SCHOOL BOARD QUESTIONS P.E. REDUCTION

Members of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education want a committee studying graduation requirements to take another look at changes it has proposed.

Board members voted to table a proposed policy change that would reduce the number of physical education requirements from the current two units to 1.5 units. The change would also raise elective requirements from seven units to 7.5 units.

This was the second reading of the proposed policy change. A policy must be read and discussed three times before being approved. If approved, the recommendation calls for changes to start with the class currently in seventh grade.

Board member David Goncher expressed concern that the proposed change would be equivalent to lowering the district's standards and would be detrimental to students' health. He cited information from a recent Surgeon General's report which stated American youth need to increase their weekly amount of physical activity.

"Every effort should be made to keep students active," Goncher said. "I listen to the health-care community, which is doing everything to promote physical activity to youth, then I look at us taking it away. If anything, I think we should increase the P.E. requirement."

Assistant superintendent Bill Biggerstaff led the committee, which was made up of teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, students and residents. He said the committee considered increasing the total number of units but decided against it because they feared the district's drop-out rate would increase.

Cape Girardeau requires 23 units for graduation, he told board members, one more than the number required by the state. He said the policy change would not have a large impact on students or the drop-out rate because for the last three years about 80 percent of students have had 23 units or more when they graduated.

Goncher and board member Dr. Bob Fox suggested the committee consider proposing an increase in the number of units required to graduate. This would make the district a trendsetter in the state, they said, and increase the standards set for students.

"I don't think adding a credit is going to affect the dropout rate: That's not why people are dropping out," said Fox. "I think we should look at increasing the requirements for our students rather than dropping them."

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Agenda

Monday

May, 19, 1997

6 p.m.

Old Business Action Items

-- Approved miscellaneous board policy updates

-- Tabled item regarding policy change for graduation requirements

New Business Action Items

-- Approved fund transfer

-- Approved textbook adoptions

-- Approved Boatmen's Bank depository bank bid

-- Approved W.E. Walker property, casualty and Workers Compensation insurance bid

-- Accepted Nip Kelley Trucking and Equipment bid to demolish house at 23 S. Pacific

-- Accepted bid from Loyd Slinkard Painting Co. Inc. to paint and waterproof the exterior of Franklin Elementary School.

-- Approve agreement between the City of Cape Girardeau and the school district for a School Resource Officer.

-- Establish position of Assistant Superintendent for Special Services

-- Approve A+ goals for the 1997-98 school year

-- Approve the Professional Development Plan

-- Designate William Biggerstaff as the Title IX, Section 504 and ADA coordinator for the 1997-98 school year

-- Approve district's matching funds for video grant

-- Approve district's matching funds for a competitive technology grant

-- Approve Safe Schools Grant application

-- Approve State Incentive Continuation grant

-- Closed session to consider scholastic probation, expulsion or graduation of identifiable individuals