September to early NovemberOpen
Fall session
Warm-water pool
Afternoon classes for children and teens at the pool with the ramp, the lift and the warmest water.
- Children and teens
- Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, eight weeks
- The warm-water pool
Adaptive swimming in Albany, Oregon
Swim lessons shaped around the swimmer
Buoy teaches children, teens and adults with physical, sensory or developmental differences in three Albany pools. Every swimmer starts with a placement visit, and the first thing we ask is what helps.
By season
A session in every season
Each session runs at one of our three pools. Placement visits are open through the year, and a swimmer joins the next session with room.
Through the year
- January to MarchWaitlist
Winter session
High school pool
Evening and weekend classes for teens and adults, with a lift on request and steps into the water.
- Teens and adults
- Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, eight weeks
- The high school pool
- April to JuneOpen
Spring session
Warm-water pool
The fall schedule again, with room for swimmers who started in the winter and for new placements.
- Children, teens and adults
- Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, eight weeks
- The warm-water pool
- July and AugustOpen
Summer weeks
Recreation center pool
Morning classes by the week at the recreation center pool, with a wide ramp and a family changing room.
- Children, teens and adults
- Monday to Thursday mornings, weeks 1 to 6
- The recreation center pool
Sample sessions.
A class lasts forty-five minutes.
Six levels
Levels named by what swimmers practice
Each level has a dot, a short list of skills and a way up. A placement visit tells us where to start, and the instructor decides when a swimmer moves on.
Getting in and settling
Light blue dot, ages 5 and upSkillsGetting in by the ramp, the lift or the steps
Getting used to the water, the room and the sounds
Holding the wall or the instructor's hands
Finding a way to rest in the water
Moving upWhen getting in is steady and the swimmer can stay at the wall by choice, the instructor suggests Floating and balance.
Floating and balance
Sky dot, ages 5 and upSkillsFloating on the front or the back with support
Finding balance with a noodle or a belt
Blowing bubbles, if the swimmer likes
Sitting, standing and turning in shallow water
Moving upWhen floating with support is steady and turning in the shallows is easy, the instructor suggests Kicking and pulling.
Kicking and pulling
Blue dot, ages 5 and upSkillsKicking with a board or a noodle
Arm pulls on the front or the back
Moving from the wall to the instructor
Changing direction
Moving upWhen kicking and pulling carry the swimmer a few body lengths, the instructor suggests Moving on your own.
Moving on your own
Deep blue dot, ages 5 and upSkillsTraveling across the shallow end with a float
Rolling from the front to the back
Breathing out with the face in the water
Reaching the wall or a rail
Moving upWhen a swimmer travels across the shallow end and reaches the rail, the instructor suggests Strokes.
Strokes
Indigo dot, ages 5 and upSkillsFreestyle and back crawl arms, adapted to the swimmer
Breathing to the side or lifting the head
Swimming across the width of the pool
Resting on the back between strokes
Moving upWhen a stroke carries the swimmer across the pool and back to a rest, the instructor suggests Longer swims.
Longer swims
Violet dot, ages 5 and upSkillsSwimming a length of the pool with rests at the wall
Swimming beside a partner in the next lane
Turning at the wall
Choosing a goal with the instructor
Moving upThere is no level after this one; the instructor sets new goals with each swimmer every session.
Where to startBook a placement visit
Sample levels.
Every swimmer moves at their own pace.
At the placement visit
Tell us at the placement visit what helps
There is no long form to fill in. We ask, we listen, and we plan the first class with you.
How your swimmer gets in
By the ramp, the lift, the steps or the wall, with an instructor or a caregiver beside them. We set it up before you arrive.
What the water and the room feel like
Warm or cool, loud or quiet, bright or dim. We can start in the quietest corner and move at your swimmer's pace.
How we talk and show
In words, with signs or pictures, by showing first, or by letting your swimmer lead. You know your swimmer; we follow.
Who stays within reach
An instructor, a caregiver in the water, or a caregiver on the deck. Tell us who helps most and where they should stand.
Where we swim
Three pools, one program
Every pool has a way in that suits different swimmers: a ramp, a lift or steps. Each pool's entrance, parking and lift are described here.
The warm-water pool
Address: 1180 Marion Park Lane SE Albany, OR 97322Phone: (541) 555-0119Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30 pm to 6:00 pmRamp entry on the east side with a handrail along its length. A pool lift stands on the deck beside the ramp; ask for it when you book. Accessible parking is at the side door, a few steps from the changing rooms.
Directions to the The warm-water pool officeThe high school pool
Address: 2450 Santiam Road SE Albany, OR 97322Phone: (541) 555-0119Hours: Wednesday, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Saturday, 9:00 am to 11:00 amUse the pool door on the north side, not the school office. A level path runs from the parking lot to the deck, with accessible spaces beside the door. Steps into the water, and a portable lift on request.
Directions to the The high school pool officeThe recreation center pool
Address: 630 Hickory Street SW Albany, OR 97321Phone: (541) 555-0119Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9:00 am to 11:30 am, in summerA wide ramp enters the shallow end, and a family changing room is off the lobby. Park in the lot behind the building; the closest spaces are marked for accessible parking. Elevator to the viewing balcony.
Directions to the The recreation center pool office
Family policies
What families ask before the first class.
In the pool, and watching
An instructor is in the water with every swimmer, and another adult joins where a swimmer needs more hands. The board on our safety page shows how many swimmers each instructor has in each level. A parent or caregiver stays on site during every class and watches from the deck or the viewing area. Lessons are no substitute for adult supervision.
What to wear and bring
A swimsuit or a swim shirt, whichever your swimmer likes. Tie long hair back, bring a towel, and bring anything that helps your swimmer, such as goggles, a cap or a change of clothes for after. We provide boards, noodles and belts. Tell us at the placement visit if your swimmer uses a mobility device, and we will plan where it waits.
Watching class and recitals
Parents, caregivers, brothers and sisters are welcome on the deck or in the viewing area. Please keep them back from the edge of the pool and keep strollers and chairs out of the ramp's way.
Photos of your child
We ask your written permission before we share any photo of your child, on this site, in newsletters or on social media, and you can change your answer at any time. We never put a child's name with a photo, and the photos on this site are examples until we replace them with our own.
When to keep your child home
Please keep your swimmer home with a fever, a stomach bug or anything that spreads, and tell us so we can offer a make-up class.
Closures for weather and holidays
We tell families by text when a pool closes for weather, repairs or a holiday. A class missed because a pool was closed is made up in the same session.
Screens and phones
Please keep phones away from the water's edge. Photos of other families' swimmers are not allowed on the deck.
Who is in the water
An instructor is in the water with every swimmer, and another adult joins where a swimmer needs more hands. The board shows how many swimmers each instructor has in every level, and the checks our instructors hold.
Adults to children
1 adult to 1 child
Getting in and settling, ages 5 and up
1 adult to 1 child
Floating and balance, ages 5 and up
1 adult to 2 children
Kicking and pulling, ages 5 and up
1 adult to 2 children
Moving on your own, ages 5 and up
1 adult to 2 children
Strokes, ages 5 and up
1 adult to 2 children
Longer swims, ages 5 and up
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Lifeguard training
- Water safety instructors
Safety routines
Getting in
The instructor sets up the ramp, the lift or the steps before the swimmer arrives and goes at the swimmer's pace.
Parents and caregivers
A parent or caregiver stays on site and watches from the deck or the viewing area. A caregiver in the water is planned at the placement visit.
Unwell or closed
We tell families by text when a pool closes, and a missed class is made up in the same session.
Sample details.
Book a placement visit
Choose a time on our enrollment page. Tell us what helps your swimmer and we will set up the way into the water before you arrive.
Phone(541) 555-0119
HoursMon to Fri 9:00 am to 2:00 pm