U-46 elementary school students would go from having one physical education class a week to two and kindergarten students from two classes to three under a proposed state waiver request.
A public hearing on the proposal was held Monday night by the school board, which is expected to approve the application for submission to the state at its May 5 meeting.
If the adjustment is authorized by the state, kindergarten students will be in compliance with state law, which requires a minimum of three PE classes be held per week. Elementary students will receive one day less than the minimum.
State rules allow school districts to request waivers to the class requirements for extenuating circumstances. U-46 secured such a waiver previously when wanting to reduce the number of classes from three to one for first- through sixth-grade students and from three to two for kindergarteners.
The district might be able to meet the state requirements for more elementary school students in the future as plans to move sixth-graders into middle schools proceed, Student Wellness Curriculum Coordinator Tracey Jakaitis said at the board meeting.
“We would love to have three days for everybody,” she said. “We looked at those numbers and analyzed what type of impact that would have in terms of safety, instruction, facilities, and we came up with kindergarten having the three and 1 through 6 having the two.”
The plan is to have 75% of U-46 elementary schools holding two PE classes for the same grade simultaneously in the main gym and a third PE class being held in the cafeteria or multipurpose room per day to accommodate the twice-a-week schedule, Jakaitis said.
Were they to try to conduct classes three days a week with sixth-graders still part of the elementary schools, some classes would have as many as 90 students, she said.
“At that point, it’s just too many. It’s not safe, and we’re not really able to teach the curriculum and assess our students,” Jakaitis said.
In addition to the public hearing, the school board Monday also tentatively approved the following proposals, which are to be formally approved May 5:
- Award 26 contracts for more than $67.4 million in work on the new middle school being built on Rohrssen Road in Elgin. Tariffs could affect those costs and the plan to open the school in August 2027, something Deputy Superintendent of Operations Ann Williams said she would report back to the board on once projections are known.
- Award a $600,000 contract to Pala Supply Co. to provide 8,027 classroom supply kits for the 2025-26 school year for students in kindergarten through sixth grade enrolled in Title 1 schools. Schools that surpass the Title 1 income qualifications will design their own supply kits, which families will have to purchase, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Annette Acevedo said.
- Award GameTime/Cunningham Recreation a $174,000 contract for a picnic pavilion to be installed at Elgin High School’s Memorial Field. It will include two ADA accessible and six standard picnic tables, Executive Director of Facilities Sheila Downs said. Similar structures are also planned for Larkin High School in Elgin and South Elgin High School, she said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
