pool deck to observe a class. This maximizes your child's focus on his/her instructor and maximizes safety on deck for swimmers and staff alike. CRA staff will remove a child from swim lessons if a parent has been asked to leave pool deck and refuses to do so in a timely manner.

During the final week, parents/caregivers are invited to watch the last ten minutes of the lesson and take pictures. We ask that all parents sit in the seats provided. This is not only for the safety of everyone on pool deck, but it also allows staff to watch the younger swimmers on deck who are doing their last jumps into the pool. When everyone is standing, the children are more difficult to observe.

Crying Children

A child crying for more than five minutes on deck will be asked to leave with his parent/guardian, as this behavior is upsetting to other swimmers. If a child cries for more than five minutes in the pool and the instructor feels she can't soothe the child, a staff member will take the child from the pool and bring him to his parent. The parent is then asked to bring the child back the following week to see if the child is less afraid.

Observation Room

The small Observation Room above the pool deck is reserved for people who want to watch the swimmers in the pool. Please be considerate. If you prefer to read or work on your computer, do not sit in the Observation Room. No one is allowed to save seats, as the room is too small.

Camera Use

In order to protect the privacy of all members of the Charles River Aquatics (CRA) community, the use of video cameras, still cameras and cell phones by any swimmer or CRA community member (sibling, parent, visitor) is absolutely prohibited at any time in the locker rooms at any facility that CRA uses. This includes UMass Boston, Boston University and any pool CRA encounters for competition, training or clinics.

If a swimmer or CRA community member (sibling, parent, visitor) is found to be in violation of this rule, they will be expelled from all CRA programs and events immediately with no opportunity for return.

This rule includes answering phone calls or text messages in the locker rooms. If a call is received in the locker room, the options are: A) to step outside and answer the call, or B) to leave the call unanswered. The same applies to text messages.

Bullying

Charles River Aquatics is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all students, employees, volunteer and patrons, free from harassment, intimidation or bullying. “Harassment, intimidation or bullying” means any intentional written, verbal, or physical act that:

• Physically harms a student or damages the student’s property; or
• Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s lesson; or
• Is severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening environment; or
• Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of our program.

Harassment, intimidation or bullying can take many forms including: slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendo’s, demeaning comments, drawing cartoons, pranks, gestures, physical attacks, threats, or other written, oral or physical actions.

Bullying, harassment, or intimidation will not be tolerated, and shall be just cause for disciplinary action.

Lost Items

Charles River Aquatics is not responsible for any lost or stolen belongings, including: clothing, cell phones, jewelry, etc. while swimmers are participating in any CRA sponsored program including: swim lessons, Summer Camp, Recess Weeks, clinics, swim team, etc.

Safety

The Staff is very concerned about the safety of swimmers, parents, other children, and guests. For this reason, we insist on the following:

1. No running on pool deck.
2. Parents hold onto young children.
3. No fighting, pushing or chewing gum in the pool.

Any swimmer who hits another swimmer while at CRA must leave the premises immediately. The swimmer will be permitted to return to one more class. Should the hitting start again, the swimmer will be removed from our program permanently.

Expulsion from CRA

Any child found hitting a staff member of Charles River Aquatics will be expelled from our program immediately and not allowed to return. If the child is enrolled in a swim lesson, there will be no refund for the session. If the child is attending camp, there will be no refund for the week the incident occurred. There will be a full refund if the child is enrolled in future camp weeks.

E-Mails

Charles River Aquatics confirms registrations, and provides information about new sessions and class closings by e-mail. CRA cannot be responsible for missed e-mails due to incorrect e-mail addresses, or blocked e-mails due to spam-filters.

Cancellation and/or Change Policy

Swim Lessons

1. There will be a $25 charge for a cancellation once a swimmer is registered.
2. There will be a $25 charge to change a class.
3. There will be NO REFUND if you cancel a class once the session has begun.
4. If you placed your child in the wrong level and he/she can't be placed into the correct level during the session, we will charge $25 to cancel.

Private Series

1. There will be a $100 charge for a cancellation once a swimmer is registered.
2. There will be NO REFUND once the session has begun.

Swim Camp

1. Cancellation by April 1: refund minus $25 administrative fee
2. Cancellation between April 1, and May 1: $100 administrative fee for the first week, $50 for each additional week.
3. Cancellation after May 1: no refunds (unless waitlist). Then we will charge a $100 administrative fee for the first week, $50 for each additional week.
4. Changes will cost a $25 change fee.

Pool Closings

Charles River Aquatics does NOT follow the Boston Public School closing schedule for inclement weather. If CRA does close, there will be a notice on the website, and phone calls will be made. However, please call 617-777-3556 should you have any questions.

If classes are cancelled for any reason, Charles River Aquatics will offer a one hour family swim. The family swim will be on a weekend afternoon. All swimmers involved will be notified well in advance.

Charles River Aquatics will NOT offer a refund for any missed classes.

Make-up Policy

Due to the popularity of our lessons, Charles River Aquatics can no longer offer make-ups for any reason including: illness, injury, religious holiday, etc. We ask all parents to please check their schedule carefully before signing up for lessons, so they can avoid any conflict. The no make-up policy is for every CRA program offered, including: Regular Lessons, Private Series, Adult Lessons.

CRA will offer a Family Swim at the end of every session in the event a class has been missed. This is a great time for a child or adult to practice what he/she has learned in the pool, and also an enjoyable hour to spend with your family. Any child in Splash through Level 2 MUST be accompanied by an adult in the water.

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