if they are doing a sport at the national level for 15 hours a week? |
What do you propose your child do during the PE period instead? Will they be at school? FWIW, when I was a kid in HS eons ago, I was a serious athlete practicing my sport for 2 hours a day before school (but not, I would say, at a national level). My mom wrote a request to the high school principal to get me excused from attending school for one period a day and excused from the PE requirement. (well, actually, I think technically my sport was counted toward my PE requirement and I attended PE on the few days I wasn't in training.) Explore it with a school counselor. If training must occur during the school day, they you might have a good case. If training occurs after school or on weekends, then I find it hard to believe that the school will excuse your child; many kids in this area do a lot of sports training. Without some other reason beside schedule conflict why PE attendance isn't possible, it's hard to think that the school will excuse it. |
My child was excused from PE in middle school due to a physical disability. On the days that she would have been in PE, she had a study hall instead. We were required to provide a note from her physician supporting her exclusion from PE. I'm not sure if you can get one for participation in outside athletic activities. It doesn't seem unreasonable though. |
My niece is excused from HS PE due to an extensive dance schedule. She takes another class during what would be her PE time. But, this is in another state outside the DC area. |
In MoCo, you take three semesters of PE and one of Health. The PE focuses on learning all about different sports, so you get a section on volleyball, a section on baseball, one on football, etc. You take tests on the rules of the game. I can't imagine that simply taking a sport outside of school would exempt you from PE or why you'd even want to be exempt. But, you can always call your home school. |
14:37 here. My niece is in NY. They are required to spend much more time in PE than MCPS requires, and the emphasis is really on keeping kids physically active and fit. So, it makes sense that a child who is very active and fit could get a waiver. Here are their requirements.
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/publications/upload/New-York-profile.pdf |
All I can tell you is that we had a swimming section each year in grades 7-12 and I never once stepped foot in the pool. So apparently it can be done. |
What does one have to do with the other? afraid little Johnny will hurt himself during PE, thus affecting his "national level" performance? |
People generally do this sort of thing so their kids can take another elective or AP class, or so they can leave early for a part time job. |
No, my child gets worn out with the 15 hours a week. |
I'd ask. Have wondered same thing. I have swimmers, and am concerned that they don't have enough time to get homework done and participate in their sport.
When I was in high school, I got an extra study hall instead of PE b/c I swam every day. |
I don't think PE is that strenuous that you will need to worry about it. Is your child new to competition? Mine is also a national competition level athlete and all of the athletes I know practice at least 15 hours a week, usually more, and aren't that worn out by it. |
it's not true that kids can't be exempt from PE. My child had a serious concussion and hasn't attended PE in over a year. No one argued that my DC should have "modified" or "paper" PE as the above-linked MSDE document seems to suggest. Besides, OP isn't asking about excusal from PE due to medical condition, but rather by choice. This document doesn't apply. |