Oak Park High Unified School District requires all students to earn 20 credits of Physical Education toward graduation from high school. Furthermore, all 9th grade students are required to enroll in PE and are to take the California State Physical Fitness Test (CPFT). Upon passing the 9th grade PE class and 5 out of 6 of the tests on the Physical Fitness test, students may elect to satisfy the remainder of the PE requirement in a number of ways. Students who fail to meet the CPFT requirement in 9th grade are required to enroll in 10th grade PE. However, there is more flexibility in how students who meet the CPFT requirement may satisfy this second year of physical education.
CALIFORNIA PHYSICAL FITNESS TESTS (CPFT)
All students are required to take the CPFT at Oak Park High School. The six tests include; the mile run, curl-ups (sit-ups), push-ups, body composition, sit and reach (flexibility), and trunk extensor (strength and flexibility). These tests are administered in all PE1 and PE2 classes. Students who fail to pass 5 of 6 tests will be enrolled in Physical Education 2 the following semester. Additional testing information can be found at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/
ATHLETIC CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
Student-athletes who fulfill their ninth-grade Physical Education requirement may complete the remainder of their 10 units of physical education through participation in an OPHS interscholastic sports team. Anyone successfully completing a full season of sport will earn (5) units of physical education credit for their participation in each season of sport during grades 10-12 up to a maximum of 10 credits. A full season is the ability to participate physically in over 50% of the practices and games. An athlete who is injured for over 75% of the season will not earn credit.
CIF ATHLETICS
Students in grades 10-12 who are selected to play on CIF interscholastic athletic teams may substitute their athletic team participation for all or part of their second year physical education requirement. Students may earn credit for one semester of Physical Education II by successfully completing one season of sport. They may earn credit for two semesters of Physical Education II by completing two or three seasons of sport. Students who become ineligible and/or injured for a portion of the season may jeopardize their ability to receive credit. This credit will be recorded automatically on the student’s transcript when the Athletic Department verifies completion of the sports season. NO GRADES WILL BE ENTERED; only the credit will be shown. This process allows athletes to enroll in additional electives in place of Physical Education II.
- Students who did not participate in OPHS Athletics in 9th grade may not choose electives in place of a PE credit class in tenth grade unless they have successfully made the team they wish to join prior to the add/drop deadline. For example, if a student wishes to try out for track team, in 10th he/she must have participated in track in 9th grade or he/she will be enrolled in a PE credit class for both semesters of 10th grade.
- Dance or Cheer Teams: Sophomores who make the Cheerleading squad or dance team may replace the full year Physical Education II requirement if they remain active for the full year.
MEDICAL EXCUSE POLICY
Students with temporary medical conditions are expected to participate in PE to the extent that their condition permits. Students with medical conditions are entitled to an instructional program based on grade-level or course-level standards. The program for those students is designed to address the same standards as that for students without medical conditions. When possible, students with medical conditions engage in the same instructional unit and content area.
An instructional plan for a student with a short-term medical condition assigns physical education tasks and physical activities that the student can do in the short term and gradually, as the medical condition allows, moves the student toward full participation.
Physical education teachers work with the student’s doctor and other health care providers to design a program for the student. Teachers also communicate with the student’s parents or guardians to fully understand what the student can and cannot do. Effective communication between the parents, teachers, and other professionals ensures that a student receives physical education instruction that meets his or her unique needs.
Short Term (1 day-3 weeks): If a student is to be medically excused from all active participation in Physical Education for a short period of time the following procedure will be implemented:
1. Student should dress for class every day even when medically excused from activity.
2. Student must bring a note from a parent requesting limited/no activity due to injury/illness. The note cannot exceed three class meetings.
3. If a student needs to be excused for four or more days, a note from a doctor is needed indicating the length of time to be excused and the type of physical activities that the student can engage in, e.g. running, walking, lower or upper body only.
4. If a student becomes injured or ill during the day before his/her P.E. class (doesn’t apply to periods 1 or 2), a phone message that day will excuse the student’s inactivity.
5. In any of the above three medical situations, the student should dress and participate in limited activity, according to the doctor’s instructions. If the student is unable to do any form of physical activity, he/she may do a written assignment given by the teacher. The assignment is to be worked on during class time and checked by the teacher at the end of the class period. The assignment must be appropriately completed in order for the student to receive credit each day of his/her medical excuse.
Long Term (3 weeks or more): If a student is to be medically excused from all physical education for a period of 3 weeks or more, the student shall not receive physical education credits, but an attempt will be made to place him/her in another class for credit.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
A student who enters OPHS after the 9th grade year is still subject to the 20-credit PE graduation requirement. Counselors will evaluate the student’s transcript to determine what, if, any, PE credit will be awarded for courses taken or sports participation in the student’s prior high school, and to determine how the remainder of the requirement may be satisfied. Exceptions or special circumstances will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and require the Principal’s approval.
OPHS PHYSICAL EDUCATION CREDIT & SPORTS PARTICIPATION
The following is a summary of the most important facts to know about your participation on an OPHS sport, cheerleading or dance team, and how these extracurricular activities can influence your Physical Education requirement in the 10th-12 grade years.
1. Students who have not completed the 20 credit PE requirement by the end of their junior year, or at least by the end of summer prior to their senior year - will be rescheduled for PE II in their senior year. This will be the case regardless of whether they are planning to participate in sports as seniors. If they make the team they may drop PE and add an elective as long as it is within the Add/Drop period.
2. Students who successfully complete the season for an OPHS sponsored sport, Cheerleading or Dance team will receive 5 credits per season/semester towards their PE II requirement.
3. A student’s participation will be validated by the OPHS Athletic Director at the end of the season who will submit a list of team members who successfully completed the season to the school’s registrar for posting on their transcripts.
4. Students who are single sport athletes may meet their entire PE II requirement by successfully completing those sports during their 10-12 years. Cheerleading and Dance are yearlong activities that are the equivalent of two semesters of PE II.
5. There will be no letter grade assigned. Instead a “P” (for Pass) notation will be entered in the grade column and 5 or 10 credits posted in the PE category of the student’s Graduation Status Report.
6. The “P” grade will have no effect on a student’s GPA - positively or negatively.
7. These credits can only be used towards meeting the PE II requirement.
8. A maximum of 10 credits will be granted for sports participation in grades 10-12.
9. Sport participation in the 10th, 11th or 12th grades cannot be used to make up failed or incomplete credits of PE I.
10. Students may only select electives in place of PE II or Dance if they have successfully participated in the sport they intend to play during the previous year.
11. Students may not drop out of PE to move into another elective after the add-drop period at the beginning of a semester.
12. Since Winter sports such as basketball and soccer overlap both the Fall and Spring semesters, students may take an elective during the 2nd semester. Students in these circumstances should notify their counselor immediately upon making a Winter Sports team.
13. No Summer Sports Conditioning class may be used for PE credit.
14. If an OPSD sanctioned summer school PE course is offered, it may be used to remediate (make up) a semester of failed PE or to complete one semester’s worth of PE in advance.
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT
In order to participate in an activity or athletic event, students shall be present in all scheduled classes on the date of said event. A tardy of 15 minutes or more shall be considered an absence.Note: This requirement pertains to all OPUSD students participating in OPHS activities.
ATHLETES WITH MEDICAL EXCUSES
Any athlete in season in a regular physical education class is expected to do the same activities as the rest of the class. An athlete who is medically excused from participating in a P.E. class will not be allowed to practice and/or play in a game that same day. An athlete who becomes injured may, schedule permitting, add PE for the remainder of the semester to earn PE credit with a doctor’s note that specifies what activities he/she is able to perform.
(Revised 1/10/2012)
INDEPENDENT STUDY PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Under certain conditions, independent study physical education may be granted to an athlete in grades 10-12 who is involved in a competitive level professional or pre-professional program. Since these programs are non-accredited there are specific guidelines that Oak Park School Board policy has established with regards to liability insurance and "hold harmless" agreements. Additionally, students are not given a grade for these classes, but will have the opportunity to have one or more semesters of PE waived. Students must apply for this prior to May 30th of the previous school year to be able to request independent study PE for the Fall semester. Participation on club and travel youth sports teams usually do not qualify for independent study physical education. Independent Study PE is only available to students who have passed both semesters of PE 9 and satisfied the CPFT requirement in 9th grade
The Independent Study PE application may be printed by clicking on the hyperlink below.
Print the Independent Study Procedures & Application
If you are already approved for Independent Study P.E. and just need to print additional time sheets, click below:
To view a sample of the Insurance Endorsement that is also required, click on the "Insurance Endorsement" hyperlink below
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