Tag: swimming lessons

By: Jon Foss As Foss Swim School begins its 30th year in business, I’ve been thinking a lot about the lessons I have learned and put into practice and how humble ideas can grow into something that seems completely different from the outside – and yet has the same heart. ...

We hear from families that what sets Foss Swim School apart, and the reason they keep coming back, is the people. We couldn’t agree more – hiring the right kinds of people and training them well is a huge part of what FOSS does. We hire people who love working ...

As a swim school, FOSS spends a lot of time training our teachers the right way to pass along and nurture the development of specific swim skills. We turn these skills into fun, age-appropriate activities and exercises that build on each other to help a child progress on their own, ...

New parents have no shortage of questions about what’s best for their children, and other parents and experts have no shortage of answers. When it comes to the question of when a baby should start swimming lessons, the answers are as diverse as you might expect, but in our professional ...

Teaching swimming classes for special needs kids can be uniquely rewarding. Just ask D’Ar Zirbes, a Site Director at Foss Swim School who has instructed numerous kids with a range of developmental and physical challenges. D’Ar said the most important thing a parent of a special needs child can do ...

Rachael Skoog Site Director Chanhassen, MN How long have you worked for FOSS? For 14 years! Since 2004. What is your favorite part about working for FOSS? Getting to know so many incredible swimmers and families over the years. And I can’t forget the phenomenal group of instructors that I’ve had the pleasure of ...

Jacob Vaas Shift Coordinator South Barrington, IL How long have you worked for FOSS? I started in January 2018 – a little over a year now! What is your favorite FOSS story? I was teaching a Little 2 who was swimming really well, and I liked to tell her she ...

There is a famous scene in the 1953 John Wayne movie “Hondo” where he encounters a six-year-old boy fishing. Upon learning the boy can’t swim, The Duke takes it upon himself to remedy the situation in the most direct way possible—throwing the boy into the water. Today we know throwing ...

By: Jon Foss, CEO and Lead Instructor, Foss Swim School It’s a scene you’ve probably seen at any swimming class with young children in it—a child unhappy with their lot in life and crying loudly. It’s no fault of the child or parent. Crying is a natural reaction in certain cases. ...

You’ve taken the plunge and registered for your first Foss Swim School swimming lesson! That’s so exciting, but now what? Below, we break down next steps, how you should prepare and what first-time FOSS families can expect at the first lesson. General Tips for All Families The big day is ...

By Jon Foss, CEO and Lead Instructor, Foss Swim School It took me years to learn how to teach kids to swim; 50,000 lessons, actually. I am honored to be a co-founder of the school, with my wife Susan, but humbled to have been its lead instructor and program architect. ...

Noelle Robb Shift Coordinator St. Louis Park, MN How long have you worked for FOSS? About two and a half years. What is your favorite part of working for FOSS? The kids, my coworkers, the positive atmosphere, all of it! It feels good to say that I love my job, ...

D’Ar Zirbes Site Director St. Paul, MN How long have you worked for FOSS? Since March of 2012! How do you approach teaching kids to swim? Building trust in general with my swimmers is so important. I look forward to finding out the things they enjoy outside of swimming and ...