Getting PE Credit During School Hours
Between hours of homework, social life, family obligations and finding time to relax it can be difficult for students to squeeze in time to get all the necessary physical education credits needed for graduation.
Some join the school’s sports teams and spend two to four days a week practicing and competing. This is a good way to get P.E. credit in a fun environment with enthusiastic coaches and new friends.
For others though, after-school is busy enough and the thought of loading on hours of sports just isn’t possible. So then how do these students get P.E. credit? Well, there are two in-school options that sometimes get overlooked.
First, there is yoga taught by Gretchen Keisel, a member of the JCHS student life department. This is a full class period, three times a week, and each semester students are rewarded with half of a P.E. credit, the same as a trimester on a sports team. But for some, it is much more satisfying than just getting credit.
Yoga is a time of the day where students can clear their busy minds and recharge before facing the rest of the day. For those who are constantly stressed and feel like they might just explode, yoga is a great way to blow off steam – even if all of P.E. credits are already fulfilled.
Another option that is rarely talked about is the P.E. class offered at JCHS. This option, like yoga, is a full class period, three times a week, and also gives students P.E. credit.
Senior Talia Beck has been taking this P.E. class, taught by Athletic Director Tim Kjar, for the past two years. While it is a tiring class, she says, afterwards she feels like she has had a full and invigorating workout. During long class blocks, she and Kjar, or Coach, as he is commonly known, go to Kimball Field across the street from JCHS, and she jogs and does drills with varying amount of difficulty. On shorter blocks, she and Coach walk around the neighborhood and chat. She says it is a nice break which gives her the energy to finish up the rest of her day.
Some people do have time after school to participate on sports teams, but do not connect with the options provided. In these cases, the students can talk to Kjar and arrange independent study.
Senior Sophie Marinoff and Junior Lara Prosterman are two students who appreciate this option. Marinoff is taking ballet outside of school this semester to complete her P.E. credit, while Prosterman, who already has more than enough credits, is continuing to participate on her swim team six times a week.
There are specific requirements for those who want to take advantage of this opportunity, and Kjar is happy to help out any students who wish to participate.
While our lives are sometimes hectic, it is important to get out and get active, whether it be on a school team, in school classes, or out of school activities. While P.E. credit is a graduation requirement, exercising is a great way to clear your head, get a new perspective, and take a break from our otherwise busy schedules.
