Proposed P.E. policy to undergo further discussion

The marching band is one of several groups objecting to the proposed expansion of the P.E. program.

At a meeting on Oct. 16, the school board discussed options for further action regarding board policy 6146.1, which would require all freshmen to take a yearlong P.E./Health course regardless of whether they are participating in a sport or marching band.

Although the board has yet to officially come to a decision, discussion toward the end of the meeting suggested further examination of possibly implementing the change at Los Gatos High School before determining if the same course of action should be taken at Saratoga.

The first option discussed would be to implement the policy at both Saratoga and Los Gatos high schools next year, combining Health and P.E. into a single class. New semester-long electives would replace Saratoga’s current Health/Drivers’ Ed class, and Drivers’ Ed would be completed by students on their own time.

Option two would require both schools to wait a year before implementing the change for the 2014-15 school year.

The third option includes implementing the freshman transition plan at Los Gatos High School, which had been discussed years prior and includes moving their World History requirement from freshman to sophomore year, for the 2013-14 school year. Saratoga would wait to implement freshman P.E. until the 2014-15 school year after more communication had developed with the community.

Apart from these three options, several speakers from the community pushed for a fourth option, eliminating the policy altogether, during the public comment section of the meeting.

Public concern regarding the policy centered around the lack of communication and on the implications the policy would have on facilities and student time.

Athletics director Tim Lugo also expressed concern that the policy would affect facilities usage. With several sports competing for limited space and a contract with De Anza Cupertino Aquatics (DACA) that relies on the school’s aquatic practices to take place during seventh period, he feared that there would not be sufficient time or facilities to accommodate every sport.

Music department chair Michael Boitz expressed frustration regarding the lack of communication between the school board and the Saratoga community.

“I have dedicated 15 years to this school district and given my heart and soul to do everything I think is best for students,” Boitz said at the board meeting. “Why were we not informed that a policy was going to be passed on June 5? Why were parents told to keep it a secret at a school site council meeting?”

Board president Cynthia Chang acknowledged that communication could have been improved, but looks to improve relations in the future to ensure that they will do what is best for students.

“We could have done a better job communicating with everyone. But I think that staying focused on what happened in the past is not going to help us,” Chang said. “This is not a war. I think we all want the best for our students.”

The board will continue to discuss the issue over the coming months, with its next meeting on Nov. 13 in the library.