Latest news with #Yeadon
CBS News
11 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
With kids flocking to pools amid heat wave, this Pennsylvania swim club is offering free swim lessons
Kids are flocking to the pools as the Philadelphia area continues to experience a heat wave, making water safety even more important. At Nile Swim Club in Yeadon, a free swim program is underway to teach kids the skills to conquer their fears of water and stay safe in the pool. Haalah Cunningham, 11, was at the swim club, learning how to swim for the first time. "It's definitely important to me because most of my friends have pools and I love going over their houses like being in their pools and if I can't swim, I really can't do much," she said. Haalah joined several other kids taking lessons as part of the swim club's No Child Will Drown in Our Town swim program. It's a free 10-day class that teaches kids how to swim. Haalah's mom says making sure her daughter knew how to swim was a priority for her this summer. "Making sure [my kids] are safe and able to help themselves if they ever get in trouble in the water is very important to me," said Sanayy Miller, the mother of Haalah Cunningham. With more kids flocking to the pools during this heat wave, water safety is even more important. According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 through 4. It's also an issue that disproportionately affects kids of color "Everyone is drawn to the pool, everyone wants to swim but when you don't know how to swim it can become a very dangerous place," said Lisa Marie Ivory, president of Nile Swim Club. Ivory is fighting to change those numbers, and it's been a part of the club's mission for decades. The club opened in 1959 after its founders were denied access to a local pool during segregation. Ivory and the club's work continues to be focused on making sure all kids know how to swim. "We want our kids to have all the same opportunities that all the other children have had. And it's really important to us that kids in Pennsylvania, not just here in the area of the swim club, learn how to swim," she said. Nile Swim Club's No Child Will Drown in Our Town swim program continues into July. If you're interested and want to sign up, you can find more information on the club's website.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Parents 'respect' head's decision to leave Yeadon school
Parents have said they do not blame a headteacher and his staff for deciding to leave a primary school amid uncertainty about its Primary School in Yeadon was due to shut at the end of the school year but the plan was paused after parents launched a legal challenge over the council's decision. Headteacher Mark Duce, who will not return in September, said because of the lack of clarity over the school's future he and other teachers had taken the "incredibly hard decision" to find new jobs. Vicky Lancaster, whose children attended Queensway, said: "The work Mark has done has been amazing, and everybody in that school, we all respect him and just want the best for him." The school, which had already fought off closure in 2023, was due to shut at the end of the summer term due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial specialist education lawyers for Irwin Mitchell successfully challenged the authority's decision based on "significant flaws in the consultation process".Since then, parents and staff said they had been left in limbo over its future while Leeds City Council was working on a report on options for its Lancaster said: "I have the utmost respect for all the teachers, and Mark especially, and I understand they've had to do what's right for them." The 40-year-old said she had already moved her son and daughter to another school."I felt very disloyal doing this but the council has given us no indication what's going to happen, so because of this I decided it was time for them to leave."She said the school community could "hold their heads up high" at what they had parent, Rick Ansell, said parents and teachers had been "backed into a corner where they're forced to choose between paying the mortgage, or staying and praying the school survives".Mr Duce, who has been Queensway's head for four years, said he had "so much guilt" about his decision to leave but had reached a point where the school's future was out of his control."There's so much guilt because we do not want to leave this wonderful school behind."But from a human and personal point of view, it's got to the point where the lack of clarity and the uncertainty continuing going forwards, I've had to make that decision to look elsewhere."He said the board of governors were working hard to find a replacement head and new teachers, but that he would not leave the school in a "weakened position".Leeds City Council said a report on the school was expected to be presented to the council's executive board in July.A spokesperson said: "As a foundation school, it is the governing body which is responsible for employment matters at the school, including the recruitment and retention of teaching staff. "The council continues to seek to provide support and advice to the school and is actively engaged with the head and governing body to ensure the school is appropriately staffed for September 2025." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Teachers to leave Yeadon school after closure threat
Teachers are set to leave a primary school due to its uncertain future despite a council reversing a decision to close it City Council said Queensway Primary School in Yeadon would shut at the end of this school year due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial the decision was put on hold after parents launched legal action. It is the second time the school has been threatened with closure since Mark Duce said he and other staff at the school had now made the "incredibly difficult" decision to leave amid the uncertainty. He said: "Despite the halting of the second consultation to close the school and due to the lack of clarity provided regarding the long-term future of Queensway at this stage, class teachers and myself have had to make the incredibly difficult decision to leave the school at the end of the summer."I am working alongside governors at present to ensure an effective leadership and teaching team is in place for September and will endeavour to share updates as soon as we are able to do so."We thank our parents and potential parents for their patience at this time."Fears were raised for the welfare of children with special educational needs after the council launched a consultation over the school's future. Law firm Irwin Mitchell then successfully challenged the closure decision, saying there were flaws in the consultation process, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Alan Lamb said the council should issue advice for parents of children to the school, which will now be open as normal in at an executive board meeting, he said: "What's been fed back to me is there has been a total lack of clarity. Very limited communication."However, councillor Julie Longworth said apologies had been given for the distress caused to teaching staff and families. "We have been in regular communication and conversation with the leaders in the school and also with the governors," she council said it has launched a "lessons learned" exercise to improve the way it would handle future school decisions.A report and recommendations will also be discussed by councillors on the Children and Families scrutiny board at a meeting on Wednesday 25 June 25. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
