Splash | Safety Director

Meet our Safety Director, Splash! Though he has been part of the Barron family since 2017, he actually found us by accident. It was a nice, cold, and sunny day in the Arctic Circle, and Splash was going for a swim with all of his friends. They were having so much fun! At least, they were, until a storm rolled in. They all scrambled onto to the nearest iceberg to find safety, but Splash slipped off and fell in the water! He was scared, and had no idea what to do. But Splash was never one to give up! Even though he couldn’t see because of the water in his eyes, he picked a direction and started to swim. He swam for days and days, often floating on his back to take a rest and catch his breath. Finally, he made it to shore, but he was so far from home, he didn’t know where he was! He decided to keep going farther inland, swimming in lakes, rivers, and making new friends (like Flip from Barron Gymnastics) along the way! He didn’t stop until he got to a big arch. Only then did he feel like he was home. After a few days of exploring the city, he caught word of a swim school being established called Barron Swim School. Splash knew that he had to be a part of it, and the rest is history! Now, he serves as our Safety Director and absolutely loves his job! From Safety Circles to Polar Bear Floats, Splash knows all about water safety and is always ready to lend a helping paw. In his free time, he likes to swim and spend time with his Barron family. His favorite candy is Swedish Fish!

Jack Y. | Director of Operations

Green Lane 

Since before the opening of our first location in 2016, Coach Jack has been working for Barron Swim School. At first, he was South County’s Aquatics Director, and now he is  the Director of Operations for both locations. Jack has always had a passion for swimming due to joining his local swim team at the age of four and continuing to swim throughout his high school years. That passion was cultivated further as he went on to coach all levels of swim, starting with novice level swimmers up to Olympic Trial swimmers. Jack has coached in various locations over the past 25 years for the USA Swimming Club, including St. Louis, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas. When coaching, his favorite strokes to teach are Breaststroke and the Individual Medley (IM). In his free time, he enjoys reading about Western European history, running, and cheering on his favorite football team (GO STEELERS!). His favorite candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and he likes them best when frozen!

Lauren H. | General Manager

Red Lane

Miss Lauren has been a part of Barron Swim School | South County since the December of 2016. She has taken on many different roles and now oversees the South County location as our General Manager. She believes the most important aspect of her job is to oversee the progress, development, and evaluations for both the staff and the students. Throughout her childhood she swam competitively for her local and high school swim team. Her years of swimming, growing up in a family of teachers, and often being surrounded by children has helped develop her love of swimming, teaching, and leading others. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband Nikk, their two dogs, Milo and Odie, and staying active through CrossFit and Pilates. Her favorite candies are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and gummy bears!

Sydney P. | Aquatics Director

Blue Lane

Starting as a swim instructor in November of 2017 at Barron Swim School | South County, Ms. Sydney P. moved into the role of Assistant Aquatics Director as well as one of our Program Department Leaders in August of 2022. These positions, as well as prior swim and lifeguard experience, gave her the tools and knowledge she needed in order to become what she is today: our Aquatics Director. Her job responsibilities include making adjustments to lesson plans, training teachers, and assessing the progress of our Swim Team program. Her enjoyment of the job not only stems from the work itself, but also from her younger self’s attendance at Barron Gymnastics! Later on, she started swimming competitively in middle school and high school. When not at work, she enjoys listening to music, spending time with her family, and playing with her two dogs, Bandit and Georgia! Her favorite candy is Twix Bars!

Natalie H. | Office Director

With a background as a Claims Representative at AAA, Mrs. Natalie is no stranger to helping people find solutions to problems. As a Claims Representative, she had to become very efficient in finding the issue with a claim, working with her customers to find even ground, and come to a resolution peacefully between both parties involved. This experience allowed her to gain the perfect set of skills to become Barron Swim School | South County’s Office Director! She is also a Barron Mom herself, which allows her to understand a parent’s perspective when it pertains to their swim education. Natalie firmly believes in our mission, “Building Skills for Life,” and thinks this is what makes her work here worthwhile. Working in a family friendly environment, being a part of helping children learn important life skills, and guiding new hires on how to effectively take on their job responsibilities are just a few of Natalie’s favorite aspects of her job. When not working hard behind the front deck, Natalie enjoys staying active through hot yoga, Pilates, and going to the park or swimming with her husband, Alex, and 4 kids, Sophia, Maverick, Millie, and Charlie. Her favorite candy is Strawberry Sour Straws!

Angie L. | Asst. Office Director

In November of 2021, Mrs. Angie joined the Barron Swim School | South County customer service team. With 12 years of prior customer service experience under her belt, she quickly rose to the position of Assistant Office Director. Angie helps make the front desk and customer service team a well-oiled machine by communicating with parents and mentoring our part-time office staff. One of her favorite parts of the job is being able to see the smiling faces of the students each week as well as watching her son, Arlo, swim with Coach Jack! In her free time, Angie enjoys watching TV shows and movies, playing games, and spending time with her friends and family. Her favorite candies are Kinder Bueno and Twix Bars!

Nikole S. | Asst. Aquatics Director

Light Purple Lane

Ms. Nikole adores her students at Barron Swim School | South County! Each week she strives to grow as a teacher in order to help her students to become confident swimmers and to achieve their goals. Her favorite part about her job is being able to make a positive impact on her students’ lives. Whether that impact be helping her students overcome their fear of water or teaching them to side breathe, Nikole finds all aspects of her job to be equally fulfilling. When not at work, she enjoys involving herself in school activities, playing volleyball, and spending time with friends and family. Her favorite candy is Watermelon Sour Patch Kids!

Sarah H. | Asst. Aquatics Director

Mint Lane

Ms. Sarah believes the best way to learn is to have fun while doing it! This translates into her love of being silly with her students and teaching them important life skills at the same time. Interacting and getting to know each student is her favorite part of the job and it what makes her a fantastic teacher! Sarah strives to make sure each student feels included, safe, and encouraged. When not at work, Sarah enjoys staying active and spending time with friends. Her favorite candy is Gummy Bears!

Leslie J. | Swim Abilities Director

Rainbow Lane

Mrs. Leslie has been working for Barron Swim School | South County since January of 2017. She started as a swim instructor, but found there was a niche in our program that only she could fill, and thus began her journey as Barron’s Swim Abilities Director. Leslie’s passion for teaching children with special needs stems from her years of teaching in the Special School District in Mehlville Schools as well as being the owner and co-owner of Little Gym | South County and Little Gym | West County respectively. These parts of her experiences provided her with the skills she needed fulfill her responsibilities in her role as Swim Abilities Director here at Barron! These responsibilities involve developing and maintaining the Swim Abilities curriculum, hosting Swim Abilities events, and directly training Swim Abilities instructors. However, Leslie believes the most important part of her job is developing a customized lesson plan to each child’s specific learning style and ability. In her free time, Leslie enjoys crafting and spending time with her family, including her dog, Lucy. Her favorite candy is Twizzlers!

Aly D. | Lead Teacher

Orange Lane

Mrs. Aly has been coming to Barron Swim School |  South County with her 6 year old son since he was 9 months old! This experience, as well as coaching soccer for a youth camp and high school, gives her the perfect set of skills to teach her students. Aly understands the parents perspective, and is always willing to help whenever she can. With her goofy personality and strong love of water safety, her top priority is to make her classes fun while helping her students succeed! In her free time, Aly enjoys all things soccer (she even played in college!), spending time with her family, and playing with her two dogs and three cats. Her favorite candy is Reese’s!

Emma W. | Lead Teacher

Light Blue Lane

Ms. Emma W. is rarely seen without a smile! With her fun, bubbly, and kind personality, she helps her students become more comfortable with being in the class, the water, and the pool environment. She believes that there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a child achieve a skill that they were at first afraid of, knowing that she helped them overcome that fear and guided them towards being safer in and around the water. When not in the pool, Emma loves spending time with her friends, playing volleyball, and working on at-home projects. Her favorite candy is Twix Bars!

Kyle B. | Lead Teacher

Brown Lane

Coach Kyle loves helping his students grow and succeed in a safe and positive environment! Through Kyle’s experience working as an Assistant Teacher at The Goddard School as well as being an Early Childhood and Elementary Education major at Maryville University, he has discovered that one of his favorite parts about teaching is watching his students accomplish their milestones and goals that they have been working so hard to achieve! His biggest strengths as a teacher are his dedication to safety, creating an encouraging environment, and always bringing fun to any class! When not in the pool, Kyle enjoys staying active through playing soccer, pickle ball, and golf! His favorite candy is Mini M&M’s!

Amelia W. | Employee of the Month!

Pink Lane 

Ms. Amelia is a very kind and positive leader in and outside of the pool! Her previous work at The Little Gym as a gymnastics instructor in congruence with lifeguard experience cultivated her love of watching kids gain new skills that they have worked so hard to achieve. Amelia’s greatest strengths as a teacher are her ability to keep class safe, making learning fun, and always being kind and caring! In her free time, she often spends time with her two dogs, Margi and Miko! Her favorite candy is Nerd’s Gummy Clusters!

Ashlyn C.

Peach Lane

Ms. Ashlyn always wants to be able to connect with her students! Prior to her experience working at Barron, Ashlyn was a ballet coach, swim instructor, and life guard! Through her working experiences, she has learned how to be patient, how to create an encouraging learning environment, and how to bring positivity to any class that she is in! One of her favorite parts of the job is being able to celebrate the small and big victories with the kids! When not in the water, Ashlyn is hard at work getting her Physical Therapy Degree and enjoys spending time with her cat, Pistachio. Her favorite candy is Reese’s!

Ava B.

Light Purple Lane

Ms. Ava absolute loves fostering her students’ creativity! She has worked for her church’s Vacation Bible School Program for almost five years as well as a Teaching Assistant for her school’s A+ tutoring program. Through these experiences, she has developed patience with kids and an interest in hearing about their lives! In her free time, Ava plays Lacrosse for her high school, spends time with her family (she’s actually a triplet!), and enjoys traveling. Her favorite candy is Haribo Coca Cola Gummies!

Blair M.

Green Lane

Ms. Blair loves working with kids! She began by babysitting for family and friends before moving on to become a camp counselor for 3 years! During those years, she was also a lifeguard and a youth waterpolo coach, which she herself played throughout high school! This knowledge combined with a goofy personality are what make Blair a one-of-a-kind teacher! In her spare time, she likes to go on hikes, play waterpolo, and spend time with her 3 cats, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Katniss. Her favorite candy is Sour Patch Kids!

Brett J.

Black Lane

Coach Brett truly loves teaching here at Barron Swim School | South County! Through his swim teaching experience, Brett has come to enjoy working with children. His favorite part, along with watching them grow and progress each lesson, is seeing his students’ smiling faces as soon as they walk through the door. However, where Brett truly shines as a teacher is through his eagerness and willingness to communicate with his students in such a way that they are enjoying the class while improving their skills as swimmers! When not in the pool, he likes to read, spend time with his family, and travel to new places. His favorite candy is Skittles!

Claire K.

Light Pink Lane 

Ms. Claire is genuinely a team player! Growing up, her mother ran an in-home daycare, which gifted her with an enormous amount of experience working with younger aged children. Through this experience, she gained the hardworking, encouraging, and optimistic mindset she is known for and is able to apply that mindset inside and outside of the pool. Her favorite part of her job is being able to work with the kids and teach them a valuable skill! When not at work, she likes to spend her free time playing softball, going on walks with her 3 boxers, Rubble, Rocky, and Skye, and going to the lake. Her favorite candies are M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Milky Ways!

Darcy G.

Lime Green Lane

Ms. Darcy loves working with children of all ages in and out of the pool! She has been a swimmer for most of her life and currently competes on Oakville High School’s swim and water polo teams. Along with her swimming background comes her experience working with children. Darcy often babysits her younger cousins and absolutely adores doing so! These two experiences in her life have taught her the patience and dedication she needs in order to help students focus on their skills while also having fun! In her free time, she likes to hang out with her 3 older sisters and her pet ferret, Mako. Her favorite candy is Nerds Gummy Clusters!

Delaney R.

Purple Lane 

Ms. Delaney loves Barron! When she was little, she swam on Barron Swim School | South County’s swim team, making her a legacy teacher! Having this firsthand experience with our program helps her connect and bond with her students, and she enjoys being able to now teach them all of the skills she learned during her time her as a student. Her favorite part of teaching is being able to watch her students learn new things and the excitement that comes with achieving a skill. When not in the water, Delaney is hard at work in school while being involved in various school activities: Student Council, cross country, pole vaulting, and wrestling. In her spare time she often plays with her dog, Macie. Her favorite candy is Twix!

Emma S.

Teal Lane

Ms. Emma S. believes that making a positive impact on children’s lives while teaching them a valuable life skill is one of the most important things that she will ever do! She loves that Barron Swim School | South County is a place where children can have fun, be themselves, and learn in a safe and encouraging environment. Emma’s favorite part about teaching is working with her students, watching them grow, and seeing the excitement on their faces when they gain a new skill. Along with her passion for teaching children comes a passion for swimming, and for 8 years she has been a competitive swimmer!  When not at work, she enjoys playing club volleyball and spending time with her friends, family, and two dogs, Oreo and Bailey. Her favorite candy is Kit Kats!

Hannah T.

Pink Lane 

Ms. Hannah is always ready teach with a big smile and positive attitude! Through being a life guard and swim instructor at the YMCA, a coach for Upward Cheer, and working with kids at her church, Hannah truly loves helping kids achieve their goals while teaching them important life skills! She strives to always teach with patience, passion, and perseverance. One of her favorite parts about being a swim instructor at Barron Swim School | South County, is being able to watch her students grow both as swimmers and people! In her free time, Hannah enjoys going for walks, spending time with her family, and playing with her cat, Azula. Her favorite candy is Gummy Bears!

Jessie H.

Blue Lane 

Ms. Jessie has a passion for working with children! She quickly learned from her first ever job, a camp-counselor, that she loves working with kids and never wants to stop! Ms. Jessie is a ray of sunshine and positivity in the water, never shying away from being goofy with the kids. Her favorite part about teaching at Barron Swim School | South County is watching each student grow and succeed in class! Outside of work, Jessie enjoys going to music concerts with friends and spending time with her family pets. Her favorite candy is Kit-Kats!

Kara G.

Rainbow Lane

Ms. Kara is an integral part of our swim abilities program! She has a great passion for teaching, which can be seen in not only her work here at Barron Swim School | South County, but also in her work as a high school math teacher! But her teaching experience does not stop there. For 17 of the 19 years she has been a teacher in regular schools, she has also taught swim lessons on top of lifeguarding!  Her favorite part about teaching swim lessons is being able to create a safe, fun, and encouraging environment for her students to be able to learn all there is to know about water safety. When not teaching, Kara juggles a 6 person household consisting of herself, her husband, and their four kids, and that is not including their two dogs! In her free time, she enjoys going for walks outdoors and swimming. Her favorite candies are Carmello’s and M&M’s!

Karly C.

Miss Karly loves working with children and has been doing so for years! She grew up working with children in ministries and helping out the nursery at church! She also helps out at children’s basketball camps during the summer! Karly’s favorite part about working with children is witnessing them grow and learn new things. In the water, Miss Karly is very kind and patient with all the students. She constantly has a smile on her face and strives for each kid to have a great class! In her free time, Karly plays basketball, volleyball, and spends time with her family. At home, Karly has dogs, cats, fish, and even chickens! Her favorite candy is Nerds Gummy Clusters!

Kelly R.

Lime Green Lane

Mrs. Kelly has been working with children for over 20 years! Her experience in Early Childhood and Elementary education has greatly prepared for being an amazing teacher here at Barron Swim School | South County. From the younger levels of our Parent & Tot program through our upper level classes, Kelly is awesome with teaching children of any age. Her favorite part of the job is working with her students, helping them learn, and watching as they develop an important life skill! When not in the pool, you can say hello to her at the front desk as well! In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and 5 kids. (One is actually our general manager Ms. Lauren!) Her favorite candy is Dove Milk Chocolate with Almonds!

Kendall A.

Ms. Kendall loves working with kids! For the past 3 years, she has been a babysitter and nanny families in her neighborhood as well as coaching little league softball and wrestling. These experiences working with kids have given Kendall the skills she needs in order to keep her classes fun and focused. Not only is she awesome with class management, but she is amazing at making her students feel comfortable in the water and alleviating their fears! Her favorite part of teaching is, of course, working with the kids, and she believes it is the best part of her day! When not in the pool, Kendall loves to play softball, wrestle for her high school wrestling team, and spend time with her two dogs, Harley and Axle. Her favorite candy is Watermelon Sour Patch Kids!

Lulu M.

Red Lane

Ms. Lulu has spent a lot of time around kids and adores getting to know them! She has worked as a babysitter and at a trampoline park, which allowed her to cultivate her love of working with children. Through her prior experience, she gained the skill of patience, the ability to creatively solve problems, and the knowledge of how to motivate children so they can succeed! When not at work, she enjoys playing lacrosse, spending time with her 3 siblings, and playing with her border collie, Waylon. Lulu’s favorite candy is Nerds Gummy Clusters!

Madeline B.

Ms. Madeline loves to bring her positive energy to any class she is in! Through her experiences teaching children Martial Arts, working at her church’s Vacation Bible School Program, and teaching Paint Parties through her National Art Honor Society Club, Maddy truly believes that the best way to help children succeed is through encouragement and positivity! When not at work, she enjoys drawing, painting, and reading! Her favorite candy is Peach Rings!

Mary S.

Mint Lane 

Ms. Mary loves working with children! Before becoming a swim instructor, Mary was a full-time nanny for years. She enjoys watching children learn new things and helping them to improve! Mary’s nurturing personality makes children feel very comfortable with her in the water. She also loves to be goofy with the children and make them laugh! Ms. Mary was a competitive swimmer for 12 years! In her free time, she enjoys gardening, sewing, and playing with her cat, Padme. Her favorite candy is Sour Patch Kids!

McKenna G.

Peach Lane

Ms. McKenna is considered a legacy at Barron! She used to take swim lessons here when she was little and even made it all the way up to our swim team! With this experience as well as a competitive swim background, McKenna is able to connect with the students on a deeper level. She knows how challenging learning how to swim can be, and she uses that knowledge to make sure each child in the class is safe and comfortable! In her free time, McKenna enjoys swimming, going to the lake, and spending time with her friends and family! Her favorite candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!

Natalie Y.

Yellow Lane

Ms. Natalie Y. loves getting to know her students! With her prior experience teaching swim at the Arnold Rec Center as well as tutoring students at her old elementary school, Natalie believes that learning about her students’ lives is one of the best parts of her job. It allows her to connect with the kids in a positive way, helping her to better understand how to teach them! Her strengths as a teacher stem from this positivity and lets her show off her fun and energetic personality. In her free time, Natalie enjoys reading, spending time with her friends, and supporting her high school’s sports teams. Her favorite candy is Peanut M&M’s!

Nathan S.

Gray Lane

Coach Nathan is the one to count on to make his students smile! Through his goofy sense of humor and positive personality, Nathan loves to have fun with his students in order to make them feel comfortable in the class and in the water. For him, nothing is more important than a child’s trust, and he works to earn that trust every lesson in order to better connect with his students! When not in the water, Nathan enjoys staying active at the gym, spending time with friends, and playing with his 3 dogs, Maggie, Murphy, and Millie. His favorite candy is Watermelon Sour Patch Kids!

Noah S.

Yellow Lane 

Mr. Noah brings his positive energy to every single class! He enjoys watching children achieve new skills and accomplish their goals! Before working at Barron, Noah was a certified lifeguard and he is now in school to become a math teacher! His favorite part of teaching is witnessing children gain confidence and understand what they are learning. In his free time, Noah likes to go hiking, camping, and play video games. He also loves to spend time with his dog, Winston. His favorite candies are Skittles and Starburst!

Norah H.

Maroon Lane

Ms. Norah truly enjoys watching her students learn new things! Her past experience working at the Variety Adventure summer has really helped her find the joy in being hands-on throughout her student’s learning experience in and outside of the pool. Norah’s fun and informative interactions with her kids are what make her a great teacher! Her favorite part about being a teacher at Barron is witnessing a child’s improvement when the different skills finally click for them and they are able to swim independently. In her spare time, Norah enjoys kickboxing, roller skating, and spending time with her cat, Lottie. Her favorite candy is KitKats!

Sydney S.

Teal Lane

Ms. Sydney S. was never a swimmer, but it was her passion for teaching children that led her to joining the Barron Swim School | South County teaching staff in 2019. Her prior experience working with children in daycares and elementary schools, as well as coaching softball, prepared her to become a Lead Teacher two years later. Sydney’s favorite part of her job is being able to make a difference in the lives of her students as well as giving parent’s the peace of mind that their child can and will be safe in and around the water. When not at work, she loves to read, write, and spend time with her friends and family (especially her little nephew Gray and Gussy!). Her favorite candies are Watermelon Sour Patch Kids and Peanut Butter M&M’s!

Avery R.

Ms. Avery loves being able to interact with the children and families here at Barron! Her previous experience working as a Certified Nursing Assistant has helped her to have great communication skills that she uses while working customer service. Avery is always ready to lend a helping hand with a smile on her face! She loves the positive environment here at Barron and enjoys seeing the kid’s progress. In her free time, Avery likes to crochet, go for bike rides, and spend time with friends and family. She is also a coach for the CrossFire South volleyball team. Her favorite candy is Watermelon Sour Patch Kids!

Beth D. | Employee of the Month!

Ms. Beth is a social butterfly that loves to be surrounded by people! She enjoys working customer service because she constantly gets to interact with all of the families! Ms. Beth loves to help people which is another reason she thrives working in customer service. Her favorite part of working at Barron Swim School is the positive atmosphere and interacting with the children. In her free time, Beth likes to play volleyball and spend time with her friends and family. She also has a dog named Piper that she enjoys spending as much time with as she can. Ms. Beth’s favorite candy is Swedish Fish!

Brooke F.

Ms. Brooke’s favorite part of her job is being able to make connections with our students! Seeing them come in excited for their lessons, talking with parents and siblings about weekend plans, or expressing their enjoyment of activities outside of swim are all things Brooke loves about her job at the front desk! She believes that our fun and positive environment helps our students improve on their skills, allows families to feel at ease, and helps employees thrive. To her, these are some of the most important parts of Barron Swim School | South County! In her free time, Brooke loves to run track and cross country, explore nature, and play with her dog, Stark. Her favorite candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!

Camryn F.

Ms. Camryn is always ready to help anyone in need! With previous customer service experience in retail, she has found that she truly enjoys being able to help people and answer any questions they may have. Her favorite part about working at Barron is the family friendly atmosphere, the organization of the program, and being a part of the importance of teaching children such an important life skill! In her free time, Camryn enjoys staying active at the gym, spending time with friends, and taking care of her cat, Leo, and dog, Tucker! Her favorite candy is Reese’s!

Jess G.

Ms. Jess has experience with both customer service and children! Prior to working as a part of Barron Swim School | South County’s customer service team, she worked within the same field at State Beauty Supply. Her passion for working with kids stems from being a dance teacher for children aged 3 to 19 at the Professional Dance Center for 25 years! These two aspects of her life combined provided her with the tools she needed in order to become an integral part of our customer service team. Her favorite part about working at Barron is the fun and positive environment that her fellow coworkers strive to upkeep. When not at work, Jess enjoys dancing, staying active, and spending time with her husband, Ryan, and her son, Mason, who is a swimmer here at Barron! Her favorite candies are Reese’s Pumpkins, Trees, or Eggs!