Grad Requirements Change for Next Year's Sophomores

Next school year, more changes are coming to Las Lomas in addition to block schedule, especially for sophomores.

While freshman P.E. remains unchanged, 10th graders who have passed the state fitness test will have the option to use a season of a high school sport to fulfill their P.E. requirements. In addition, all sophomores will take a health class.

According to P.E. Department chair Doug Longero, freshmen are currently taking the fitness test, which assesses body composition, flexibility, strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Students who want to be eligible to use a sport to fulfill their P.E. requirements must pass five of the six tests. Longero predicted that at least 80 percent of students will pass.

“It’s going to be a difficult change,” Longero said. “The sophomore program is gone, so now we are developing electives and moving forward. The weight training class won’t change, but the old class will be reinvented.”

Those electives will be Yoga, Pilates and Fitness Training; Team Sports, and Weight Training.

All sophomores must take a one-semester health class next year, and they can then opt to sign up for a range of semester classes, including the P.E. electives, but also Intro to Computer Science and World Art.

“The purpose for these changes were to give students greater flexibility in choosing classes,” said school board member Bob Hockett. “Additionally, I believe—and hope—that there will be an increase in students taking P.E. electives.”

Some students look forward to next year’s shift.

“I’m excited about the change,” said freshman Josh Morgan, who is on the Las Lomas baseball team. “I like the idea of choosing from electives.”