Phys Ed Grading Change Recommended
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Physical education grading for next year's high school freshmen should change from a pass/fail system to a numerical grade, recommended Dr. Teresa Prendergast, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, at the May 14th Garden City Board of Education work session. The board is expected to approve the change at their regular meeting on Monday.

The grade will not be calculated in the overall GPA and will not keep a student off the Honor Roll. Even though a numerical grade will be on report cards, pass/fail will appear on transcripts. Teachers will base their grade on personal and social responsibility, overall improvement, participation and effort, preparation for class and overall attendance and content knowledge with regard to skill assessment.

The physical education committee which studied the issue had recommended that ninth- and tenth-graders receive numerical grades since they are in the same gym class. However, district administrators ultimately decided that it would be the least disruptive to make the change for incoming freshmen only. Students who will be in ninth grade next year will already be familiar with the numerical grading system from middle school.

Middle school students have been receiving numerical grades and the department has seen a noticeable increase in effort and overall performance, reported Nancy Kalafus, the district's director of physical education and athletics, at last month's work session.

The committee surveyed 37 college representatives on the issue of whether they preferred pass/fail or a numerical grade in physical education. Thirty-two had no preference, four preferred numerical grades and one preferred pass/fail. They all said that a numerical grade would not influence their college admission decision.

The district also investigated how grading is handled by 49 other school districts. Their research revealed that 30 use numerical grades, 12 use pass/fail and seven use a letter grade at the high school level. Two school districts used pass/fail on transcripts.