Expectations & Lesson Agreement

Part 1 — How lessons work

1. What these lessons are. Lessons are private, in-home swim instruction with Allison "Allie" VanNess, taught in your own pool. Formats are private (one swimmer), semi-private (two), and small group (three), depending on what you've booked.

2. The assessment comes first. Every new swimmer begins with a short assessment ($25 per swimmer) so Allie can find the right starting point and confirm it's a good fit.

3. Your swimmer's readiness. Lessons teach swimming, not how to convince a child to get in the water. Before the first session, your swimmer should be able to get into the pool on their own, briefly put their face in the water, and stay in without significant distress. If they're not there yet, that's completely okay. They're welcome back when they are.

4. What to have ready. Please have goggles and a kickboard available (fins are a plus), plus a towel and sunscreen. Swimmers who aren't reliably toilet-trained must wear a snug-fitting swim diaper. A light snack well before, not right before, the lesson is best.

Part 2 — Your pool, home, weather & safety

5. A parent or guardian must be present the entire time. At least one parent or guardian must be at the home, awake and reachable, for the full duration of every session. Allie is a swim instructor, not a lifeguard, babysitter, or childcare provider. You remain responsible for your child before, after, and outside of the in-water instruction. Water is never "no-risk," even during a lesson. If the parent or guardian leaves the premises or becomes unavailable during a session, Allie may end the session immediately, and the lesson fee still applies.

6. Who may be in the pool. During a session, only the scheduled swimmer or swimmers, Allie, and anyone Allie specifically approves may be in the pool or the immediate instruction area. This keeps the lesson safe and focused. Please keep siblings, friends, guests, and other swimmers out of the water during the lesson.

7. Pets. Please secure all pets away from the lesson area for the full duration of the session.

8. Your pool needs to be safe and ready. Please have the pool clean, chemically balanced, and at a comfortable temperature (at least 80°F) for each lesson. Allie may shorten, postpone, or end a session if the pool or surroundings aren't safe (water quality, temperature, weather, broken gate or fence, and the like). If a session can't safely happen because the pool wasn't ready, the lesson fee still applies, since the time was reserved for you.

9. Weather. Lessons run in light rain, but Allie will pause or stop for thunder, lightning, or any unsafe condition, using her judgment. If Allie cancels a session for weather or safety, you'll get a reschedule or a credit, with no charge for a session she cancels.

10. Allie's certifications. Allie maintains current CPR, First Aid, and AED certification. This training reduces risk but does not eliminate the inherent risks of swimming and water activities.

Part 3 — Time, scheduling & payment

This is the part that prevents awkward conversations later, so please read it closely.

11. Payment is due before the lesson, and it reserves your time. Lessons and assessments are paid in advance, by Venmo or Zelle. Paying in advance is what holds your spot on Allie's calendar. A session isn't confirmed until it's paid.

12. You're paying for reserved time, not for a result or a minimum number of minutes in the water. When you book, Allie sets that time aside for your swimmer and turns away other families for that slot. So:

• If your swimmer gets out early, has an off day, won't participate, or can't continue, the full fee still applies. There are no refunds, credits, or discounts for unused time within a session.
• A shorter or harder day is still a lesson. Progress isn't linear, and reserved time is reserved time.

13. Group lessons: the full fee applies regardless of who shows up. For semi-private and small-group lessons, Allie reserves and plans for the full group. The full lesson fee is due even if one or more swimmers don't attend. A no-show or last-minute drop by one swimmer does not reduce the fee for the session.

14. Rescheduling and cancellations by you. Life happens, and Allie will always try to be flexible. To reschedule without charge, please give at least 24 hours' notice. Cancellations or no-shows with less than 24 hours' notice are charged the full fee, because the time was held for you.

15. If Allie needs to cancel. If Allie has to cancel a session (illness, emergency, weather, or unsafe conditions), you'll be offered a reschedule or a credit at no cost, and she'll give you as much notice as she can.

16. Running late. Lessons end at their scheduled time. If your swimmer isn't ready when the session is supposed to start, the lost time generally can't be added on or refunded, out of respect for the next family. If Allie is ever running late, she'll make up the time or credit it.

17. Prepaid packages. Lesson blocks (4- and 8-lesson packages) are paid up front and are non-refundable. Unused lessons can be rescheduled and used for up to 90 days from the date of purchase, after which they expire. Packages are for a single swimmer unless otherwise arranged.

18. Illness and hygiene. Please don't bring a swimmer who is sick: fever, diarrhea, vomiting, eye or ear infection, or anything contagious within the last 24 hours. Let Allie know and reschedule; this protects every family. (Sick-day reschedules are handled reasonably and aren't treated as no-shows when you give notice.)

19. Pool contamination. If a swimmer has a fecal accident, vomits, or otherwise contaminates the pool, the session will be ended for safety and hygiene and treated as completed. A makeup or refund isn't available for that session, since contamination is outside Allie's control.

20. Behavior and safety. Allie keeps lessons positive and encouraging. If a swimmer is unsafe, won't follow safety instructions, or is too upset to continue, Allie may pause or end the session early for everyone's safety. As with section 12, the reserved time still applies.

21. Right to refuse or discontinue. Allie may decline or discontinue lessons at any time for safety concerns, repeated policy violations, inappropriate conduct or harassment, non-payment, or circumstances that make instruction impractical. If lessons are ended for non-payment or misconduct, unused prepaid lessons are forfeited. If they are ended for any other reason, unused prepaid lessons will be refunded or credited.

Part 4 — Health, risk & legal

22. Health and medical authorization. You confirm your swimmer is in good health and able to participate, and you've told Allie about any condition relevant to their safety in the water (medical, developmental, behavioral, seizure history, allergies, and the like). In an emergency, you authorize Allie to call 911 and to arrange emergency medical care, and you authorize emergency medical personnel to provide the treatment and transportation they judge necessary. You are responsible for any resulting costs.

23. Assumption of risk. You understand that swimming and water activities carry inherent risks, including slips and falls, injury, illness, and the risk of serious injury or drowning, that cannot be eliminated even with careful instruction and supervision. Knowing this, you voluntarily accept all such risks on behalf of yourself and your swimmer.

24. Property damage. You remain responsible for any property damage caused by your swimmer, family members, guests, pets, or others under your control during a lesson. Allison VanNess is not responsible for damage to personal property you bring to or use during lessons.

25. Release and hold harmless. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you (for yourself, your swimmer, and your family, heirs, and representatives) release, waive, and agree not to sue Allison VanNess and her parents and legal guardians (together, the "Released Parties") for any claims, demands, or causes of action arising out of or related to the lessons or your swimmer's participation, including claims based on ordinary negligence. This does not apply to gross negligence or willful misconduct, which cannot be waived.

26. Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties (Allison VanNess and her parents and legal guardians) from any claims, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) brought by or on behalf of your swimmer or family arising from participation in the lessons.

27. Insurance disclosure. You understand that Allison VanNess is an independent individual instructor who does not carry liability insurance, and you choose to participate on that basis.

28. No guarantee of results. Every child progresses differently. Allie will give your swimmer her full effort and skill, but no specific result, skill level, or timeline is promised or guaranteed.

Part 5 — A few last things

29. Photos and video (optional). With your opt-in below, Allie may use photos or video of your swimmer to promote her lessons, including on her website, social media accounts, advertisements, printed materials, and other promotional media. This is entirely optional and is never required to take lessons. You can withdraw consent for future use at any time.

30. Staying in touch. Scheduling and messages go through Allie's listed business contact. Please keep your contact info current, and allow reasonable time for replies; Allie teaches during the day and answers messages between sessions. If you ever have a concern about lessons, billing, scheduling, or safety, please bring it to Allie directly first, so she has a fair chance to make it right.

31. Electronic signatures. A typed name, an electronic signature, or a signature transmitted electronically counts as an original, legally binding signature.

32. The fine print, plainly. This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California. If any part of it is found unenforceable, the rest still applies. This is the entire agreement between us about these topics, and it replaces any earlier understandings.