How many times a week do your kids have PE?

[Pin Wizard]

This is one thing I'm unhappy with at DS's new school. They have PE just one day a week. He used to have PE twice a week at his other school, and it really makes a difference in his weight! They haven't even had anything as far as a sport yet since school just started. He's only had one class, and he says they ran around the gym 6 times and then were given basic rules they have to follow. End of class. Somehow, I just know the size of the gym is much smaller than the field they used to run laps around.

So I'm curious how many PE classes your kids have each week. Thanks!

Edit: Just mentioned to DS that if he has PE just once a week, then the second weekly period must be used for something else. He said they have Spanish twice a week. Seems backwards to me!! In Florida he had Spanish once a week...where there is a LOT of Spanish spoken!! Here in Virginia, I don't think I've heard too many people speak Spanish yet. Can't think of one actually, but I'm sure I'll cross someone.

 

[Otto's Doll]

Hi Sandy,
Kari (4th grade) has gym on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all year. Otto (6th grade) has gym every day for 2 semesters, then not at all for 2 semesters. I am not crazy about that schedule. I would prefer he had gym every other day for the whole year. I guess they do it this way because there are so many students, and they only have so many lockers. (The kids only get a locker during the semesters they have gym.)

 

[monarchsfan16]

When I was in elementary and middle school we had gym class 1 day a week all year every year. When I got to high school, it changed to every day, for one semester, in freshman and sophomore years. Now that I'm a senior, no gym class at all.

 

[mudnuri]

It's a bit confusing here in our school district, but let me see if I can explain it.

Elementary kids- have phys ed 2x a week-my 2nd grader- mon/thurs, my 3rd grader, tues/thurs. They also- 1-4th have recess every day 27 minutes....Kindergartners have 2 recess a day (full day).

In middle and high school, they go on a A/B schedule, one week, 3 A's 2 B's, next week, 2 A's, 3 B's (get it?).....

So one week, they have gym 3x a week, the next 2x a week etc...

Our community has a high percentage of overweight kids, as well as a very high poverty rate....(yes, these do go hand in hand in some studies)....having gym no less than 2 times a week helps these kids get some activity.

The school system also has health classes from 1st grade on up, and they discuss everything under the sun that could do anything with health...including physical activity, weight training (older kids) etc...

I know some districts elsewhere have cut PE from their budgets, I'm thankful that our Town residents vote our school budgets on the first try. WE may have the highest tax rate in the state, but we've also got pretty good services...

Brandy

 

[Pin Wizard]

I agree with you, Brandy, on the weight of kids in this country. At his school last year, he won the Presiden't Physical Fitness award for the boys in class. Yea! And being that he's diabetic, he NEEDS another class! It not only affects his weight but his blood sugars also. An alternative is to get him on a team sport. Track after school would be wonderful! However, if he stays, he then cannot take the bus home. Also then puts on the crunch to pick him up. Not a problem now being unemployed. (Where's that job??) But once working, it becomes a problem to pick him up.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

3 days, here

 

[Mimi Q]

She had it one day a week in elementary school. Hasn't had PE at all in middle school. One PE teacher for the whole middle school, so some kids do have it.

 

[pjlla]

ACTUALLY, I didn't vote in the poll because my answer isn't there. My kids have PE once every six school days. Their "specials" (art, PE, music, library, computer) are on a six day rotation.... so if they have PE on monday this week, it will be on Tuesday the next week. It is a REAL pain in the neck to try to remember to dress DD correctly on gym days! I wish they had all of these things on a 5 day rotation so that it was a regular schedule (like PE on Mondays, library Tuesdays, etc)........P

 

[luvflorida]

high school- according to my daughter, too many days!

They alernate blue/white days. So one week, she has gym two days a week, (every other day), and the other week, three days. They have to have two semesters of P.E., but one of the semesters can be dance instead of P.E. Thank goodness because she loves dance, but hates gym class. See thread about that one!

 

[mudnuri]

I agree with you, Brandy, on the weight of kids in this country. At his school last year, he won the Presiden't Physical Fitness award for the boys in class. Yea!

I still have my certificate from 6th grade !!!

An alternative is to get him on a team sport. Track after school would be wonderful! However, if he stays, he then cannot take the bus home. Also then puts on the crunch to pick him up. Not a problem now being unemployed.

do they not have a late bus? We have these here for Middle/High school kids who either play sport or are in special programs, drama, etc...

One other thing you might want to check out is if your town/city has a Recreation Department. I am the Recreation Director for the Town we live in, and every season we have at least 1 sport offering. Now, we're VERY recreational about it, these kids learn early that winning isnt everything. But we play other area teams. Right now, we're in the midst of Soccer....from Pre-K thru 6th Grade. Depending on the age of the kid- its from 1-3 times a week, usually 5:30 is the earliest practice/game. My DD's 2nd and 3rd grade, are 2 nights a week, 5:30-6:30 for Practices, and games start at 6pm. If they have 2 games- no practice et.... less time consuming!....

Good luck to you both, him finding something to be invovled in, and you finding your job!....I know the feeling, I spent about 2 months looking for a new one, as this one is part time now that summers over, and it puts just too much of a strain on a winter budget here in Vermont!...

Brandy

 

[LisaTx]

Chelsea is in Jr high and I've actually pulled her out of pe. She dances so much that we decided to have her do off campus pe. She gets out of school an hour early and we use that time for homework. She is required to have 15 hours a week of activity to get out of school early. She takes about 12 1/2 hours of classes and is an assistant teacher for the another 3 or 4 hours. She dances 6 days a week. When preparing for a competition it goes to 7 days a week.

If she didn't do off campus pe, she would have athletics or pe 5 days a week. In high school they have an AB schedule so it would be 2 days one week and 3 days the next week.

I'm pretty sure our elementaries still have pe 5 days a week except for an occasional day of art. I think they only get art only once or twice every 6 weeks.

 

[Pin Wizard]

PJ...Wow! That can get confusing. I would have to mark the days on my calendar. I already do that for his lunches. This school is sooooooooooooooooooo different. But I have been warned by several people to keep him out of the public middle schools in this town. So he's in a private school. No late buses.

Brandy...Thanks! I'll look into parks & rec. Maybe they'll have something. I am trying to stay away from the YMCA. DS HATES it there! Actually, I wouldn't mind volleyball for me through P&R. Congrats on your certificate!!!

 

[HollyJoy]

Twice a week here in elementary school.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Lisa...Wow! Your daughter is a dancer! Those are great pictures of your kids by the way. I'm sure she gets plenty of exercise. When I worked at a hospital in FL, the Risk Manager's daughter was active all the time with ice skating...skating, competing, and instructing. The RM said that her daughter made more $$ per hour than she did!

 

[nkjzmom]

I'm pretty sure our elementary schools here have PE everyday. They learn all sorts of sports/games. Last week they were learning to play horseshoes.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We had PE MWF one week and T/TH the next week. Freshman year we rotated with Health class (required). After that we just had study hall on non-PE days.

 

[LisaTx]

Thanks. Yes, she's in pretty good shape. She's made $20 per hour teaching privates before. Not bad for a kid, huh?

Maybe your ds could try soccer. That seems like a great workout.

Perhaps you could find an older teen that would like to make a few bucks picking your son up after school if he needed to stay late for sports?

Does your town have an indoor pool? I know we have one that's open year-round.

Just trying to come up with some ideas for you.

 

[janette]

My 12yo DD is also doing external PE this year, we're having a few issues because of scheduling but hopefully it will all work out. She has 12 hours a week scheduled and will be taking some additional hours but since they aren't weekly she may have to add another elective. The middle school does have PE every day but she's always hated it.

The elementary school only has PE once in 5 days, I'm looking into other activities for her since she could use the exersize but she doesn't like Dance. I think we're going to do Karate or something similiar and see if she likes it.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

grade school alternates every other day with music.

High Schooler has PE every day for 6 days and then on the 7th day has a religion class.

 

[tiggerlover]

Hi Sandy! DS is in elementary school, his last school he had gym one day a week and recess twice a day, so even though gym was limited he at least could run around at recess. At his new school he has PE every day and no recess, so I guess it balances out.

Childhood obesity is at an all time high in the US, especially in Virginia Beach. There was a huge thing in the paper a few weeks ago about the problem of overweight kids in this area. They stated that 61% of 5th grade girls are "obese" and that the numbers are increasing every year. These figures came from an advisory board that was presenting its findings to the administration and the administration was supposedly looking into it.

Since after school sports isn't an option I would definitely look into the rec centers in your area. We joined the local rec center here and they have some great programs. I did a quick search for you and came up with this http://www.newport-news.va.us/parks/rec1.htm I am not sure if this is closest to you or not, but I guess it is a start.