This school year, Physical Education got a little bit more serious. Mr. Todd Elkei, Department Chair of Health, Physical Education and Drivers Education, answers the questions that the students have been waiting for: Will students’ P.E. classes affect their GPA?

Mr. Elkei spoke on the main goal of changing the grading system this year. He says, “Recently the Task Force for Enhanced P.E. and the Illinois State Board of Education came out with new State Standards for all P.E. departments to follow.  With these changes from the State along with P.E. being in the GPA, we felt that it was important to change our grading policy.”

He then adds, “We went from a negative (demerit) system to a system that allows each student to work towards developing their grade each day.  Instead of having your A taken away, you now earn your A, just as in all other disciplines at LTHS.”

The P.E. Department states that the class of 2019 will be the first to have their P.E. grade in their GPA.

Doing well in a P.E. class takes dedication and participation. Students should be dressed and prepared for class with the supplies they need. The students do their best to adjust to the new changes.

A number of students have mixed feelings about all the changes this school year. An LTHS senior says, “We should be graded on our physical ability. Everybody is different sizes and shapes. Some students have to work harder than others to get better grades due to their physical ability.”

Another student says that he loves the new P.E. grading system this year.

Although there is a lot of controversy and different feelings, Mr. Elkei and the Illinois State Board of Education believe that these changes will better improve students physically and mentally, not only now, but in their future.