While most teachers spend their breaks catching up on grading, grabbing lunch or taking a moment to rest, a small group of Redwood teachers throw on their swimsuits and dive into the pool. For them, swimming isn’t just exercise—it’s a reset button, a moment to themselves and a quiet break from the commotion of school life.
World history teacher and swim enthusiast Corin Greenberg is part of the North Bay Aquatics Masters program, swimming in the mornings each weekday as early as 5:30 a.m., in the Redwood pool. Along with the benefit of beating morning traffic, Greenberg has noticed her swim skills improving and translating into other aspects of her life.
“I’ve improved a lot just from swimming here and have learned a lot from swimming that I bring into my life. The coaches always say [that] your stroke should be easy, light and smooth; swimming harder doesn’t always mean faster, so they teach us to be calm and glide. I was pretty slow, and it’s not like I’m fast now, but instead of being at the end of the pool, I’m in the middle now, and it’s been really inspiring,” Greenberg said.
AP African American history teacher Nikolai Butkevich also uses the Redwood pool, but instead of before school, he swims during lunch Tuesday through Friday.
“[Swimming at lunch] is just kind of like an open secret,” Butkevich said. “Some people have keys to the secret, and if you find out about it, then you can join. [The pool] is not taken advantage of enough because of how good swimming is for your health.”
For Butkevich, these few laps offer a rare moment of solitude during a regularly packed day.
“It’s the only 20 minutes a day that I have to myself, and it’s the only time I’m really actually alone,” Butkevich said. “Being in the water with my own lane makes me feel there’s no one else around, and [that feeling] is really important to me.”
With a three-year-old child at home and the constant business of school each day, these moments offer a sense of clarity for Butkevich. Greenberg echoes this statement, acknowledging that swimming helps her energy in the classroom.
“Even though I’m waking up probably slightly earlier to go to the pool, I just have more energy and am more productive,” Greenberg said. “I’m definitely happier and more energetic.”
Butkevich notices the difference on days when he doesn’t swim.
“Normally, I’m pretty excited in the morning, but by the afternoon classes, I’m just kind of going through the motions, to be honest, because I don’t have a chance to swim. [Swimming] does make a difference in my mood,” Butkevich said.
Principal Barnaby Payne shares the same appreciation for the water, though his routine is a little different. After school, Payne heads to San Francisco’s Dolphin Swimming and Boating Club where he’s been swimming in the cold bay for decades.
“I’m definitely one of those people where I’m always happier if I’m making that time to get a workout in or some exercise,” Payne said. “I’ve been swimming at [The Dolphin Swimming and Boating Club] since the 90s. It’s really awesome and we have our own little community down there.”
Payne sees that connection between movement and mindset as something that everyone can benefit from, not just teachers.
“What I hope for Redwood students is that despite all their hard work in school, they find ways to take care of their physical health,” Payne said. “That can be, for some kids, just taking a walk or going for a bike ride all the way up to competitive sports.”
For Payne, Greenberg and Butkevich, swimming isn’t just about staying in shape; it’s what helps them reset. From early morning workouts to quick lunchtime dips, the water gives them a chance to slow down and recharge. It keeps them productive and their moods positive, both in and out of the classroom, and reminds them that sometimes the best way to move forward is to glide.
