Despite having new sports this year, sports coordinator, Danny Basile, said that the school was unable to offer a swimming class because there were no certified swimming teachers.

Physical education teacher, Amber Butler, who taught swimming last year, has left the school because she was offered another job as a physical education teacher and volleyball coach at Hoboken, Basile said.

Basile also said that in order for someone to teach a swim class, he or she must pass a course called the Water Safety Instructor.

Senior, Rosaida Cuevas, a member of the last year’s swim team, said that she was disappointed with the fact that they can’t have classes this year.

“It was my escape from everything,” she said. “Swimming enabled me to get away from stress.”

According to American Red Cross, the goal of the WSI course is to train instructor applicants to teach the six levels of the Learn to Swim Program; the Basic Water Rescue course and the Parent and Child Aquatics Program; and for eligible individuals, the Safety Training for the Swim Coaches course.

The course is about 30 minutes long and instructor candidates must be 16 years or

older to apply for the class.