DePue looks to add new fitness course

The district’s physical education teacher, Josh Johnson, proposed the idea at Wednesday’s board meeting.

“One of the things that all our sports programs are severely lacking is the strength and conditioning idea,” he said. “Getting these kids into the weight room is one of the things I want to work on hard.”

He explained the course will run a cycle of various types of fitness and weightlifting.

Johnson’s ideal goal is to provide the program to students in order to produce more competitive, stronger players in DePue’s sports programs.

The course will count toward the same credit as taking the regular physical education class. If the new course is approved, the students will have a choice of either taking the regular physical education course or the strength and conditioning course. A prerequisite for the course will be that students have to be active in a school competitive sport or activity.

Principal David Higgs said the high school students will have to be surveyed to see if enough show interest in the course before the board votes on a proposal.

“Its much like the idea of any advanced coursework,” he said. “You have a number of athletic students that go into regular PE who are playing games and whatnot, and it’s not as engaging or challenging enough for them.”

Superintendent Randy Otto confirmed if the course is approved, it will not provide an extra cost to the district.

In other business, the board:

• Heard a report from Otto, where he said the Illinois State Board auditors were at the school during the week of Feb. 25 and are planning to return next week. He said they are looking at the SIG grant, which was taken away from the school by the state in November. Otto said he has spoken with congressmen and has still not heard any information as to why the grant was taken.

• Accepted the resignation of Erika Ward as junior high track coach.

• Accepted a letter of intent to retire in five years from Cheryl Michlig.