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Hernando Today

State P.E. Requirements Get Tougher

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: July 19, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Want to see the firsthand effects of Florida's tightening physical education laws for local schoolchildren?

Look no further than local families.

Jeff Yungmann, a former educator and curriculum specialist for the Hernando County School District, recalled experiencing last year's changes when his third-grade daughter came home from school and set up orange cones around the perimeter of their front yard.

"I pulled out a lawn chair and sat down, expecting to watch her run — but after the first run, she said it was my turn," he said. "The encouragement of healthy diet and exercise can come from influential sources (such as) local schools, and it actually translates to the home."

This year, local sixth-graders will also be "in" on the act.

Local schools are currently adjusting physical education requirements to reflect additional changes to the 2007 physical education bill that required elementary schools to have 150 minutes of physical education class for students each week.

The Don Davis Physical Education Act, signed into law this month and named for the Jacksonville state representative who died earlier this year from brain cancer, extends the requirement to middle school students.

The rule, known as Senate Bill 610, goes into effect for all middle school students in fall 2009.

In the coming year, all local public elementary schools that also serve middle school students will be required to extend current P.E. requirements to sixth-graders. That means Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics, J.D. Floyd K-8 and Explorer K-8, all in Spring Hill.

Activities commonly found in fitness classes at area elementary and middle schools include team sports, relay races, Frisbee, swimming, tumbling, running, walking, jump rope and dance.

Yungmann said that while most requirements are being met, the new sixth-grade requirement may require some restructuring by school administrators. For example, Challenger is looking into hiring a third P.E. teacher, and Brooksville Elementary School is still attempting to meet its initial requirement after having a lost a P.E. teacher.

The full middle school requirements next year may require a bit of restructuring, as well, primarily for students taking remedial courses and those who have parent signatures for exceptions, he said.

However, those students — and those participating in sports and other physically demanding activities after school — will be able to obtain waivers for the required course.

"Our middle schoolers are accomplishing these objectives currently, yet modifications may be made in the future as far as the announcement of the waiver options, and specific guidelines as far as its initiation," Yungmann said.

However, for the most part, area schools are already complying with the new rules.

The district annually participates in national educational fundraisers and initiatives such as Relay for Life, the President's Physical Fitness Challenge and Jump Rope For Heart, and starting this year, administrators at J.D. Floyd K-8 have purchased a climbing wall and will be pursing kayaking.

"I really believe that we have well-planned and well-implemented programs that are accomplishing these objectives within our district," Yungmann said.

At local elementary schools, students are typically not required to change clothes for P.E. class, but are expected to wear tennis shoes and clothing appropriate for movement. In middle school, students change into gym clothes for P.E. class.

Yungmann said the district has taken a proactive stance against increasingly sedentary activities, and cited 2005 statistics from the American Heart Association that state high rates of middle school students who spend three or more hours per day watching television, using the computer recreationally or playing videogames.

"Physical fitness and health education are very important to establishing a routine of proper diet, exercise and health maintenance," Yungmann said. "Many of our schools have that health component, and we (believe in) helping students maintain a healthy, physically fit lifestyle."

The bill defines physical education as instruction that improves strength, agility, flexibility, movement, stamina, teamwork, fair play and nutrition. It includes dance.

Until last year, Florida was one of 15 states with no physical education requirements for elementary school students. Lawmakers decided to add to the requirements this year after learning that many schools didn't fully comply with new standards.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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