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U-46 holds public hearing on waiver to delay state-required three days of elementary PE, cites gym space limits
Summary
At a public hearing April 28, School District U-46 administrators asked the board to accept a waiver allowing elementary students in grades 1–6 fewer than the state-required three days of physical education because existing facilities would force unsafe, overcrowded classes.
School District U-46 administrators opened a public hearing April 28 to seek board acknowledgement of a waiver that would allow elementary students in grades 1–6 to receive fewer than the state-mandated three days of physical education per week because of facility limitations.
District administrators told the Board of Education they plan to expand kindergarten physical education to three days next year while increasing grades 1–6 from one to two days, rather than to the three days required under the state mandate. District staff said the adjustment reflects current gym and multipurpose-room capacity and is intended to preserve instructional quality and student safety.
The district presentation, delivered by administrative leaders including Lola Mysdorich (Deputy Superintendent of Instruction), Brian Tennyson (Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning), Celia Banks (Director of Curriculum and Instruction) and Tracy Jekaitis (Coordinator of Student Wellness and Physical Education), explained that under existing facilities roughly 75% of school sites would need to run three simultaneous classes in a single main gym to meet a full three-day schedule for grades 1–6. Administrators said that scenario could place as many as 90 students in the main gym at once and that would compromise safety and the ability to teach the approved curriculum with fidelity.
Board members asked clarifying questions about staffing and scheduling. One board member asked whether two classes scheduled in a gym would be taught by one or two teachers; administrators replied two teachers would be present and that guidance will require paired classes to be of the same grade when sharing space. Board members also asked whether moving sixth graders into middle schools in future boundary changes would prompt a reevaluation of the schedule; administrators said they would reassess if sixth-grade assignments change but did not commit to a timeline for additional changes.
Board member remarks during the hearing referenced House Bill 1358, which is pending at the state level and was described as stalled at the time of the meeting; a member said the board was monitoring legislative developments that could affect the district's obligations. There were no members of the public who spoke during the hearing.
The board declared the public hearing closed at the end of the presentation. Administration presented the information and answered questions; the transcript shows no board vote on approving or denying the waiver on April 28.
Why it matters: The state mandate for three days of physical education for K–12 students is intended to standardize minimum instructional minutes statewide. U-46’s request highlights how local facility capacity can limit a district’s ability to meet uniform seat-time requirements and how pending state legislation could affect district planning.
What comes next: Administration said it will share co-teaching guidance with elementary teachers for next year and that the schedule will be reevaluated if the district moves sixth graders to middle schools or if legislative requirements change. The board did not take a formal vote on the waiver during the April 28 session.
