September 25, 2025: Workplace assessment tools
Good Morning,
I've spent the last five days in Fort Lauderdale for the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Certified Pool Operator (CPO) Instructor School. I'm one of a dozen instructor trainers (ITs) who rotate through facilitating 1-2 classes per year to train new CPO instructors. The PHTA has 700 ~ CPO Instructors all around the world (the PHTA CPO is currently accredited in 104 countries). However, most instructors only teach 1-2 CPO classes per year internally to build capacity within their organization, so there's only about 100~ instructors who actively teach CPO classes to the public more frequently.
I was speaking with someone this week who felt assessment tools (instructor, aquatic staff or otherwise) are very subjective. I, personally, feel they can actually be very objective if constructed correctly. I went through high school in Ontario as the dreaded ministry rubrics became required. Teachers with decades of experience were forced to isolate components of student performance they could just feel with their gut down to specific performance criteria on the rubric. It was rough at first, but with more time & experience, they figured it out. Ultimately, it created standards & consistency across classes, schools & regions.
About a decade ago, the Lifesaving Society of Canada did a similar overhaul to identify 13 core competencies (skills) and five different skill levels for instructors.
What is the point of all this for for aquatic facility operations? I left this week reminded that our assessment (hiring, performance management, promotion) and operational tools need to be more visual rubrics, and fewer fill in the blank fields. Is the task complete or incomplete? Does the operator's knowledge exceed, meet, approach, fail, or no show for the task?
Don't get me wrong, I love the opportunity to add color and individuality with detailed comments, but from a safety & ops perspective, I think we need to considering going back to basics with more black & white standards.
If you don't follow me on Instagram, you might not have seen this recent photo.
Ashdod man says pool banned him over weight, cutting off lifeline in weight-loss journey
"Arik... says local pool canceled his membership after lift chair couldn’t support his weight; staff told him facility was ‘not accessible,’ ending daily swims that helped him lose 30 kg."
The Great Cover-Ups
We understand the health impact of sun exposure, yet we don't attempt to provide any coverage on or near outdoor water play features. Consider adding this to your next capital request list.
Eastlink Centre’s lazy river in need of $1 million repair, closure expected until December
Central Texas mother fights for higher door handles after toddler's drowning death
British man drowns at Malta’s famous Blue Lagoon beauty spot after using slide on tourist boat
People may falsely associate going down a waterslide with always being able to rebound off the bottom.
Kingston water park enclosure gets $1 million in government support
2 facing charges in alleged hate crime at Barton Springs Pool
"An unknown man began verbally harassing the victim, later identified as a transgender woman, which escalated into a physical assault involving multiple people... The victim was knocked unconscious during the fight and suffered a fractured jaw that required surgery and his jaw to be wired shut for four weeks. He also sustained a punctured ear canal. According to the affidavit, the witness told police the tensions between the two groups began after a transphobic comment was made."
Mall of America water park plan moves forward
It's a detail that's kept discrete on purpose, but Triple5 Group is a Canadian company held by one family who also owns West Edmonton Mall & American Dream Mall in New Jersey.
Drowning victim's family demands investigation into Beaver Dam Swimming Club
It's a day club with swimming, not - as I first read it - a competitive swim club.
Three of the nine Dallas community pools will be shut down this year
I've covered this developing story in Dallas for a few months now, and I truly don't understand how more people aren't paying attention?
The final Adaptive Pool Party of the season makes a splash at LC this week
Teenager pleads guilty to manslaughter over Hobart waterfront drowning
"A 19-year-old has pleaded guilty to manslaughter over a push that resulted in an Indian man drowning in Hobart in January 2024."
Unalakleet gets a swimming pool
City of Delta Breaks Barriers with Free Recreation for All Youth
"It became the first municipality in British Columbia to offer free drop-in programming for community members aged 18 and under in all municipal recreation centres. And that’s just the beginning."
Turlock mother arrested after toddler drowns in backyard swimming pool
While this is a particularly awful story, I'm confused how a woman in a wheelchair can (should?) be responsible for a toddler around a pool.
Pulled from the pool: Madison West athletes call for inclusion after swim team cuts
This is an article from a few weeks ago, lost to an earlier newsletter draft.
Public Internet Access Restored at Saint Paul Public Library and Parks and Recreation Facilities
This is more to stimulate discussion: do you think public recreation facilities should offer unlimited free wifi to users?
City of Yuma Parks and Recreation Offers Free Certified Pool Operator Training
The classes are being sponsored by a local water safety advocacy group.
Oklahoma City Health Department investigates OKANA Resort water quality concerns
This is not the kind of PR a $400m aquatic facility wants.
Influencer Emilie Kiser returns to TikTok with 1st video since 3-year-old son's drowning death
Lifeguard walked away as 2 brothers drowned and N.J. school covered it up, lawyers say
Further background to the story I shared last week, where the family declined a $14m settlement.
Going forward, I won't be resharing these links every week, but there has been persistent requests for an "audio version" of the newsletter with my color commentary. Please look for YouTube Live videos a few days after the newsletter goes out each week.
Thank you for being here!
Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.