Physical Ed classes to be cut in half for elementary students
In a decision that is being called temporary by school adminsitrators, physical education classes will be cut in half at Rogers City Elementary School for the upcoming school year. A chain events a few weeks ago left school administrators with little choice but to trim the program from two classes a week to one following the retirement of longtime physical education teacher Lisa Petz. Petz, who had worked for the district since 1970, tendered her resignation July 28.
?It was not an easy decision for Lisa after serving the district well for 33 years,? said superintendent Ed Schultz. Petz was the past president of the RCEA. As a result of the retirement, laid off teachers Lynn Krentz and Ariane Romel were recalled by the board. ?By contract, we are obligated to call back laid off teachers before we hire anybody else,? said Schultz. Krentz was hired at 100 percent, while Romel returns at 50 percent and will teach physical education, according to Schultz.
IN THE EARLY minutes of the board meeting, in the time allotted for citizens to appear before the board, former board president Scott McLennan and instructor Mike Koisara asked for a reconsideration of the decision to cut the program. ?In this day and age our children need all of the opportunities for fitness that they can possibly have,? said McLennan. ?This is when they set the course for their adult living.?
?I really question the timing,? said Koisara. ?In the news, the past year-and-a-half, we?ve seen more and more information about how over half of the population in the United States is obese.? Koisara said Rogers City Elementary has had a strong physical education program over the years. ?It wasn?t a gym class, and there?s a difference. It goes beyond that. ?It teaches social skills. Rules, fair play, positive social interaction,? he said. ?And these all tie right into our ?Character Counts? program.
?What are we teaching our kids about the role of physical activity in our lives??
BOARD MEMBERS didn?t respond until near the end of the meeting when Jo Bush-Glenn said the decision to cut PE ?was not one that was made lightly and it?s not being considered a permanent decision.? Other members expressed disappointment that they didn?t learn of the decision sooner.
?Excuse me,? said board member Mike Marx, with an agitated tone. ?I?ve been in this building (Grambau Center) three or four times the last few weeks and I have not been told anything about this.? ?When they (McLennan and Koisara) came tonight I was surprised and totally blindsided,? said Dick Hanson.
Schultz said the information was in the two-week board report, which hadn?t been given to them yet. ?However, the administration needed to make some quick decisions,? said Schultz. ?It?s not easy to skate between all these requirements and contracts,? said Schultz. ?The alternative would have been that we would have posted the position for PE to hire someone, to simply replace Lisa straight up. However, we would be in trouble with the contract if we did so.?
THE SCHEDULE for teachers had been completed, said elementary principal Deb Jones, and she had to go back and rework it. One consideration was to ask a PE-certified teacher from the high school if they would take the position, but that idea wasn?t pursued because Jones ?didn?t think that would make people very happy,? because of further reshuffling. ?If we get some additional retirements, then we?ve got a plan B, and a plan C,? said Schultz. ?Deb and I have been working all summer on these scenarios. It is possible we could get another resignation and/or retirement. This is a common problem with administration, how to plan when you don?t know of all of your resources.?
Board president Patty Pike supported the decision of administrators and encouraged other members to put their confidence in them as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
?IS THERE some way the board could have known about this though as an agenda item?? asked Hanson. ?What did you need to know?? Pike countered. ?That there were programs cut,? Hanson answered. ?I guess it?s pertinent to being a board member. I would like to know what?s cut and what?s enhanced.? ?But that is still an administrative thing,? Pike said. ?We?re still in compliance. One would have to assume that we would be calling back people or hiring somebody new.? ?It sure would be nice to know,? said Marx. ?As a board member we are still representing the public. Whether it?s my decision or not…? ?The public p
IN OTHER matters to come before the board: ? The August and September school calendars were approved. The entire school year calendar can?t be finalized until negotiations are completed between the teachers? union and the district. August 25 will be an inservice with the first full day for students August 26. By state law, districts are not allowed to be in session the Friday before Labor Day, so students are off August 29 and return September 2.
? The board approved, in concept, a cooperative agreement for operation of shared time programs with St. John Lutheran School. It directs the superintendent to finalize the details regarding scheduling of classes (physical education, art, music, and computers) and to execute a final document. The St. John?s board also met the same night but tabled a decision until more questions could be answered.