High Schools Mull Expanded Phys Ed Exemption for Student Athletes

The West Morris Regional High School District’s board of education has voted to have its policy subcommittee consider the expansion of a rule that allows students to take advantage of a physical education exemption during the school year, but was not a unanimous decision and met with resistance from teachers.

The current policy allows for seniors at West Morris Central and Mendham high schools to be exempt from one marking period of physical education class if he or she plays a sport during the school year. Also under current policy is an exemption allowance of one marking period for juniors and seniors who participate in a sport not associated with the school, such as those participating in equestrian.

Discussion on the topic began with an expansion proposal that would allow the current policy as well as adding an exemption for seniors who don’t have study hall and play a sport to be physical education free for one semester.

Some members of the board felt it shouldn’t stop there, and the expansion should be wider ranging and move quicker to the masses.

The board voted 5-3 in favor of an expansion for the policy committee to review that would allow both juniors and seniors to exempt the marking period of gym class running concurrent with the sport he or she is participating in. In addition, the number of exemptions would not be limited to one marking period, rather, for every sport played by a student, the same number of marking periods could be gym class free.

“Why should this be limited to seniors? Why should we limit this to just one marking period,” said Mendham Township representative James Button, who made a point of explaining physical education exemption policies were part of his campaign when he initially ran for the board six years ago.

“I think (the limited expansion) is something we should do and move slowly with,” said Washington Township representative and board vice president Lisa Woodring. “This could be a nice perk for seniors and we should see how it goes before opening it up to a broader group.”

If the expansion is implemented, students without a study hall could substitute gym class for that free period, and students already with a study hall could enter an elective course.

“How is that going to work?” said Chester Township representative and board president Gary Lakritz, citing class size and seating, specifically at Mendham High School, which currently has one of the largest enrollments in the building’s history.

“I don’t know,” said Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast, bluntly.

But the logistics didn’t slow the expansion’s support, especially for the Mendham Borough representative Brian Cavanaugh, who recommended the district “go fast” and put the policy through.

For the first time, the district will implement PARCC testing, or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers in 2014, which will take up a month’s worth of time in the library of the school. In Mendham High School, that’s where many study hall students spend their time completing homework and other assignments.

“I don’t believe we should move slowly on this,” Cavanaugh said. “We’ll deal with PARCC when the time comes. The objective is to give kids a lot of help, to give them a pressure release valve.”

Physical Education For Mental Health

Despite a vote that approved the expansion be considered by the policy committee, one physical education teacher from Mendham High School would not go unheard.

“Are we really thinking about physical education?” asked Maria Castro-Alvarez. “Students need an overall variety. A single sport will make you excel at a single exercise; physical education will teach you everything.”

Upon hearing about the possible expansion, Castro-Alvarez took an informal poll with her classes and told the board that 43 of her 66 students would want to stay in physical education class despite the policy availability.

“(Students) told me gym class is where they can be social, relieve stress, and forget the craziness around them for short period of time,” she said. Castro-Alvarez also pointed to data that showed exercise before testing stimulates the brain and increases success rates.

Robin Meyh, another Mendham High School physical education teacher, echoed Castro-Alvarez’s statements, and explained that the current policy isn’t considered all that much to begin with, and more course work for a student could hurt rather than help.

“Right now the students looking for the exemptions (under current policy) are mostly IB kids,” Meyh said, citing 73 in Mendham and another 20 in Central. “It’s a low number of students. And if they already have a study hall and exempt gym class, pick up an elective, won’t that add to their course load, which will add more stress?”

Board members dissenting on the vote were Tom Richar, Woodring, and Lakritz. Approving votes came from Marcia Asdal, John Meyer, Donald Storms, Cavanaugh, and Button. Joe Galayda was absent.

Should the expansion of the physical education class exemption policy go forward?