Help bring Physical Education (PE) back to our schools!!!
Dear SSF Elementary School parents and caregivers;
As parents and caregivers, we all want the best education for our children… an education that focuses and supports the development of the whole child. This includes their physical fitness needs. We all know that due to budget cuts, many services have been reduced or even worse, completely cut from schools, such as, specialized physical education taught by a PE instructor.
The Problem:
- Childhood obesity rates in California continue to go on the rise. South San Francisco has the highest childhood obesity rate (47%) in the County of San Mateo and it is even higher than the average for the State of California (38%).
- Research shows the importance and benefits of physical activity in supporting academic learning in the classroom. Academic learning is compromised without a comprehensive physical education program.
- The current California Ed. Code (51210.1) mandates that students receive 200 minutes every 10 days (2 weeks) of physical education which does not include recess and lunch. This instruction must be provided by a credentialed teacher. South San Francisco elementary schools currently do not have specialized PE instructors collaborating with school teachers.
So what can WE do to help? How can YOU help?
The Solution:
- Reinstate funding for a district wide Physical Education program for our elementary schools. There is a need for a program and/or professional development to provide our teachers the necessary materials & equipment that can help support a quality PE instruction at our 9 schools.
- Join us this Thursday, July 24th at 7 pm, for the SSFUSD Board of Trustees meeting at the School District Office- Board Room (398 B Street). PE will be on the agenda and information about PE at our 9 school sites will be discussed. UPDATE: MEETING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO BADEN ADULT SCHOOL LOCATED AT 825 SOUTHWOOD DRIVE (Off of W. Orange Ave, near Library)
Parents and caregivers, your voice needs to be part of this request. Come to this meeting and show your support. Help us communicate that PE instruction should be a priority in our children’s balanced education.
Please join us at the meeting on Thursday, July 24th at Baden High School! Our children have the right to BE CHILDREN – we can’t have education focus only on math, reading and the ensuing tests that qualify teachers and their schools. Let’s not forget as well that for the student who excels in physical education – be it a team sport or something individualized like track and field, college scholarships in these areas may be in important part of their future!. Also – not all of us can afford costly after school physical education programs nor does our PTA have the resources to fund raise the TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars needed to contract with an off site organization for PE. Please come out to support our kids Thursday at 7pm!!
Skyline Elementary School in Daly City is not following the state mandate for PE. My child has not received PE in the 4 years we have attended the school. Our teacher last year would take the kids out for 10 minutes once a month and call it PE. She would let them run around and play on the playground. PE is to be structured activities, not including lunch or recess. It is the principals job to ensure the teachers are following state law. There is a class action lawsuit of parents vs CA School districts for not following mandated PE laws. It is time for SSFUSD to comply with CA State law!!!! Let’s get this right for the kids!!! It is for them and their health!!! FYI I heard the meeting was moved to Bayden High School in SSF. I hope the Board of Trustees steps up and does the right thing for our children by having all teachers provide 200 minutes of PE every 10 days!!!!
[…] at the upcoming School Board meeting this Thursday July 24th at the SSFUSD District Office. Parents are rallying the community to attend this meeting in support of bringing this important California Ed Code mandated class […]
this concerns me as the proud auntie of 6 nephews and nieces and as a chef, I have a nephew that goes to buri buri school in south city and a a niece that goes to sunset ridge in pacifica and nephew entering kindergarten at sunset ridge in the pacifica too! I had weight issues as a kid starting at age 8 and I know how it feels with the obesity issues in our country. in my early 20s (during my time at Canada college-redwood city) my doctors said I have to lose some weight, so it was a painful subject to go through this. I went to all the nutrition help through Kaiser my insurance but it didn’t work for me as a person, but after I gradurated from the canada college vocational school I continue to try to lose excess pounds but still didn’t work, but my doctor said I have a new pill for you its called metformin it’s supposed to help with weight loss in my case of area for other people its a diabetic pill. it really saved my life. i used to drink 4-5 diet cokes a day now i drink 2-3 during the daytime only and water at night and after workouts sometimes so it’s important to bring PE back into the schools for the children so they can also have a nice active day. I take power walks daily around and around west Winston manor , and use public transit instead of driving so doing the good things and I am the chef no matter what I put onto the plates of people’s plates from a health nut to a meat eater, I please the audience as chef ava marie as My question is does elementary schools have home economics? maybe I can bring that back if they don’t! I know being active is very important for our lives and Mrs.obama is right let’s move, so I love my city and how much I care, will come to this meeting with my dad, will have to! have a nice day
Correction:
I meant to state “mission of promoting P.E. at ELEMENTARY schools”, not at “middle schools”. I’m sure readers must have caught on my error.
I actually brought this issue up 3 years ago !! I was informed by a Spruce school teacher that due to STAR testing, they were focusing on passing scores, thus reason P.E. was no longer a priority and it was eliminated. Unfortunately, I was not able to get enough parents to help me in my mission of promoting P.E. at middle schools. However, Girls on the Run program commenced, which is a great program; but it’s only a seasonal program for girls and I believe that physical education is a lifestyle which must be promoted on an every day basis. Just as P.E. was eliminated, so are electives, which are so detrimental in our educational system. I remember learning English through music programs (singing songs, etc.), learning math through Home Economics (and Wood Shop), and interesting also learning math through P.E. (distances/measurements, etc) It’s called applied hands-on learning for those folks in SSFUSD that are the decision makers.