QACPS partners with YMCA to expand third‑grade water‑safety program

The Queen Anne's County Board of Education received details on an expanded water‑safety program run in partnership with the Queen Anne's County Family YMCA.

Michael Page, supervisor of instruction, said the district ran a pilot at Kennard Elementary in the spring and has since expanded the program this fall to Churchill, Kennard and Sellersville Elementary Schools, with Grasonville, Matapeake and Bayside scheduled for spring. The program pairs classroom lessons with hands‑on pool instruction and aligns with Maryland Health and Physical Education Standards.

Laura Feller, membership and wellness director at the YMCA, described the curriculum and goals: "The main purpose of this — there shouldn't be a kid on the Eastern Shore that doesn't know what to do if they fell in the water," she said, explaining classroom safety lessons, buddy systems, life‑jacket fitting and the American Red Cross "reach, throw, don't go" messaging. YMCA staff and lifeguards provide instruction and facilities; Page said the district's primary expense is transportation.

The program is scheduled as weekly visits (each class attends the pool once per week, splitting time between classroom instruction and pool practice). The YMCA noted it provides staffing and facility time at no cost to the district beyond bus transportation; the district has created a PowerPoint orientation for classrooms to acclimate students prior to pool visits.

What happens next: Staff will continue the phased roll‑out, monitor implementation and report back to the board on participation and any operational needs (transportation scheduling, chaperone support and lifeguard staffing).