About School of fish nashville
Our Mission
Our Mission is to be a part of creating a world where learning to swim is seen as a basic human right. In response to the disparities in drowning rates among certain marginalized groups, School of Fish aims to provide accessible swim lessons to those who wouldn't otherwise be able to receive 1 on 1 attention from a trained and experienced instructor. This is achieved through a Community Resource Model, where those who receive services from School of Fish can choose to pay a standard fee for lessons, an optional higher fee to support those in need, or apply for a reduced fee/sliding scale spot.
I, the owner of School of Fish Nashville, firmly believe that the role of the swim instructor doesn't end where the pool does. Swimming lessons done right can be a powerful vessel for fostering healthy attachment, empowering autonomy and self-advocacy, and connecting with the body. Swimming can be intensely therapeutic, and it is my belief that those that are open to the transformational experience of learning a new skill will grow in many areas.
Please note that School of Fish teaches basic swimming skills like safety around water and efficiently getting to the side of the pool in the event of falling in using coordinated arm and leg movements. For more advanced stroke development, I am happy to help connect you with an organization that is right for your needs.
Our History
School of Fish Nashville is my passion project.
Hi there! My name is Gabby. I took a part-time swim instructor job at a local YMCA when I was in high school and fell in love with empowering children and adults to trust their instincts and bodies, their connection with their instructor, and their ability to slowly and gently move through even the most paralyzing of fears. I continued this work through college, and the rest, as they say, is history.
About Gabby
I almost drowned at the beach one day when I was five. When I entered swim lessons soon after, my twin sister Sarah seemed to move up level after level, and eventually she made it to the swim team. All the while, I was swimming with the two- and three-year-olds who would not put their face in the water or lift their feet up off the bottom of the pool for months, maybe years, if memory serves. I wanted to swim, wanted to push off the wall and just go, but my body froze every time I tried. One day when I was playing at the pool, a young girl who was probably about twelve, approached me and said she understood why I was scared, but there was a way to find safety around water again. Slowly and meticulously she guided me through slowly lifting each arm and leg away from concrete support, and eventually I was able to trust her for support. I put my face in the water and allowed myself to float at the top! I didn't sink or become trapped; I didn't drown. I learned how to swim almost seamlessly after that day, and all it took was one person, a stranger whose name I sadly can't recall, to show me that I could trust my body and the water again. I could trust another person when they promised they were supporting me. To this day, this is one of the most significant positive formative experiences of my childhood. It is a joy and an honor to be this person for others.
Hello! I'm so glad you're here!
My name is Gabby Depalo. I have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, and I have been working with children for over a decade in the pool and in the classroom. I have more than seven years of swim instructor experience, along with five years of Lifeguard/CPR instructor experience. I also have taught in multiple preschools, including a Reggio-inspired and Montessori School. I teach from a trauma-informed, conscious discipline framework, according to the conviction that children are human beings who are inherently worthy of respect and care, and they don't have to do anything to earn our love. I also believe that children are more capable than we as a society give them credit for, and it is often the intervention of adults that limits them. I combine these beliefs with a challenging, yet positive environment, so that children of all ages can hone in on their own ability to learn and grow.
I am also passionate about teaching teens and adults, especially those who didn't have access to swim lessons as children and/or experience fear around the water. The youngest person I ever taught was six months and the oldest was 88 years old. I have experience teaching those with additional physical/mental/emotional support needs. Wherever you are in your learning to swim journey, I can promise to meet you where you are, and offer support throughout the process.
If anything on this page has connected with you or your family, I would love to connect with you!