Our swimming program this year for Prep, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 will take place at Paul Sadler Swimland Rowville, commencing on Monday 2nd September through to Friday 20th September (3 week period).

The Prep to Year 4 swimming program is part of the Physical Education curriculum, providing opportunities for students to learn fundamental movement and safety skills in the water. During the program, students will be monitored and assessed on their swimming abilities. The swimming lessons will substitute the onsite Physical Education lesson taken by Mr Karl Camerino and Mrs Pontin Raj over the three week period.

Both Physical Education teachers will be in attendance during the swimming lessons to observe our students' skills.

Transportation and Session Times:

The timetable below indicates what time they are leaving for the pool and the time they will be departing from the venue and arriving back at school.

An alternate time for eating lunch and having a lunch break will be implemented during this two week period at the classroom teachers discretion.

Swimming Session Dates:

The schedule shown below will indicate when your child's class is attending the lesson over the 3 week period. It is also attached in a document at the bottom of this Operoo permission form.

Year 6 Victorian Water Safety Certificate Program

The Victorian Water Safety Certificate (VWSC) is a Victorian Government initiative, which identifies the knowledge and skills required for students to safely enjoy water-based activities in aquatic environments. The certificate establishes and evaluates minimum swimming and water safety competencies for primary school students. The competencies focus on:

Water safety knowledge
Survival sequences
Rescue skills
The ability to swim 50m continuously

The Victorian Curriculum indicates that your child should demonstrate the competencies of the Victorian Water Safety Certificate by the time they leave Year 6. This year, your child will participate in obtaining their Victorian Water Safety Certificate through safety in class lessons and a practical assessment.

There are two assessments that your child must be part of in order for them to successfully achieve their Victorian Water Safety Certificate. The safety knowledge lessons will be taught by the staff at St Simon’s to build adequate water safety, survival and rescue knowledge for your child to use in future water based activities.

As part of this program, your child will also partake in a practical program at Paul Sadler Swimland, Rowville with qualified swimming instructors. These dates are scheduled for Term 3 as follows:

An assessment will be completed of your child’s swimming abilities in one of these sessions. If your child is absent for any of the sessions, we will endeavour to organise within these two days the opportunity to complete the practical component of the certificate. The timetable below indicates details regarding the times your child will be participating in the program

The instructors over the two day sessions will educate and assess your child in the following areas:

Swim

Swim competently for a continuous distance of 50 metres
Swim to include 25 metres of freestyle and 25 metres of one other stroke, demonstrating sound breathing and stroke technique

Continuous Survival Sequence

Dressed in a t-shirt & shorts, students need to:

Enter the water safely
Float, scull and tread water for 5 minutes
Remove t-shirt and shorts
Swim for 5 minutes using a combination of survival strokes
Exit the water safely

Rescue Skills

Demonstrate an effective reach rescue and one of the following
Throw a rope to a person at least 5 metres from the side of the pool and pull them to safety, OR
Throw a buoyant object to a person at least 5 metres from the side of the pool and instruct them to safety.

On completion of the program, students that have passed the program will receive a certificate identifying their knowledge and skills demonstrated and proving their ability to safely survive and participate in water-based activities in aquatic environments.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Karl Camerino. Please view the flyer which presents information regarding the Victorian Water Safety Certificate program.

VWSC - Important Water Safety Information for Parents

St Simon's Parents' Association

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