Medically Excused Policy

Staples Physical Education Medically Excused Policy

A. A student with an illness or injury which may require exclusion from physical education classes for more than 3 classes which may result in a loss of credit for a quarter course must:

• Present written documentation from his/her health care provider preferably using the Staples Physical Activity Restriction form that can be obtained from the school nurse and/or the Staples High School website under the student services- health services tab. Documentation must be completed to indicate the reason for exclusion from physical activity and the physical activities the student is restricted from participating in.
• Upon receipt of medical documentation, the school nurse will issue the student a pass to be excluded from physical education until further notice and/or as specified by the student’s health care provider. The school nurse will notify the student’s physical education teacher, guidance counselor and Physical Education/ Health Department Chairperson of the restrictions and potential timeline for the restrictions.

B. The physical education teacher in consultation with the school nurse will:

• Keep the student in class for modified participation in the physical education class to tolerance per the direction of the nurse/health care provider.
• Allow the student to stay and observe class instruction and participate where appropriate when there is strong possibility that the student will not miss more than 10 days of instruction or the student’s safety and well-being is not in jeopardy while in attendance.

– OR –

C. In cases where extended illness and/or extended injury will require a student to miss more than 10 days of class:

• The student will be assigned to an academic study hall in lieu of attending his/ her physical education class. This decision will be made after consultation with the school nurse, physical education teacher, and Physical Education Department Chairperson.
• The student may be assigned to one quarter of health class if possible in lieu of his/her physical education class if the extended injury/illness were to occur at the outset of a new quarter. Students will not be permitted to add health beyond 3 days of the new quarter.
• If the student would like to earn the opportunity to receive the .25 course credit for the physical education class for the quarter in which the extended illness or injury occurs, the student will meet with his/her physical education teacher to develop an alternative project in lieu of class participation that could be in the form of an independent study project or research paper for which they will be graded. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with his/her physical education teacher to collaboratively develop an alternative to attending class. Prior to departmental approval, both parent and student must confirm in writing on the Staples Physical Activity Restriction form that they acknowledge that it is the student’s responsibility to initiate the proposal and meet the departmental requirements established in the alternative plan. Final approval of all alternative to class participation projects/plans will be made by the Physical Education/Health Department Chairperson. Alternative assignments must be completed by the end of the quarter in which the extended injury or illness occurred. Any exceptions to the deadline will only be granted by the Physical Education/ Health Department Chairperson with consultation of the school nurse. The student will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
• In the event the student’s physical activity restrictions extend into a new school quarter, the Staples Physical Activity Restriction form must be completed again for the quarter that the student is restricted. The student/parent must request the school nurse for a continuation of a medically excused pass for the new quarter as directed by his/her health care provider and the aforementioned policy will be adhered to for the new quarter.
• Students who have an extended illness or injury that require them to miss more than 10 days of class and select not to participate in the alternative, independent project, and/or do not satisfactorily meet the departmental guidelines authorized for the alternative project will have to make up the physical education class in a subsequent quarter(s) following the student’s extended illness or injury.
• Students who have a re-occurring illness and/or injury that causes them to miss more than 10 days, albeit non-consecutive days of participation in class will be required to complete an alternative to class participation project. Students who are still able to participate in more than ½ of the classes will be eligible to receive a grade and credit for the course. Student’s who are unable to participate in ½ of the of the classes will be eligible to receive credit for the class after successful completion of the alternative project and the grade for the course will be issued on a pass/fail basis.