Parents School exemptions such as PE or language, etc.

[Greyhound]

Hi. My daughter is a level 8 7th grader. I was wondering if any of you are able to obtain any kind of exemption in school for PE or electives or language or art or music in order to give them additional study hall hours. We are finding that daughter's training schedule, which is 22 hours a week, has become increasingly difficult to maintain along with her honor roll performance in school. We also have concerns of injury in PE class. A number of our friends that are on other competitive teams in gymnastics as well as in other sports have mentioned that they have gotten special kinds of exemptions as well as modified school schedules and I was wondering what kind of arrangements you all might have with your school. Thanks.

 

[aerials]

Oh, I have the same question and will be watching the thread. I'm not sure why you would want an exemption for language since it's required for college.

 

[Greyhound]

My daughter is in middle school and they teach Spanish. I am not looking for an exemption for language in high school as she will take language again in high school and is not planning on continuing Spanish as she would like to start another language. So for us, the language exemption would make sense.

 

[MILgymFAM]

It really varies greatly, even school district to school district. The best thing you could do is either contact your daughter's guidance counselor and ask them directly what (if any) options she has, or ask other team parents if they've had luck with these sorts of arrangements. For instance, out district made no allowances whatsoever, and middle school didn't even have study hall. Others have much more flexibility. Private schools will almost always be more amenable to arrangements and suggestions than public schools. Good luck!

 

[munchkin3]

I was able to do this for my son a few years ago in the public school district. The guidance counselor was my first stop and she was very helpful. I needed to submit a letter from the gym explaining the rigorous athletic schedule and that's it. We exempted PE so the school scheduled it for the last class of the day, and he left school an hour early. This was very helpful for homework, eating and a bit of rest.
I will try to do this for my 6th grader who will be in the same boat.....

 

[Greyhound]

Oh, I have the same question and will be watching the thread. I'm not sure why you would want an exemption for language since it's required for college.

It really varies greatly, even school district to school district. The best thing you could do is either contact your daughter's guidance counselor and ask them directly what (if any) options she has, or ask other team parents if they've had luck with these sorts of arrangements. For instance, out district made no allowances whatsoever, and middle school didn't even have study hall. Others have much more flexibility. Private schools will almost always be more amenable to arrangements and suggestions than public schools. Good luck!

I was able to do this for my son a few years ago in the public school district. The guidance counselor was my first stop and she was very helpful. I needed to submit a letter from the gym explaining the rigorous athletic schedule and that's it. We exempted PE so the school scheduled it for the last class of the day, and he left school an hour early. This was very helpful for homework, eating and a bit of rest.
I will try to do this for my 6th grader who will be in the same boat.....

 

[Greyhound]

I met with the principal this morning and he asked if I could provide examples from other athletes/districts, so that is one reason I posted here today. We also spoke with the guidance counselor. They are researching and are going to get back to us, but I was also hoping to get some ideas from posters.

 

[Ali'sMom]

Our school district allows opting out of P.E. based on how many hours a student does a sport outside of school. I don't know for sure if it could be replaced with study hall, or if another elective would need to be chosen, though.

 

[xrachx]

After my DD broke her finger days before a regional comp, we came to an agreement with her school of no sport in the weeks running up to any major comp. They get the benefits of bragging rights if she does well so it's in their interests to make sure she's able to compete.

While she's not doing PE, she either helps the teacher, acts as umpire in matches, or is allowed to do the conditioning programme her coach has given school. This means she's still able to get her grades in each discipline too, so it all works out well

 

[catova]

My dd 7th grade/ training L8 was able to obtain independent PE this year. She attends a catholic school but it seems the majority of DD's teammates at L7 and above who are in middle school are also doing independent PE at a number of school districts.

I basically modified a form used by a local public school district that I found online to provide documentation (principal wanted a protocol established so he set a standard for anyone else inquiring! Seems most of the samples I found online required a minimum of 12 - 16 hours/week outside training). Our head coach is great about providing all the docs the school districts request. Try searching online 'Independent Phys Ed application'.

Having that few extra hours a week at school to do homework has been very helpful for DD. The added bonus is not worrying about DD getting the smack-down in PE (when the 120 lb+ boys pelts my 70 pounder with a basketball to the head or step on her ankles while running, both of which have happened in the past)....good luck!

 

[JMACAZ]

My middle school DD also has an exemption based on how many hours she does of gym. She does take a "girls conditioning" PE class because it is fun. And I think she likes to show off a bit

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I think it depends on your state regulations as well. We are in NY, I don't think opting out of PE is allowed. Not 100 % because my daughter is still in elementary school. I will be looking into to it in Jr High, but I am not hopeful.

 

[cbifoja]

Does not happen in my state. Our educational regs allow for NO sort of PE exemptions. Even our special ed kids who are wheelchair bound have someone pushing them around the gym.

We also don't have study hall periods.

 

[Seeker]

Even our special ed kids who are wheelchair bound have someone pushing them around the gym.

That is just ridiculous. Especially in the case where being in that environment could be unsafe. I was able to opt my dd out of gym beginning in 4th. Private school, but they still required a note from the gym and a log of her hours each month signed by her coach.

 

[Texasmomof3]

In Texas, you can opt out of PE if you do a sport that has a minimum of 15 hours practice per week, coached by professional coaches, not peers, and the sport is considered physically rigorous enough to provide physical activity for the kid. Our middle school schedules dd in PE for last period, but then she leaves school early and doesn't actually go to PE at school. We had to get a letter from her gym confirming her attendance, they have to agree to track her attendance at gym and monthly sign a log showing her continuous participation at more than 15/hrs per week. And she gets credit on the transcript for taking PE.

 

[Taurus]

In Texas, you can opt out of PE if you do a sport that has a minimum of 15 hours practice per week, coached by professional coaches, not peers, and the sport is considered physically rigorous enough to provide physical activity for the kid. Our middle school schedules dd in PE for last period, but then she leaves school early and doesn't actually go to PE at school. We had to get a letter from her gym confirming her attendance, they have to agree to track her attendance at gym and monthly sign a log showing her continuous participation at more than 15/hrs per week. And she gets credit on the transcript for taking PE.

Does this work for elementary kids, do you know?

 

[gymbeam]

Our state allows no exemptions, unfortunately. However, I noticed that the policy on PE says it is up to each school how much time they spend in PE- there is no minimum. So, at some point I may try coming from that angle and ask they only make her do a few minutes each week or something to meet the requirement and work around the "no exemption" policy.

 

[Texasmomof3]

Taurus, Look at number 19.

tea.texas.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=25769820375

(I hope the link is allowed.)

 

[profmom]

My state does not allow exemptions from PE at all for anyone. Our kids' school has an adaptive PE class for kids with temporary or permanent disabilities. Both DS the elder and DD have spent a little time in that class, and it's really good. Last year at the high school soccer banquet, the top honoree gave a very moving speech about how much the time he had spent in adaptive PE had meant to him in learning about living with disability from people with lifelong experience. Not a single dry eye in the room. And I've found that for my gymnasts, even with their rigorous gym schedules, keeping their musical instruments has been a valuable dimension in their lives -- and I say that even after DS was up until 1 AM last night working on his jazz solo for an upcoming concert.

I know getting everything to work can be very, very hard, but try to have a good fix on what you're bargaining away before you look to get your kid out of something.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

Our district allows for an exception from PE for sports for middle and high school students. Most elementary schools don't have a formal PE program here -- anything that looks like PE at that age depends on parent volunteers willing to lead. But that's a different issue. And i know each district has a different policy and procedure in the area. For middle school, you have to train at least 10 hrs per week in an individual sport and compete at least at the state level. High school exemption requires 15 hrs/wk. The gym has to meet certain insurance and staff screening requirements and the head coach has to meet requirements for teachers in terms of back ground check and TB test. The gym, parent, student and school sign a contract detailing what the training looks like and then we turn in an attendance log for each grading period. It's called "Off campus independent study PE". Students are excused from either first or eighth period so they come late or leave early, depending on their sport requirements. If you need a well-documented policy to show to someone, search for "OCIS" on the Poway, CA school district site. (Avoiding posting links because I think they aren't all0wed.) This has worked really well for us so far.