This year Pella High instituted a new waiver policy regarding exemptions for PE. As of this past year, the Iowa Senate has passed a new bill allowing students involved in extracurricular activities such as choir classes and band to be exempt from PE classes. Here at Pella High there was a late push for the PE waiver. There have already been sports waivers in other schools in previous years. There has never been anything like a PE waiver at Pella High; although in some cases,  some students with unique medical conditions did not participate in PE. 

Pella High’s vice principal Derek Shulte said, “We are very supportive of meeting exemptions, and we hope students who need it can take advantage of the waiver.”

Shulte also says students are joining sports so they can meet the requirements of the waiver. According to Megan Clayberg, who has been teaching PE for 15 years,  PE waivers have been a topic of discussion since she started teaching. Clayberg feels the PE waiver is going to hurt the PE department.  Although she understands how stressful it can be for students involved in extracurriculars, she thinks that kids should still take PE.

“PE is more than a sport.  It’s new experiences; it helps students learn about certain sports they may be interested in and exposes students to such. PE helps create good leadership skills as well,” said Clayberg. “Not only that but PE has balance. If you’re in a sport it has its pressures, and PE is and can be, a break from core classes.”