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Jeanne's Swim School shuts down early and forever

After a stunning announcement of closure and layoffs, the school closes ahead of schedule, to the angry dismay of parents and employees.

By RICK GERSHMAN
Published December 15, 2005

[Times photos: Stefanie Boyar]

Jeanne's Swim School instructors give a playful splash to students after their final lesson at the South Tampa school on Wednesday.

	Swim instructor Jon Emminger, 22, helps Devon Martinez, 3, with his backstroke during a lesson at Jeanne's Swim School on Wednesday. The school, a South Tampa institution for 35 years, closed and the facility was sold to Seal Swim School.

TAMPA - Jeanne's Swim School has been a beloved South Tampa institution where thousands of kids learned to swim.

So, many parents were shocked when they learned Monday that after 35 years, the school was going to close.

Today. Actually, it never got that far. The school abruptly shut down Wednesday night, leaving angry instructors who had expected to have one last day with the kids.

Instead, they were escorted out by Tampa police.

Hollie Noble, a 25-year-old staff assistant, cried as she talked about it.

"I just want the people (whose kids have lessons) on Thursday to know that we love them and that we're sorry we never got to see them and take pictures with their kids," she said.

When parents arrived Monday for lessons, they found a letter from school owner Jeanne Sanders.

Addressed to the parents, it read, in part:

It has been some time since I have seen most of you. Since my stroke two years ago, I have been unable to return to my beloved school on a regular basis. I am still in therapy and am unable to drive or work. . . . At this point in my life, I have to do what is best for my health.

Several instructors told the Times that in addition to losing their jobs right before Christmas, they never received two weeks of promised paid vacation.

So Wednesday night, as they packed up, they were upset. Some slammed doors, and some made loud noise, Noble said: "Some of us were kind of off our rocker . . . so they called the cops to escort us out."

It was "a huge slap in the face," she said. Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy confirmed the department was called to the scene by the owner, who said employees losing their jobs were causing a disturbance.

"It never escalated beyond that."

Wednesday afternoon, school manager Lindsey Stevenson declined to comment about when the decision was made to shut down the school. She said Sanders, 67, is selling the building and heated pool to another business, Seal Swim School. It plans to refurbish the structure and open in March.

After the police were called, Stevenson would not answer further questions.

Sanders could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The instructors were told last week not to let on to parents that the school was about to close, lead instructor Mary Dickins said.

"What angers me most is that these are instructors who really dedicated themselves to teaching her philosophy," said Josephine Isenbergh, a swimmer's parent. "The instructors who have held this school together through her illness have been treated shabbily.

"The enthusiasm that these instructors have, they're just wonderful," Isenbergh said. "And to have this happen?

"Oh my gosh, to treat people like that? Shame on them. Just shame on them."

Times staff writers Stephanie Boyar and Cathy Wos contributed to this report. Rick Gershman can be reached at rgershman@sptimes.com or 813 226-3431.

[Last modified December 15, 2005, 00:32:19]