Frequently Asked Questions

Bathing caps are mandatory at both Zodiac locations. Policy states that all Zodiac students must wear a bathing cap to enter the water. This includes all male and female students with long or short hair. Zodiac Tot participants are the only exemption to this policy; infants and toddlers and their caregivers are not required to wear a bathing cap, however long hair must be tied securely and kept out of the water. Bathing caps are available for purchase at the pool facility throughout each session at a cost of $8.00 per cap and we make every effort to have a wide selection and variety of colours available. We thank you for your co-operation.

Zodiac is deeply committed to both safety and skill development for all participants in our programs. It is our goal to work with your family to determine the best placement for your child. We have successfully integrated a wide range of individual needs into group lessons or accommodated with 1:1 private lessons. Please call the Zodiac office and speak with a representative to discuss your child’s unique needs and to assess whether Zodiac programming will meet those needs. We will also assist you with determining the best placement for your child (ie, level, student/teacher ratio, instructor specific personality and/or characteristics that will best accommodate your child).
Once you have decided to move forward with the registration process you will be required to complete the Individual/Medical Needs Form prior to the first class. This information is kept confidential and is communicated only to individuals who require additional details to assist in ensuring your child’s safety, well being, and success throughout the session.
A knowledgeable parent or caregiver is required to remain at the facility and within calling distance throughout your child’s lesson. Any emergency medication must be readily accessible (ie, auto-injector, inhaler, etc.).
Zodiac reserves the right to suggest a class or ratio change if there is sufficient concern about the safety or progress of any student involved in the class.

Zodiac follows the “No Nit Policy” to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all participants. Any student who is reported or detected to have lice is asked to stay home and start treatment immediately. Your child will not be allowed to return to swimming lessons until all head lice, nits (lice eggs) and egg cases have been removed. Students will be re-admitted to the swim school only when they have been cleared by a note from the family physician or a “lice expert” that certifies that he or she is free of lice and nits.

In order to respect the privacy of all of our clients and staff both of our facilities are strictly “No Photography or Video Taping” zones.
We understand that a swimming lesson is a special photo opportunity, especially if it is a “first”. We will work with you to schedule a personalized photo moment for your child at the end of a lesson. Please speak with your shift supervisor for more information or if you would like to set up a mutually convenient time.
To ensure the privacy and safety of all swimmers, cameras and video cameras are strictly forbidden in all changing areas.

To ensure the safety and comfort of all clients and staff, cell phones or handheld devices may not be used in any of the changing areas. Zodiac staff members have the right to ask clients to refrain from using these devices on the pool deck or in the viewing gallery at any time. Thank you for your co-operation and understanding.

Our priority and focus is to provide careful supervision around the pool and in the aquatic environment. Contrastingly, our changing rooms are not supervised by Zodiac staff members. Zodiac assumes no responsibility
for lost or stolen articles. Please do not bring valuables to your class or program. You are encouraged to bring a lock and make use of the lockers located in the change room, where available. If you are an adult participating in a Zodiac Tot class or an adult swim lesson you are welcome to bring your purse, wallet, keys, etc. onto the deck at your own discretion. Zodiac cannot store these items in the pool office and does not assume responsibility for supervision of these personal items.
Lost & Found items are collected at the end of each shift and placed in the facility Lost & Found bin. Zodiac is not responsible for retrieving Lost & Found items. You are welcome to check Lost & Found bins during Zodiac programming. Any jewelry, keys, phones and/or wallets that are found will be kept in the pool office.
Please Note: All unclaimed Lost & Found items will be donated to a local charity at the end of each month. If you have lost an item please check the designated Lost & Found area at the earliest opportunity. Please approach your shift supervisor if you require assistance locating the designated Lost & Found area in your facility.

Our clients are reminded that all patrons must immediately evacuate the facility in the event of the fire alarm sounding. Once the alarm is triggered evacuation procedures are immediately put into action regardless of any unique or unusual circumstances that may apply (ie, you witnessed someone pulling a false alarm). All swimmers and spectators on the pool deck will be provided with solar blankets and emergency footwear and they will be directed to exit though the emergency exit doors located on the pool deck to wait in a designated waiting location.
Any client in the change room or in the hallway at the time of the alarm may choose to vacate the facility independently (provided it is safe to do so) or they may accompany Zodiac staff to the designated waiting location.
Parents and caregivers are reminded that it is your responsibility to supervise your child(ren) at all times in the facility other than the time spent in his or her Zodiac class with a Zodiac staff member. Should your child be responsible for pulling a false alarm please be aware that you will be held responsible for payment of any fees associated with fire personnel and fire trucks dispatched to attend the site.

At Zodiac we recognize that many families have busy schedules and conflicting time commitments and we make every effort to alleviate complicated scheduling difficulties! If availability and scheduling allows, we try to arrange for siblings to swim concurrently in separate level and age appropriate classes. Early registrations will have a greater chance of registration at your preferred time.

Swim Kids level 6 is a 60 minute class. However, Zodiac offers a 30 minute class option for younger swimmers in Swim Kids 6, who may not be quite ready for a 60 minute class. This option is only available for children who are 6 years and 11 months of age or younger at the beginning of the session. Any swimmer who is 7 years of age or older can only be placed in a 60 minute class.

NO MAKE-UP LESSON OR OTHER FINANCIAL CREDIT/REFUND WILL BE AVAILABLE in connection with a missed lesson (except in special circumstances where cancellation of the lesson is initiated by Zodiac; for example, in the event of a pool fouling).

At Zodiac we recognize that plans may change and you may need to withdraw your child from a Zodiac swim program.
a) If written notice is received before the date of the third lesson of the session in question, a monetary refund will be available for any remaining lessons, minus the applicable administrative fee as outlined below.
b) If written notice is received after the date of the third lesson of the session in question, only a credit will be available for any remaining lessons, minus the applicable administrative fee as outlined below.
The refund or credit, as applicable, will be equal to the paid registration fee, less a pro-rated portion of the fees for lessons taken, used or elapsed prior to receipt of written notice of withdrawal and a per student, per course administrative fee.
Administrative fees:
a) If your cancellation request is received in writing more than 2 weeks prior to the session start date, your administrative fee is $25.00 per student, per course.
b) If your cancellation request is received in writing less than 2 weeks prior to the session start date and/or during the course of the session, your administrative fee is $40.00 per student, per course.

Permanent changes to your regularly scheduled class time involve significant time and administrative effort, and may leave a previously filled space vacant. We make every effort to accommodate our clients and we understand the schedule conflict do arise on occasion. We do our best to work with you to find an alternate class that will work with your new schedule requirements but don’t forget that registration is ongoing for the full year and availability may be limited at the time of your written request.
Administrative fees:
a) If your change request is received in writing more than 2 weeks prior to the session start date, your administrative fee is $15.00 per student, per course.
b) If your change request is received in writing less than 2 weeks prior to the session start date and/or during the course of the session, your administrative fee is $25.00 per student, per course.

If there is insufficient enrollment for a particular program, the program in question may be cancelled by the swim school. Zodiac makes every effort to balance providing your family with sufficient notice of cancellation while avoiding premature cancellation of a potentially viable program. Program cancellation may occur up to 24 hours prior to the program start date. If a program is cancelled and we are unable to arrange a convenient alternative, Zodiac will provide your family with a full refund.

The following minimum numbers are required to ensure a given course is run as scheduled:

Not at all.  However, if you plan to swim for more than one session you are strongly encouraged to reserve your spaces for later sessions as early as possible. Remember that Zodiac registration opens yearly in June for the upcoming school year in its entirety and we cannot guarantee a space will be available for you if you wait too long.

If you decide you would like to extend your registration to subsequent sessions please log on to your account and register accordingly.

Please note that we do not send out e-mail reminders to remind you to register for upcoming sessions, and current enrollment does not “roll-over” to the next session (ie, current students in one session do not have priority for a particular timeslot over other registrants). It is wise to register early to increase your chances of receiving your preferred timeslot.

DON'T GET CAUGHT WITHOUT A SPOT!

Children who are older than 4 years and 6 months old are automatically placed in a class with a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio (dependant on level). If you would like to request that your child be placed in a class with a 2:1 ratio the following conditions must be met:

1. There must be sufficient pool space available at an agreeable timeslot.

1. You must co-ordinate with a second child working at the same level who is also interested in a 2:1 class. Zodiac does not provide any type of ‘match-up’ service.

1. You must pay the appropriate 2:1 ratio fee.

If these conditionas are met; please contact the Swim Administrator at 416-789-1989 x 118 to make these arrangments.

Children who are between the ages of 3 years to 4 years and 6 months old are automatically placed in a class with a 2:1 ratio. This designation is based on the age of your child and he or she is not eligible for a 3:1 ratio class until the age of 4 years and 6 months. Certain exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Swim School in cases where the level achieved is higher than levels that are offered as a 2:1 ratio.

Children must turn 3 before the beginning of the session to be eligible for enrollment in a 2:1 ratio classes. Our policy is firm that children who are younger than 3 years old before the starting date must remain in the Zodiac Tot class or the "NEW" Tadpole class. Tadpole is a one-to-one program designed for toddlers who have been introduced to the aquatic environment through Zodiac Tot, and are ready to continue developing skills without the direct assistance of their caregivers in preparation for Sea Turtle.

While our semi-private classes are safe and effective, we do offer private lessons with a 1:1 student to teacher ratio for those who require or prefer a smaller class size. Private lesson can be scheduled by request provided sufficient pool space and a suitable instructor are available.

We are also pleased to offer periodical blocks of one-time private lessons throughout the year to assist swimmers who are struggling with a particular skill. These lessons allow for intensive practice and focus specifically on skills that have presented a challenge within regular group lessons. Notification about upcoming dates is communicated to our clients via e-mail.

A few private lessons booked during a session can only be arranged if sufficient pool time, space and an appropriate instructor are available. Please contact the office for more information.

Registration and payment in full for the session in its entirety are due at the time of registration. In the case of pre-registration, full payment is due for the first session and a deposit of $50.00 per child per session is required for subsequent session (ie, winter and spring if payment is made prior to applicable payment balance due dates). Exceptions are only applicable in the case of late registration (ie registrations that are received and processed after a session is underway).

Absolutely! You are welcome to request a preferred instructor by name at the time of registration or you can e-mail the office at anytime throughout the year to add a request. Please note that we cannot guarantee that the requested instructor will be available for your child’s class. If we are unable to accommodate your request we will make every effort to select an instructor with a similar personality and teaching style.

Due to the complexities of scheduling and staffing in combination with your families potential schedule alterations Zodiac unfortunately cannot guarantee that your child will have the same instructor for all sessions. Our staff members commit on a session-by-session basis to accommodate changes to their own schedules. You are encouraged to submit a request for a preferred instructor and we will assign instructors accordingly wherever possible.

The pool is chlorinated at both the TFS - Canada's International School and Havergal College sites. The average water temperature at TFS is approximately 85F (29C) and the average water temperature at Havergal is approximately 82F (27C).