Milwaukee City Wire

Milwaukee Recreation is enhancing the traditional school curriculum for third-grade students in Milwaukee Public Schools with vital water safety lessons. This initiative, developed in collaboration with community partners, aims to address a gap in school curriculums by introducing water safety as a critical skill alongside fire and tornado safety.

In the fall of 2024, students from Forest Home Avenue School, Allen-Field Elementary School, La Escuela Fratney, and Gaenslen School participated in swim lessons at South Division High School and Gaenslen School. These lessons were conducted by certified instructors and lifeguards. Nicole Jacobson, Milwaukee Recreation’s citywide programs manager, emphasized the importance of integrating water safety into education: “We know that water safety is just as imperative as fire safety or tornado safety, but it is missing currently in our school curriculums.”

The program provides four swim lessons per classroom and includes measures to eliminate participation barriers. Milwaukee Recreation offers free transportation for schools, removes registration fees for families, and supplies necessary swimming gear for students.

Additionally, before and after these practical sessions, a Water Safety Instructor visits classrooms to prepare students with pool rules and conduct assessments. The final session includes a literacy activity where students reflect on their pool experiences.

The curriculum uses the American Red Cross' "WHALE Tales" to teach essential water safety concepts such as “Swim as a Pair with a Lifeguard There” and “Look Before You Leap.” Elyse Escobedo, aquatics supervisor at Milwaukee Recreation, noted the positive transformation in students: “When the kiddos first come, they are very timid and shy...they open up little by little.”

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