JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley hopes to expand its award-winning elementary water safety program through a grant.

The school board Monday night approved Mike Manipole, a middle school health teacher, to apply for and, if approved, disburse a $10,000 Step into Swim campaign grant from the National Swimming Pool Foundation.

The grant would allow the district to award scholarships for children to get swim lessons at local pools, said Sean McCarty, assistant superintendent for K-6 instruction.

The grant also would help cover some of the existing costs to bus the children to the community pools, and allow the district to provide more materials and resources for parents, McCarty said. Currently the school district covers all costs for the program.

“That’s something I’m really excited about,” said Manipole, who developed the water safety program. “A lot of people could take advantage of the swim lessons.”

This is the third year for the district’s elementary water safety program. During the last weeks of school, students in grades 1 to 4 from Rowan, Haine, Connoquenessing and Evans City elementary schools go to their local community pools in Cranberry, Zelienople and Evans City to learn about water and swim safety.

The children don’t get in the water or learn to swim, but learn boat safety, assessing the weather, open water safety, community pool rules and the role of lifeguards. Students get to see lifeguards perform a mock rescue in the pool, and learn about buoyant items they could throw in the pool to help someone who is struggling.

Manipole said the program is especially important to this age group as accidental drowning is one of the leading causes of death for elementary-age children.

“It’s great to think that our district is playing some role in protecting our children’s lives and protecting the interests of our families,” Manipole said.

The program was selected as a 2016 Excellence in Recreation and Parks Award winner by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society. Manipole and McCarty said the program has been extremely well-received in the community and continues to grow in popularity and acceptance.

Manipole said he hopes to hear back about the grant later in the spring.