Member Priority Registration for Swim Lessons
Active NECC Members get early access to our most in demand programs! Review the instructions below to learn how to use this membership benefit.
Registration for Winter Lessons opens at 12pm – Dec 10 for members and Dec 12 for everyone
Key Dates to Remember
- Friday Before: Last day to purchase, renew, or reactivate a membership
- Monday Before: Registration link emailed to members
- Tuesday at 12:00 PM: Member registration opens
- Thursday at 12:00 PM: General registration opens
Step-by-Step Instructions for Member Registration
1 - Set Up Your PerfectMind Account
- NECC uses two separate systems: one for memberships (MindBody) and one for swim lessons (Perfect Mind).
- Swim lessons are managed through Perfect Mind, a separate system from membership.
- You need a Perfect Mind account to register for swim lessons. Even if your NECC membership is active, you won’t have access until you create this separate account.
- Tip: If you haven’t set up a Perfect Mind account from a past session, create one before registration day to avoid delays.
2 - Look for Your Registration Link (Monday)
- Check your email for a private registration link sent to the email address on your membership account.
- The swimmer must have an active membership to get early access.
- Can’t find it? Check your spam and promotions folder before contacting the front desk for help.
3 - Use the Private Link to Register (Tuesday)
- Only this link allows early access to swim lesson sign-ups.
- The lessons won’t appear if you try to register through the regular website.
- If firewalls block the link, copy and paste the text version (included in the email) into your browser.
4 - Contact Front Desk if You Need Assistance
- Phone: (503) 284-3377
- Email: frontdesk@necommunitycenter.org
- We highly recommend checking your login works and that you have received the link before 11am on Tuesday. If you have trouble during the 12pm rush, call our front desk as soon as possible.
Helpful Tips
- Spots fill fast! Some lessons may fill within minutes, so plan ahead.
- Membership gives you priority access but does not guarantee a spot in lessons.
- If you need help, reach out before 12pm on Tuesday so we have time to assist you.
- If you have trouble during the 12pm registration process, call our front desk ASAP at (503) 284-3377
Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTRATION PROCESS
How do I use PerfectMind?
You can find detailed instructions on how to use PerfectMind on our website at necommunitycenter.org/online-registration
Does the PerfectMind account I make need to have my child’s name?
We recommend setting up the account under your own name and adding children as family members after, as well as any additional parents/guardians.
I am an NECC member, but my child is not. Can I sign them up during priority registration?
No. In order to sign up during our early registration period, the person being enrolled in the activity needs to have an active NECC membership. This means that parents with a Single Adult or 2 Adult membership cannot sign up their children until transferring to a 1 Adult + Youth or 2 Adult + Youth membership. Click here to see what family packages we have available and contact our front desk if you are interested in upgrading.
I am an NECC Member and I did not receive the private registration link.
The only way to access the registration system before the scheduled Non Member registration time is to go through the private link we emailed to all members. If it is member registration day and you are a current member who did not receive the link, call our Front Desk at 503-284-3377
We also recommend checking your spam and promotions folders, as well as any other email addresses that you or your child’s membership could be listed under.
Will I be able to see the available lessons before registration opens?
We post the full swim lesson schedule to our website (necommunitycenter.org/swim-lessons) as soon as it has been confirmed for the session. When the priority link is sent out to members, you will be able to see all the lessons there too, you just won’t be able to sign up for them until exactly 12pm on Tuesday.
I have a PerfectMind account, but am unable to log in. I’ve tried resetting the password, but it still will not let me log in.
Sometimes entering the wrong password too many times will lock users out of their PerfectMind accounts. Unfortunately, the system doesn’t really explain that this is what is happening, so it will seem like you are stuck in an endless loop of resetting your password.
If this happens to you, contact our front desk as soon as possible to get your account unlocked: (503) 284-3377 or frontdesk@necommunitycenter.org
I’m trying to sign up for a lesson, but it is telling me there is a missing prerequisite. What does this mean?
This likely means that the person you are trying to sign up is outside of the lesson’s age range. Our lessons are intentionally split up by ages and it is not common that we make exceptions to these limits. If you would like to discuss this with someone, feel free to reach out to our Aquatics Manager at aquatics@necommunitycenter.org
If they are the right age for the lesson and you are still seeing this notice, double check that you entered a birthday for them. If the birthday field is left blank, this warning will appear.
QUESTIONS ABOUT LESSON STRUCTURE
My child has not had lessons at NECC before, what class should they take?
The NECC uses the Red Cross swim level categories. You can find them on our website in English and Spanish. If you are having a difficult time understanding the descriptions and categories online you can always reach out to our Aquatics Manager at aquatics@necommunitycenter.org.
Why are the swim instructors still teaching from out of the water?
We still offer some lessons out of the water both due to staffing and because we have found there are positive elements to having families in the water together during a swim lesson. Parents are able to learn water safety along with their children as well as common teaching techniques that can be used even when children are not in a swim lesson program.
If I sign two kids up for a swimming with support lesson, do I need to bring two adults?
While we do recommend having one adult for each child in our Swimming with Support lessons, we realize that this is not possible for all families. Our instructors have taught parents with two kids before and have been able to make progress.
What is your refund policy?
Our refund policies can be found on our website necommunitycenter.org/refunds
QUESTIONS ABOUT LESSON AVAILABILITY
Is it really hard to get into lessons?
It depends on your child’s age and level. Some levels, such as Level 2 and 3 are in very high demand at this moment and with the size of our pool we can only offer so many lessons at a time, which restricts our ability to serve everyone who is looking for swim lessons.
Why do the classes fill up so fast? Why can’t you add more classes for more availability?
The current demand for swim lessons in the Portland area and the lack of access to swim lesson programs means that there are more people than we can accommodate with our facility. We have a relatively small pool and offer as many classes we can, given the space and the number of instructors that we have.
What is the likelihood of being enrolled off the waitlist?
It is difficult to predict whether or not other families will withdraw from lessons. Sessions with a wider gap between registration and the start of lessons generally see some changes, but once lessons begin there tends to be little movement in the waitlist.
When we call waitlists prior to the start of classes we will call each person on the list and give them a day or so to respond, but once classes start, we will call straight through the waitlist, and it will be the first person to respond who will get the spot. There is no penalty for not being able to take the lesson if it is offered, so we recommend adding yourself to the waitlist just in case.
Do you offer private swim lessons?
We typically only offer private swim lessons during times we would not be able to fill up a group lesson. This means that private lessons are often scheduled early in the afternoon, very close to PPS release time. Private lessons follow the same schedule as our group lessons and would also be once a week for a six-seven-week session. Those enrolling in private swim lessons would be required to sign up for the entire session.
If you are interested in signing up for private swim lessons, you can fill out the interest form on our website. The form will ask you about your scheduling parameters, and our Aquatics Manager will reach out if anything becomes available.
