[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we have both hourly water aerobic instructors and contract. Contract is 70/30 split. The only reason two of them are hourly is because they also lifeguard/pool manage and swim instruct, or else they would be contract.

[Ashley Bjork]

I run an indoor and outdoor pool in North Liberty. Both are at the same location. I’d be happy to answer staffing questions. abjork@northlibertyiowa.org or 319-626-5707.

[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we have our indoor and outdoor pool at the same location so we only offer monthly and annual memberships. Family resident one month membership is $120 for up to 8 people. Non-resident is $150. Annual resident family membership is $720. Non-resident is $900. Individual adult resident monthly is $36, non-resident is $45.

[Ashley Bjork]

North Liberty:
LG: $13.00
LGI: $16.00
Swim Instructors(non WSI): $13.50
All staff get a cost of living raise on July 1 each year. Returning summer staff don’t get a raise for coming back, they just get the July 1 raise.

[Ashley Bjork]

We do our end of the summer party either the last week in July or right at the beginning of August before the college kids leave. This past summer we didn’t do it until 8/14 and well turn out was the lowest it has ever been. Having it later after season is a great idea and a possible retention help too for next summer! We’re having a potluck the Sunday before Thanksgiving this year for my indoor year round staff and I plan to invite summer staff to stop by if they’re in town!

[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we have a lifeguard of the week all summer (LG of the month during indoor winter months) that the managers select. We also have a swim instructor of the week in summer, session in winter. After they choose I send out an email to the entire staff congratulating these individuals and announcing the reasons for the their selection. Every summer I have a prize for them as well. We’ve done staff member of the week t-shirts (big hit), this summer they could choose from a lifeguard bucket hat, baseball hat, or nicer whistle for their prize. Swim instructors are the same if it is a not a specific lifeguard item, like the t-shirts, this summer they received a key chain that stated swim instructor.

At the end of each summer we have a staff pot luck party where awards are given out. We usually combine this with our summer staff Olympics. The managers select individuals for the awards, we have serious ones like guard of the summer, instructor of the summer, rookie of the year and then some fun silly awards too.

Just a few things I do that I think helps and the staff seem to enjoy!

[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we hire 15 year old’s. We work rotation by having 15 year old’s work two rotations at bottom of slide so they do not have to work the top of slide. We just make sure there aren’t two 15 year old’s following each other in rotation.

[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we used to do if you take the lifeguard class through us and work X amount of hours between Memorial day and Labor day you’re reimbursed for the cost of the lifeguard class. This worked well and I never had any trouble getting lifeguards. With covid this past spring we hired our lifeguards and then certified them in house at no cost to them. We will probably continue hiring and certifying in house at no cost moving forward.

[Ashley Bjork]

In North Liberty we have had them pay for the class upfront and then if they averaged a certain amount of hours (22 per week for HS students or year round LGs, 34 for college students/seasonal) they were reimbursed at the end of the summer. This year we have decided to hire our lifeguards and then certify all of them in house at no cost to them.

[Ashley Bjork]

North Liberty – We offer sessions of private lessons just like our group lesson set-up. The participant registers for the session and then I have a set amount of instructors for each time. We charge $52 for 4 30 minute lessons or $65 for 5 30 minute lessons, breaks down to $13 per lesson. Instructors for private and group sessions of lessons are paid the same. We also offer super private lessons where families email me and request these lessons. I email out to instructors and see if anyone is available to pick-up extra lessons. Once I get a response I email the family back and cc’ the instructor to the email so they can directly communicate and schedule lessons that work for both of them. Instructors know the best times the pool is available and these lessons are more flexible with scheduling and cancellations. These lessons run at $20 for a 30 minute lesson. Instructors are paid $20 an hour.

[Ashley Bjork]

We don’t require them to submit a letter of resignation. When they are hired they are hired under seasonal and HR terminates them after the summer season and the outdoor pool closes.