Starting this upcoming school year, pending approval by the school board, all gym classes will be counted on students’ GPA.  Four years ago, District 128 began to get the ball rolling on this big decision. Plentiful research has been done around schools in surrounding counties to see how many schools were counting gym classes on their GPA. The results showed that roughly 60% of the surveyed schools did have gym classes counted on their GPA and 40% didn’t.

There was also research done involving the most applied schools from District 128 (ex: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri). There was only one school that said that they really looked at students’ GPA, including PE. Everyone else said that it is just ignored and calculated without it. I think that this is a very important factor for students to understand. Other than receiving scholarships for a certain GPA, it will most likely not affect your ability to get into a school.

“With any big decision made you can’t make everyone happy, I think there is always going to be a few people who have a different lens, but with the research we have done, especially in our school regarding GPA, it should help or could potentially benefit the majority of VHHS students,” said PE department supervisor, Mr. Michael McCaulou.

For most students, this change will be a big surprise. There is no doubt that this should encourage everyone to give a little more effort when they are running the pacer. McCaulou believes that by using individualized programs with heart rate monitors, grading will be more objective.

As an athlete, this change seems a little unfair.  There are unfit kids who are able to get TZ without giving nearly as much effort as me. To get 25 minutes of TZ, I come out of gym class heavily perspiring.

For kids who have over a 4.0 GPA, it is likely that this will impact your GPA in a negative manor.  This is now a class that will bring down your GPA if it is over a 4.0.

“The majority of kids are going to be excited. We have so many kids working hard in our classes who are not being rewarded in their GPAs; we have so many kids who put in the time and effort to work as they do in every other academic area, and they are not reaping the rewards,” said McCaulou.

 As a hardworking student, I have built up a satisfactory GPA. My gym classes have consistently been my worst grades and would have given my GPA a decent blow. However, I know students with GPAs who would definitely be thrilled about this announcement.

It has been rumored that students will not be able to exempt because of this change, but the current option to exempt will most likely be available. There is nothing that has been set in stone for this next year regarding this change, and there are still meetings to be had in the near future. Vernon Hills and Libertyville will be sending out an informational letter that will most likely come out early second semester.  

“At the end of the day, we do things to benefit the kids, and I truly believe that this change is going to help,” said McCaulou.