Health & P.E. online courses removed; AP courses increased

9/16/13

ACADEMICS: Online courses for health and P.E. are canceled, and sixth period AP classes are now offered.

By Matt Kaye, Staff Writer

Online courses offered for high school students in health skills and physical education have been temporarily canceled. Meanwhile, for the first time, AP courses have filled sixth period slots.

Health and P.E. classes have long been options for enrollment as online courses. Now, the classes are being halted. “This year we are still trying to find a teacher who is willing to teach the classes,” Dennis Deets, Director at the Educational Options Center, said. He also explained that these online courses are supplemental, so a teacher cannot be assigned to teach one of these classes—similar to the way coaches teach a sport P.E. class or teachers take on a class during their open periods. Riverside Virtual School (RVS) is trying to fill the teaching role for these courses.

RVS offers these online classes as well as many other courses as alternatives to in-school courses. These classes are for students who choose to attend high school completely online or for students who are looking to get credits but attend high school on site.

In the meantime, Poly is opening sixth period AP classes. So far, only AP Psychology is offered during sixth period due to the class’ high demand. With this sign of an increased interest in AP courses, they have become more of a commitment as dropping such a class now requires a personal, parent-student meeting with the principal, Michael

Roe.

Prior to the class of 2016, a semester of health was required to graduate. The elimination of this requirement will render health skills classes obsolete in a few years.