A quality Physical Education program plays a vital role in child development and supports mental, social, and emotional education for our students. Additionally, the PE curriculum affords greater opportunities for students to effectively communicate, engage in cooperative learning, and resolve conflicts.  However, it has come to our attention that Physical Education instruction for all Lake Oswego elementary schools will be cut in half for the 2025-2026 school year.  The State of Oregon guidelines for Grades K – 5(6), ORS 329.496 require 150 minutes of PE per week for the entire school year. The planned reduction will not only make it impossible to meet this mandate, but the impact on our youngest learners will be alarming. Physical Education instruction is not an “enhancement”, PE teachers are Master level educators credentialed in Physical Education and take classes in Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology, and Biomechanics. They are often the first to notice motor skill delays, and according to evidence-based research, PE instruction improves cognitive function, stabilizes a child’s mood, and directly improves academic performance in the areas of math and reading.  The National Institutes of Health outline and provide a sound rationale for investing in Quality Physical Education Instruction and yet LOSD is cutting our elementary program in half. Please stand with us in opposition to these proposed cuts.  
**How many hours can you remain in a single room with 27 other people? (Our elementary students are in a classroom for 6 hours including: lunch and rainy recess days** small recess breaks do not take the place of a Quality Physical Education Curriculum!!

To submit written testimony to the School Board: https://www.losdschools.org/lake-oswego-school-board/providing-testimony