Upper Merion Area High School

Course Grading

Course(s) / PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Teacher(s) Name(s) / DODDS, KARKOSKA, YANOCHA, BESZ, EHRET
Description of Grading Calculation
Grading for Physical Education is calculated by the total number of points achieved, divided by the total number of possible points to form a percentage grade. Our grading policy is Advanced (ADV) for students who achieve a 90-100%, Proficient (PRO) for a 75-89%, Basic (BAS) for a 65-74%, and Below Basic (BEL) for those who get below 65%.
Each individual class meeting is worth 5 points. These points are based on Physical Education attire, participation and effort, sportsmanship, and cognitive assessment.
During a marking period a student is allowed one excused absence without getting an incomplete grade for the period that they missed. For their second absence the student has the ability to make up this class before or after school each and every Thursday. If the student does not make up this class it will result in ‘0’ points for that class period.
An unexcused absence will result in zero points for that day and that student will not be able to make up that class.
Students who are not prepared in their physical education attire (sneakers, sweat pants or gym shorts, and change of shirt) can participate in some fashion and receive 2 points for that class. This opportunity can only happen twice during the marking period. After that the student will receive ‘0’ points for those classes unprepared. Students are still able to make up those classes after their second time unprepared as long as they participate in some fashion during that class as assigned by their teacher.
Physical Education is a semester course, which is broken in to 2-quarter grades for that semester. Their Final Exam grade is the average of the 2 quarterly grades. If a student were to pass one quarter but fail the 2nd quarter and the average is Below Basic, they do have the ability to get their graduate requirement by taking a Final Exam assigned by their teacher.
Physical Education is a UMASD graduate requirement. The student needs to receive 1 credit to reach this requirement during their attendance here at UMAHS. Each semester of PE is worth .2 credits.
Any student who has a ‘Medical Excuse’ can still receive their 5 points for the day by participating in class in some fashion or complete a cognitive assessment supplied by their assigned teacher.
Rationale for Grading Calculation
Student’s, who participate to the best of their ability, demonstrate cognitive awareness of the activity of the day and are prepared and respectful of others, which demonstrates ‘sportsmanship’, will receive 5 points for that class. We do not grade on physical abilities but mainly on effort and participation, cognitive assessments and being respectful of one another. Those who do not demonstrate these characteristics may receive less than 5 points for the day.