Anonymous
Post 02/05/2026 14:42     Subject: Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to have friends, don't opt for the summer version. So much of PE is about making or being around friends.


True, but also what if your bad social wise? What if you don’t start with any friends? Some kids find it hard to make friends from scratch, so summer P.E can be a good option.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2026 14:24     Subject: Summer P.E
If you want your kid to have friends, don't opt for the summer version. So much of PE is about making or being around friends.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2026 10:16     Subject: Summer P.E
I would not recommend summer PE. So much more effort than during the school year. We did it with our older and then insisted our younger one do it during the year. Much better.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2026 10:01     Subject: Summer P.E
Hi OP. My child did PE over the summer and it was fully asynchronous and did not require any teacher involvement. I'm pasting the response from the school counselor on how to go about it:

"He needs to sign up with a virtual high school that is approved by the Virginia Council on Private Education (VCPE).

A popular VCPE-approved virtual school among families is Excel High School. Their “Health & Fitness” course, both Sem A and Sem B, can be utilized for the FCPS Health/PE 9 course."

You need to ask your school counselor for a form to send to them. I believe the course fee was like $325. You complete the course (it's all computer based) and Excel High sends a credit to your high school. My son said it was very easy and more importantly, it was fully asynchronous.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 21:59     Subject: Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty sure people think it actually helps the GPA if you are a student that’s taking mostly honors/AP. I’m asking someone to clarify who has been through it.


Your FCPS GPA is just a starting point. Most colleges recalculate their own GPA by stripping out non-core classes (like PE) to see the 'true' academic profile. Don't sweat the PE grade; sweat the rigor of your core curriculum and the grades that you receive in those classes. As noted by Selingo in his first book and admissions officers at schools like Yale (the podcast), your performance in core subjects matters far more than a cumulative GPA inflated by non-academic courses.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:58     Subject: Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty sure people think it actually helps the GPA if you are a student that’s taking mostly honors/AP. I’m asking someone to clarify who has been through it.


You can actually google it and it’s on the FCPS website. A pass has NO affect on your GPA, a fail does lower it.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:53     Subject: Summer P.E
I’m pretty sure people think it actually helps the GPA if you are a student that’s taking mostly honors/AP. I’m asking someone to clarify who has been through it.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 17:15     Subject: Summer P.E
Why are parents freaking out about P/F on a PE class during the summer?! There is no college AO who will look at that and say "this kid had no rigor in his/her coursework because he/she took PE as P/F". Is this forum really this crazy? What is the guidance counselor supposed to tell you????
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 16:36     Subject: Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is a private option available that FCPS accepts, and it is all asynchronous and easy online. It does not involve exercise.


Say more please? Or name/link?


It's through Virtual Virginia. DD did it last summer prior to 10th grade, and it's MUCH easier than the FCPS version in terms of the actual exercise requirement. However, it doesn't include driver education like the FCPS class so that has to be done separately. On the other hand, DS (I have b/g twins) wanted to do the FCPS class to get the drivers ed done, and he actually liked the incentive to exercise an hour per day. But, it was a lot of work, especially because he did it last summer at the same time as the Personal Econ class (which isn't hard at all but just needs some dedicated time) as well as summer theater at school.

The summer before last, they both did the FCPS class. It was a lot, but it was also a VERY hot summer, and their instructor excused the class from a lot of the workouts b/c kids couldn't workout outside, which made it easier.

My kids did the class to fit in other electives, including theater and digital art, alongside their AP classes.


virtual virginia definitely has a physical activity requirement


I'm pp. Yes, VV has a requirement but you can just walk and/or do lighter exercise and for a shorter amount of time. FCPS requires an hour per day, with most of it at a high heart rate.


Someone else can just wear the watch though like a parent or sibling.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 16:12     Subject: Summer P.E
How does pass fail impact GPA?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 14:35     Subject: Re:Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't get a straight answer out of our guidance counselor, re: pass/fail or a grade. Is there any reflection on transcripts for a pass/fail over a grade? I understand a low grade can sink a GPA before the year's even begun, but I'd really like to know the pros and cons from a parents who has been through it.


Likewise. Could someone who has had experience with this chime in?


Yes you can take it pass/fail. Ask your guidance counselor for a pass/fail form and fill it out and submit it BEFORE the class starts. Cannot be submitted after the class starts.


Right, everyone understands this.

I'd like to know more about how that is viewed on the transcript.


Same here
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 08:32     Subject: Re:Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't get a straight answer out of our guidance counselor, re: pass/fail or a grade. Is there any reflection on transcripts for a pass/fail over a grade? I understand a low grade can sink a GPA before the year's even begun, but I'd really like to know the pros and cons from a parents who has been through it.


Likewise. Could someone who has had experience with this chime in?


Yes you can take it pass/fail. Ask your guidance counselor for a pass/fail form and fill it out and submit it BEFORE the class starts. Cannot be submitted after the class starts.


Right, everyone understands this.

I'd like to know more about how that is viewed on the transcript.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 06:08     Subject: Re:Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't get a straight answer out of our guidance counselor, re: pass/fail or a grade. Is there any reflection on transcripts for a pass/fail over a grade? I understand a low grade can sink a GPA before the year's even begun, but I'd really like to know the pros and cons from a parents who has been through it.


Likewise. Could someone who has had experience with this chime in?


Yes you can take it pass/fail. Ask your guidance counselor for a pass/fail form and fill it out and submit it BEFORE the class starts. Cannot be submitted after the class starts.


The question was how will it be interpreted on the transcript?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 22:19     Subject: Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:Do you enroll directly through VV for PE10? I emailed the school counselor and didn’t get a response. I know DC will have to take drivers Ed someplace else. Are there any other options? We are looking for a course where she doesn’t need to log on daily but she doesn’t care about tracking exercise.

As for the reason, it will be nice to have the extra elective block and the PE 9 class was a pain with a hard teacher and the videos they had to make. It was not a break. Gym class should not be stressful and she is on a sports team. He just yelled at them.


You cannot enroll directly for VV - you must be enrolled by a guidance counselor. They will start the process and enroll your student and then it gets sent over to you to finish the process and pay the fee.

Cost is the same as the FCPS course.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 22:17     Subject: Re:Summer P.E
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can't get a straight answer out of our guidance counselor, re: pass/fail or a grade. Is there any reflection on transcripts for a pass/fail over a grade? I understand a low grade can sink a GPA before the year's even begun, but I'd really like to know the pros and cons from a parents who has been through it.


Likewise. Could someone who has had experience with this chime in?


Yes you can take it pass/fail. Ask your guidance counselor for a pass/fail form and fill it out and submit it BEFORE the class starts. Cannot be submitted after the class starts.