Petitioning high school for PE exemption... anyone done it?

[pjlla]

I am considering trying to petition my DD's high school for a PE exemption for her. She has already taken one half-year of gym and is required to take another before graduation (she is a sophomore).

She is an swimmer who swims September - March full time (6 days per week) with a YMCA club team that is very competitive. She swims the summer season (May - July) for her club too. She also swims Nov - Feb for her high school team.

I feel like spending time at school learning to play flag football (and getting hurt) and things like that just isn't a good use of her time when she would be VERY HAPPY to be taking something like AP Biology instead. She certainly gets enough physical activity and exercise.

I'm just not sure how to go about approaching the school about this. I KNOW that her friends who are homeschooled can use the club swim time to fulfill their PE requirements by just documenting their time.

Has anyone ever tried this or know how to go about it? Thanks in advance..............P

 

[hambirg]

I don't know about that. Maybe.

I did want to add that I was a swimmer in school too, and all of my PE classes ended up being swimming related. I never took a regular PE class in high school. Is that something that is available to her?

Also, I was always a pool TA. . .you lifegaurd, take roll, pass out towels, check the chemicals or anything else the teacher needs you to do. Is that something she could look into?

 

[okeydokey]

What does your daughter want to do? If she is interested in petitioning, I would start with a call to the main office.

 

[pjlla]

I don't know about that. Maybe.

I did want to add that I was a swimmer in school too, and all of my PE classes ended up being swimming related. I never took a regular PE class in high school. Is that something that is available to her?

Our school does not have a pool. The swim team travels 30-ish minutes to the nearest Y facility (which happens to be my DD's club team pool) for practice 3 mornings a week.

What does your daughter want to do? If she is interested in petitioning, I would start with a call to the main office.

She would LOVE to be excused from gym.... sorry if I didn't make that clear.... this isn't just MY idea. She doesn't mind gym and is generally happy with physical activity.... but she just thinks that it is a waste of her valuable school time to take gym and she is really concerned about a gym injury interferring with her swimming. She was hurt twice in gym last year when they were doing their football rotation.... fortunately they were both relatively minor (jammed finger that swelled and turned purple and a ball to the face).

I think, when you have a child who WANTS to take double math or double science (especially a girl), you should do EVERYTHING in your power to make that happen! I'm not trying to get her excused from gym because she is one of those whiny "I hate gym" types.... she would just rather spend her school time on more academic pursuits. I know that she cannot be excused from gym because of the high school varsity swimming (although in the old days, when I was in HS, we were excused from gym when we were actively involved in a varsity sport), but I think that the 2.5 hours she swims 6 days (not to mention swim meets) per week ought to count for something!

I think I will put a call into the school guidance office and get their take on it, at least to start...............P

 

[DisTeach1]

Well, I know that would never fly at my high school district here in California. We have mandatory 2 years of high school PE and they have to take it.

And yes, we have many, many star athletes who object to wasting their time, playing something that is not focused on their main sport, but that's tough I guess.

My son also swims year round, and he still took PE his first two years.

It's like saying someone is really good in math, so doesn't need Algebra...Well, they still have to take the mandatory math units.

I know that's how it is in CA.

 

[hambirg]

Our school does not have a pool. The swim team travels 30-ish minutes to the nearest Y facility (which happens to be my DD's club team pool) for practice 3 mornings a week.

Yeah, that changes everything. Too bad.

I think it might be worth a try. Call the school and find out. I went to school with a girl that was a competitive ice skater. They allowed her to be exempt, and I think for the reasons you were saying. . .mostly fear of injury.

Good luck.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think students can be exempt here. A friend of mine is planning on trying to get her ds of gym in a couple of years, to take an AP science class, and be able to stay in band. Our district has gym twice a week in elementary, daily in JH/HS, all years. In a couple of years, my dd will have both zero period and no lunch.

 

[HM]

Is their PE, purely PE, no health class or living class thrown in? I'd think she probably could get exempt on a yearly basis if you can prove she's in the activity she's in, as long as she's not missing out on health or living components. Good luck!

We did this for DD in middle school. She was on Tennis team and wanted to do foriegn language and strings and couldn't if she had PE as one of her two 'electives'.

 

[Erin1700]

I think the school would argue that a lot of kids could then want the same thing. Suzy might take dance class 5 times a week or Billy plays club ball just as much. How would they ever verifly all of the kids?

 

[olwyngdh]

I know the owner of my DD8s dance studio has written letters on occasion that excused kids from the HS PE course. I am not sure what all is required though.

 

[pjlla]

Is their PE, purely PE, no health class or living class thrown in? I'd think she probably could get exempt on a yearly basis if you can prove she's in the activity she's in, as long as she's not missing out on health or living components. Good luck!

We did this for DD in middle school. She was on Tennis team and wanted to do foriegn language and strings and couldn't if she had PE as one of her two 'electives'.

She does have to take two half years of Health... one of which she already took last year.... and I am not trying to get an exemption from that. Just the PE portion.

I think the school would argue that a lot of kids could then want the same thing. Suzy might take dance class 5 times a week or Billy plays club ball just as much. How would they ever verifly all of the kids?

Hey.... I'm not saying that Suzy or Billy shouldn't be able to be exempt too.... but I'm not their parent. And honestly, I would like to keep this on the DL around town so as not to start a riot of parents trying to get their child excused for any multitude of reasons.

I believe that her club team coach would probably have to sign off on a weekly/monthly schedule of some sort to verify her hours at practice (and I'm sure that the school would require a certain number of hours to be met). But since the homeschooled kids on the team already do it, it wouldn't really be an added problem for the coach.

Any more ideas/suggestions/questions?.................P

 

[allison443]

My dd's high school "exempts" varisty athletes during their season...but the kids are still signed up for the class, but during that class time they get to have a study hall.

Did you say your dd needs another half year? How would she fit an AP class into half a year?

 

[Kat77]

Our district used to offer PE exemptions but ammended their policy to exempt olympic level training only. They used to require the instructor of an outside sport fill out a form vouching that the child was physically active. Thankfully, my state has recently dropped the PE requirement for HS graduation.

 

[allison443]

The other thing I would mention..is PE a graded class? There was a notorious case in my state a few years ago where a kid got out of PE (medical excuse) and used that time to take AP classes (higher weight given to those grades) while all the other top students had to take PE and receive a "regular weighted" grade. So this student was guaranteed to have an advantage in terms of weighted gpa, class rankings, etc. So if all the top students got all As, this exempt student would have a higher weighted gpa since she wasn't "dragged down" by a regular class.

OP I know that is not your issue at all.

(Yes, some students and parents really do think like this....)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am considering trying to petition my DD's high school for a PE exemption for her. She has already taken one half-year of gym and is required to take another before graduation (she is a sophomore).

She is an swimmer who swims September - March full time (6 days per week) with a YMCA club team that is very competitive. She swims the summer season (May - July) for her club too. She also swims Nov - Feb for her high school team.

I feel like spending time at school learning to play flag football (and getting hurt) and things like that just isn't a good use of her time when she would be VERY HAPPY to be taking something like AP Biology instead. She certainly gets enough physical activity and exercise.

I'm just not sure how to go about approaching the school about this. I KNOW that her friends who are homeschooled can use the club swim time to fulfill their PE requirements by just documenting their time.

Has anyone ever tried this or know how to go about it? Thanks in advance..............P

It is up to your school district. In the district we are at now it is not allowed, period. PE is a requirement of graduation and that is that.

We did petition as my dd transferred from TX which allows waivers and the Mo school district would not accept waiver. She only had 1 semester to do and have to take 2 PE classes and the other "required" state of MO classes. She already had enough credits.

 

[pjlla]

The other thing I would mention..is PE a graded class? There was a notorious case in my state a few years ago where a kid got out of PE (medical excuse) and used that time to take AP classes (higher weight given to those grades) while all the other top students had to take PE and receive a "regular weighted" grade. So this student was guaranteed to have an advantage in terms of weighted gpa, class rankings, etc. So if all the top students got all As, this exempt student would have a higher weighted gpa since she wasn't "dragged down" by a regular class.

OP I know that is not your issue at all.

(Yes, some students and parents really do think like this....)

WEll.... that certainly gives me even more to think about!! Yes, it is a graded class.

You all are giving me much more to think about regarding this..... including issues I have never considered.

If the petition doesn't work out, we may try to get her into an AP Chem or Bio over the summer and then just tolerate the PE in her Junior or Senior year (probably senior, since she would like a light workload that year!).

Keep the thoughts flowing.... this will certainly help me when I am presenting her case to the school!.....................P

 

[pjlla]

My dd's high school "exempts" varisty athletes during their season...but the kids are still signed up for the class, but during that class time they get to have a study hall.

Did you say your dd needs another half year? How would she fit an AP class into half a year?

She took a heavy course load last year and again this year (except for the PE, which she dropped the first week of Sept. to gain a study hall) and will end her Sophomore year with enough credits to enter the next year as a senior (although she wants to attend her full 4 years). She will have the time in her schedule to take an AP class plus a half year class, be it a fine arts requirement or PE. ....................P

 

[suzannews]

My daughter was able to take her PE/health class requirement through Florida Virtual School. Does your state have this? Its basically online school through the state. PE here is more than just playing sports in the gym. She had to submit all of the health essays, projects and quizzes/tests online along with a log of physical activity. She also had to take a CPR class at our own expense and submit the certification form. The teacher called every 2-3 weeks to verify the work was getting done by my daughter (asking questions and quizzing her on the reading assignments) and to make sure she was on track. We had a very good experience with this.

 

[pjlla]

Well, I know that would never fly at my high school district here in California. We have mandatory 2 years of high school PE and they have to take it.

And yes, we have many, many star athletes who object to wasting their time, playing something that is not focused on their main sport, but that's tough I guess.

My son also swims year round, and he still took PE his first two years.

It's like saying someone is really good in math, so doesn't need Algebra...Well, they still have to take the mandatory math units.

I know that's how it is in CA.

Really.... our thought is more like "someone is really good in math and could test OUT of Algebra to be able to go on and take Pre-Calculus".... we aren't trying to get around the rules or bend the rules.... we want to take advantage of the opportunity of her getting the MOST out of her education and it just seems like spending time in PE when she is already in a dedicated physical activity 15 hours a week is just not getting the most of her educational hours....................P

 

[castleview]

The schools around here used to exempt varsity athletes during their season, but they've all gone back to everyone taking the required gym class. It was starting to open a huge can of worms. Gymnasts, dancers and swimmers were asking for exemptions because they were working out with their club teams. Kids who hiked with their parents or did an exercise video at home would even ask for an exemption.

I personally don't see what the big deal is with your daughter taking gym class. She sounds like an overachiever with a tough class load and schedule. Maybe learning a new sport and "playing" is good fun relaxation. Plus I don't think confining yourself to one sport is healthy. Fitness continues long after sports and I've seen so many superb athletes have no clue what to do to stay in shape when they've finished competing.

And please don't say your worried about her getting hurt. I'm not saying your being one of "those" parents, but I see parents all the time who won't let their kids do anything physical unless they're supervised by their coaches. Most kids aren't going to the olympics or getting full athletic scholarships and don't need to be treated like eggs.