Summer is officially here and Texas temperatures are soaring, which means many students are spending their days cooling off in the swimming pool. While swimming is a classic summer activity, CFBISD wants to remind parents, students and community members that practicing vital water safety is essential to ensuring a safe and fun break.

Living in North Texas means students are never far from a residential pool, community center or lake, making water safety a crucial life skill. To help prepare, CFBISD incorporates a mandatory Water Safety Program into the fourth-grade physical education curriculum. Throughout the academic year, every elementary school in the district is assigned a dedicated, one-week session at the CFBISD Natatorium, ensuring students are well-equipped with skills long before the summer heat arrives.

During their designated week, fourth graders receive specialized training led by high school swim and dive coaches alongside the natatorium supervisor. Because comfort levels vary significantly, instruction is tailored to each child's current level of proficiency and water confidence. The comprehensive curriculum covers essential swimming and beginner diving techniques, proper use of standard safety equipment and appropriate behavior in and around aquatic facilities.

To reinforce these life-saving skills at home, CFBISD encourages families to follow safety guidelines from "Know Before You Go," a Dallas-Fort Worth area drowning prevention campaign. According to organization data, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of accidental death for children under 14, claiming more than 900 young lives across the United States each year. Parents can protect their families at home and at community pools this summer by practicing the following safety protocols:

Before entering the pool:

• Ask permission: Children should always ask explicit permission from an adult before going near or into the water.
• Enroll in lessons: Register children for formal swimming lessons to build baseline survival skills.
• Assess skills: Evaluate your child's swimming capabilities on an annual basis, as skills can change.
• Learn CPR: Parents, babysitters, guardians and anyone over the age of 14 should learn CPR.
• Prep for emergencies: Teach children how to dial 911 in an emergency, and keep a telephone in the immediate pool area.
• Inspect systems: Ensure a professional pool service technician conducts an annual safety inspection on residential pool gates and filtration systems.

While using the pool:

• Assign a watcher: Designate a specific adult to actively supervise the pool area. 
• Maintain contact: Keep constant, uninterrupted visual contact with children. For toddlers and non-swimmers, "touch supervision"—staying within arm's reach—is essential.
• Never leave children unattended: Never leave a child alone in or near a pool, even for a second.
• Wear life jackets: Inexperienced swimmers and young children should wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets whenever they are in or around water, even if a lifeguard is on duty.
• Clear the deck: Keep non-pool toys, such as tricycles and wagons, away from the pool edge to prevent accidental falls.
• Prohibit diving: Do not allow diving in the shallow end of the pool.
• Clean up after swimming: Remove all toys from the water immediately after use so children are not tempted to reach for them later.
• Keep it lit: Never allow swimming in an unlit pool after dark.

After leaving the pool:

• Lock up: Verify that all doors and windows leading to the pool area are securely locked, with safety latches positioned well out of a child's reach.
• Restrict access: Strictly limit a child's backyard access whenever adequate adult supervision is unavailable.
• Install barriers: Install a four-sided, non-climbable isolation fence equipped with a self-locking, self-latching gate.
• Cover the pool: Utilize an approved pool safety cover when the pool is not in use, and regularly drain any standing water that accumulates on top of the cover.
• Clear nearby items: Keep patio chairs, tables and other climbable objects pushed far away from the pool fence perimeter.

By blending district-led education during the school year with active parental supervision at home, CFBISD aims to ensure all families stay safe, cool and protected throughout the summer season.

To learn more about local drowning prevention initiatives, visit the Know Before You Go website.