GILROY
– While the number of Gilroy students in poor fitness increases,
Gilroy Unified School District’s Board of Trustees for the first
time has a policy governing physical education.
GILROY – While the number of Gilroy students in poor fitness increases, Gilroy Unified School District’s Board of Trustees for the first time has a policy governing physical education.
The board adopted a sample policy provided by the California School Boards Association, which does not change the amount of time students are required to spend being physically active.
The policy states: “The board desires to provide a physical education program that builds interest and proficiency in movement skills and encourages students’ lifelong fitness through physical activity. … The district’s program shall include a variety of kinesthetic activities, including team and individual sports, as well as aesthetic movement forms, such as dance.”
District physical education instructor Pat Vickroy was pleased with the policy to support physical fitness in the district.
“I’m impressed by the board (keeping) this on the front burner and not just letting it go away and it looks like they’re trying to provide quality physical education for our students,” he said. “But I think we need the in-service training and curriculum that supports it.”
A mere 5.6 percent of GUSD fifth-graders are considered physically fit by the state. Middle-schoolers were the highest-performing group this year, with 18.6 percent passing the test, while 13.5 percent of ninth-graders passed.
Vickroy said the policy should be more aggressive in its language – for example, “desires” should be replaced with “shall.”
“I’m very leery of policies that are written down but not acted upon and just because we have the policy does not mean that they’re going to improve the physical education that is provided to our kids,” he said.
However, in looking over the policy for curriculum development, Vickroy found further support for a re-vamped physical education program, as curriculum “shall reflect the desires of the community.”
“That statement alone would really support P.E. in our schools because, as a society, we’re really unhealthy,” Vickroy said.
