Crescenta Valley High has a complicated pool schedule that includes junior varsity and varsity aquatics teams as well as “age group” teams for younger swimmers, she said. This summer pre-registration is 95% filled for Hoover and Glendale and 70% at Crescenta Valley High School.
Maglio said swimmers are offered several kinds of classes, from lessons to swim team and water polo. There is also a time set aside for recreational swimming. There are minimal fees, but the city does not make any money on the program.
“With the cost to the city in salaries and benefits, we don’t even break even,” she said.
Maglio said the program provides an important service: giving children and families a place to go, and to help children learn to swim.
Residents said they were pleased.
“This is our first time [at the CVHS pool],” said La Crescenta resident Lynn Lahr.
Lahr has two children, Scott, 11, and Kathryn, 5, learning to swim.
“They love it,” she said. “It is close, and the instructors are great.”
Many of the instructors are current or former Glendale Unified School District students. Adelina Khechumyan, a Glendale High graduate, has been working as a lifeguard and instructor with the program for three years. She said Crescenta Valley students and their parents seem excited about the pool being opened again.
“The number of swimmers are increasing,” Khechumyan said. “And we expect more when it gets hotter.”
“My daughter looks forward to it every morning,” Kerry Siminski said. “I am from La Crescenta and graduated from CVHS. It’s nice to have our pool open.”
Siminski’s 7-year-old daughter Monica came out of the pool after her lesson and wrapped up in a towel. Her mother continued to urge her to leave because of another appointment, but Monica wanted to stay longer.
“This is fun,” Monica said of the program. “I learned the backstroke, back kick and big arms.”
She was finally ready to leave when she was reminded she would be coming back next week.
Information and a schedule for the aquatics program can be found at www.glendaleaquatics.com or by calling Maglio at (818) 548-3375.
