WAUBONSIE VALLEY

HIGH SCHOOL

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
HANDBOOK

Each student is responsible for understanding the

Information contained within this Handbook.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.P.S.D. Physical Education Mission Statement

Physical Education Goals
Physical Education Uniform
Locker Rooms
Rules of the Locker Room
Lost and Found
Lockers
Theft
General Grading Guidelines
Extra Credit
Physical Fitness Test
Sports and Special Exemptions
Physical Fitness Tests
Medical Excuses in Physical Education
Long Term Medicals
Procedures for Medical Excuses
Notes from Home or Parents
Need to see the Nurse
P.E. Accidents and/or Injuries
General Information
Safety Procedures

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Indian Praire School District #204

Aurora, Illinois

Mission Statement:
To help all students learn, develop, and apply the skills needed for daily participation in
personal fitness and lifetime activities which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Physical Education Goals:

1. Develop a healthy self concept by understanding ones individuality and limitations,
as well as those of others.

2. Achieve and maintain a reasonable level of personal fitness.

3. Be familiar with a variety of physical activities that can be enjoyed as life-time

activities.

4. Develop the ability to have fun individually and be able to work cooperatively as a
member of a group.

5. Understand and apply rules and techniques of various team and individual activities.

6. Develop good sportsmanship in individual and team activities.

7. Demonstrate a respect for the rights and individual differences of others.

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Physical Education Uniform:

Students are required to dress for physical education each day. Students must wear a
shirt, shorts, and gym shoes. Students are encouraged to wear sweat shirts and sweat
pants on cold days. Students need to bring a change of clothes for physical education;
these clothes should not be the same clothes the student wears all day in school.
Obscene shirts, shirts with drugs, alcohol, and/or tobacco products are not allowed. No
school athletic uniform or equipment should be worn in physical education classes. No
jewelry should be worn for safety reasons. Any shoes which mark the floors will not be
allowed.
Names should be printed on the shirts, shorts, and shoes to reduce the chance of theft.
Rental shoes, shorts, and shirts are available in the physical education office for twentyfive cents.
Gym clothes should be taken home and washed every Friday, for personal hygiene
reasons.

Locker Rooms:
Students are responsible for keeping the locker room neat and orderly. Food, drinks, and
breakable containers are not allowed in the locker rooms.
Students are expected to be in the gymnasium before the tardy bell rings. When the tardy
bell rings, students will be permitted to enter the locker rooms for changing. All students
are expected to use locker rooms for changing purposes. Students have 5 minutes to
change clothing and report to their attendance area.
Students will be released from activity with approximately 7 minutes remaining in the
period. Students will be allowed to enter the locker rooms when the supervising teachers
unlock the doors. After changing, students are to remain in the gymnasium until the end
of the period. Leaving the gym area will result in a referral to the deans office.
Teachers will lock the locker rooms upon leaving but the student is responsible for
locking up their valuables to reduce the chance of theft.
Showers are available after physical education classes

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Rules of the Locker Room:

1. Do not run or horse around in the locker rooms.
2. No eating, open food, or drinks are allowed in the locker rooms or gyms.
3. Use waste containers for items you wish to throw away. Please help keep your locker
rooms clean and neat.
4. Never bring breakable articles into the locker rooms.
5. Place towels in the towel bags after showering.
6. All items left in the locker room and/or floor will be put in the lost and found.
7. Make sure you lock up your valuables.
8. Do not share a locker with anyone.

Lost and Found:

Lost clothes and other lost items may be found in the lost and found areas in the
respective locker rooms. Items left in the lost and found will be donated to local
charities at the end of each semester, there will be a two week delay after each semester.

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Lockers:
Large numbers of students use the locker rooms, and it is necessary to have certain rules
and regulations governing their use. Each student will be assigned a gym locker and a
street clothes locker to put their clothes in while in physical education classes. The
student must provide a lock for use in physical education locker room to secure their
valuables. The gym locker, the combination of the lock, and/or padlock should not be
shared with other students.
The gym locker is to keep their physical education clothes during the week. A student
may use the street clothes locker only during the time they are in a physical education
class. Locks left on a street clothes locker other than during their physical education
class will be cut off so that other students may use the street clothes locker.
If a lock is placed on the wrong locker, the student assigned that locker may request a
teacher to cut off the lock. When a lock is cut, all possessions will be placed in the
respective lost and found. Waubonsie Valley High School is NOT responsible for
replacement of locks that are cut off because students placed them on the wrong
locker or left their lock on a street clothes locker. Waubonsie Valley High School is
NOT responsible for valuables that are NOT locked up by the student.
Students should check to make sure their lock is secured before leaving the locker room.
A teacher is assigned to locker room supervision and they are responsible for assigning
gym lockers and cutting locks. Book bags left out and/or left on the floor is the students
responsibility, book bags belong in their school lockers, not in the gym locker rooms.

Theft:
When a student has had something stolen from their locker they need to report it first to
the teacher supervising their locker room. The student should also report the theft to the
main office and complete a theft report. The best way to prevent theft is not to bring
large sums of money to school or bring possessions to school that are meaningful to you.

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General Grading Guidelines:

Daily attendance and participation are very important if a student is to obtain the greatest
benefit from a physical education class. Physical education is a semester course. A
student must receive a semester grade of "D or better to receive credit for the semester.
In order to graduate, a student must receive credit for each semester of physical education
in which they are enrolled.
All classes are structured into four week units. All students begin their respective unit
with 100 points. The 100 points are broken down in the following manner:
60 points = Participation: Physical education is a laboratory course and, consequently,
class participation is an important factor in a students achievement. Points will be
deducted from the participation grade for excessive excused absences, failure to dress
properly, truancy, unexcused absences, refusal to participate, and for poor behavior.
Participation evaluation is based upon a students involvement in the class activity and
effort to perform to the best of their ability.
Each unit is 20 days long. Students receive 3 points per day for activity in class.
Lack of participation is reflected by a deduction up to 3 points per day.
Students are given 3 absences each unit. After the 3rd absence, 3 points will be
deducted from the participation grade. Points can be made up with the unit
teacher for excused missed activity time.
Each no dress will be reflected by a deduction up to 10 points.
15 points = Skills: The students will demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of
various skills required in a particular unit via performance on respective pre and post
tests. All units involving physical skills have a skills checklist for objective grading
purposes. Skill evaluation is based upon the students performance in meeting skill
objectives for each unit of activity.
25 points = Written Test: The students will exhibit knowledge and understanding of the
rules, skills, and strategies of each unit via a written test. The written part of the
evaluation consists of a written test and/or written assignments.

Any combination of eight unexcused absences, no gym clothes, and/or ditches; will
constitute an F for the semester.

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Extra Credit:
In addition to the 100 points per unit, the student has the opportunity to achieve bonus
points every quarter. Points can be earned by writing a research paper related to personal
or physical fitness.
Students that decide to write a paper must contact the unit teacher prior to writing.
Guidelines for writing the paper will be discussed before the student begins work. The
paper must be a minimum of two double spaced typewritten pages. Margins should be
one inch, top, bottom, and sides. A separate reference page must be included and a
minimum of three references used for the research paper.
Students can make up participation points for excused absences, non-dressing, lack of
participation, or poor behavior. Unexcused absences or cuts can not be made up unless a
contract is made between the dean's office, parents, student, and the unit teacher.
Students can make up participation points through their unit teacher before or after class,
during their lunch hour, or with the approval of their unit teacher to make up points with
another physical education teacher.

Physical Fitness Tests:

The physical fitness tests will be done once a year. The physical fitness tests are used to
assess the fitness level of our students and to let the students know their own fitness level
compared to their peers.
The physical fitness test also constitutes 1/5 of a semester grade. The physical fitness
grade is determined more on effort and participation than on personal performance.

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Sports Exemption:
There is a sports exemption from physical education. To apply for a sports exemption,
the student must meet the following qualifications:
1. Be a junior or senior.
2. Be on W.V.H.S. varsity sports squad.
3. Complete the special physical education exemption form and return it to the
department chairperson.
4. Be willing to be assigned to a study hall, no student may use their sports exemption
for an early dismissal or late arrival from school.
5. The student will not receive a grade for physical education but will receive credit for
the class.

Medical Excuses for Physical Education:

The School Code of the State of Illinois requires high school students to engage in daily
physical education. It also allows for students who are temporarily or permanently
afflicted with a condition or illness to be excused from participation for some period of
time. The customary way we encounter this is through a written doctors excuse which
the student delivers to the unit teacher or school nurse. Some students may have to
switch their physical education unit due to their medical excuse.

Long Term Medicals:

If the medical excuse is for the long term, the student may be assigned to a study hall.
Long term medical excuses may not have to be made up by the student. This is the
discretion of the Principal, guidance counselors, school nurse, and the physical education
department chairperson.

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Procedures for Medical Excuses:

1. The student takes the medical excuse written by a physician to the school nurse.
2. The school nurse will fill out the physical education medical excuse form.
3. The student takes the medical excuse form to the unit teacher.
4. The white copy remains with the school nurse who staples it to the physicians note.
They are kept in the student health file.
5. The remaining three copies are returned to the physical education unit teacher by
the student.
6. The grading teacher keeps one copy of the medical excuse, gives another copy to the
unit teacher, and the student gets to keep one copy.
7. If the student and/or teacher wish, the student will be assigned to a study hall by the
grading teacher.
8. It is the students responsibility to return back to the physical education grading
teacher when the medical excuse has expired and/or extended.
9. Students with an extended medical excuse will not receive a physical education
grade but will receive credit for the physical education class.

Notes from Home or Parents:

Usually a note from home is for a single day excuse from physical education. The
student will change for class but will be excused from the activity for that day. The
student should give the note from home to their unit teacher. Again, missed class
participation can be made up.

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Need to see the Nurse:

Students who become ill during the school day and believe that they need to see the
school nurse must see their unit teacher first to get a hall pass. The school nurse will
not see a student who does not have a pass from a teacher.

P.E. Accidents and/or Injuries:

If a student is injured during a physical education class, the student should
immediately report the injury to their unit teacher. All teachers are required to
complete an injury report form with the school nurse.

Safety Procedures:
The following procedures should be followed by students at all times during class
activity and in the gyms and locker room areas:
1. Good judgment, reason, and common sense are to be exercised at all times.
Students are expected to demonstrate mature behavior while in the gyms and locker
rooms to insure safety and privacy for all.
2. Proper clothing should be worn for all activity.
3. Jewelry should not be worn in class for safety reasons.
4. Never use or get on any piece of equipment unless you have been instructed in the
use of the equipment.
5. Use equipment only in the way you have been instructed. Damage to school
equipment is a serious offense.
6. Follow class safety procedures and rules.
7. Follow correct procedures for fire and disaster warnings and drills.
8. For safety reasons, gum should not be chewed in physical education classes.
9. Never use or get on any equipment without a teacher present. Students are not
permitted in storage areas unsupervised.

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General Information:
Each student should check the physical education department bulletin board to find
out what unit they have been assigned. The bulletin board is located in the P.E.
Hallway outside the wood gym. Students who wish to change units must have the
grading teachers permission.
A student who is having problems in a physical education class should attempt to
resolve the problem by talking with their physical education unit teacher first.
If the unit teacher is unable to resolve the problem, the student should see their
grading teacher. If the problem is still not resolved, the student should see the
physical education department chairperson.
All new students and/or schedule changes must see the grading teacher first before
reporting to a physical education class.

Daily Class Procedures:

A student should:
1. Be in the gym by the time the tardy bell rings. The grading teachers tardy policy
will be followed.
2. Dress quickly for class and lock up all your valuables, clothes, shoes, and books
in the long lockers assigned to them.
3. All students must dress in the locker rooms for activity. Student rentals are
available for $1.00 plus the students I.D. The student I.D. will be returned when
the rental uniform is returned at the end of the period.
4. Be at the proper area for attendance within five minutes after the tardy bell rings.
5. If the student is ill or needs to see the school nurse or has a note from home, they
need to see their unit teacher.
6. If a student has a tardy pass to their P.E. class, the student needs to show the note
to the grading teacher to get into the locker room so he/she can change clothes for
class.

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7. Ten minutes will be allowed for showers and dressing at the end of the class
period. Showers are available and highly recommended.
8. Students need to make sure their lockers are locked during showers and at the end
of the class period.
9. Students need to wait in the gym until the dismissal bell rings.

Unit Teacher:
The unit teacher is responsible for individual unit and quarter grades. The unit teacher
will be the class room teacher in charge of discipline, attendance, skills, and written tests
for the length of a unit (approx. 9 weeks). The unit teacher gives the student the grade for
the quarter. The unit teacher may call home to inform the parents of any problems that
might affect the students grade for that particular unit.
It is the unit teacher whose name you will see on the quarter grade. The unit teacher is
responsible for keeping the parents informed of their son/daughters progress for the
quarter. When a student and/or parent needs to check their son or daughter's grades or
progress, they need to call the student's unit teacher.

Grading Teacher (Lead Teacher):

Each period has one staff member that is responsible for the organization of classes.
This teacher will oversee unit registration at the start of each quarter. Any students that
miss elective sign up time must see the lead teacher for a unit assignment. Students that
are on medical and athletic sport study hall are under the attendance and supervision of
this teacher. Students that come to class late or need to leave early will be assisted by the
lead teacher. The lead teacher will insure that locker rooms are locked and unlocked at
appropriate times. They will also supervise the physical education hall areas and will be
available to assist students with needs.