By Alene Hill – Metro Independent Contributor
It used to be that Collinsville High School students who forgot their Physical Education uniform had one option, sit out class and receive a failing grade that day. But a uniform rental program has given students another option, with great success.
Photo by Roger Starkey
For 50 cents each, students who forgot their uniform can rent a white shirt or purple shorts and participate in class.
“The goal is to get kids to dress out and pass,” said Darryl Frerker, department chair for physical education, driver’s education and health. Frerker learned of the uniform rental policy from other area schools and implemented it at CHS about two years ago.
Revenue collected under the policy is used to launder uniforms after every use, as well as help offset other expenses in the physical education and health department. The School Board recently approved an activity account for the money collected.
“The P.E. and health departments have a small budget,” Frerker said. “We had trouble replacing basketballs.”
But the big advantage to the program, he said, is the role it has played in the reduced failure rate in P.E. classes.
“The combined effect of the rental policy, along with the ‘no dress policy,’ has reduced the failure rate (in PE classes) by about 70 percent,” he said. “It’s a win-win policy.”
The district’s policy spells out the uniform guidelines for physical education, including the procedure for “Discipline for No Dress Physical Education Participation Violations.” Disciplinary action progresses from a warning for the first two referrals, to detentions, in-school suspension and then out-of-school suspension for additional “no-dress” referrals.
One board member, Gary Kusmierczak, voted against the activity account for the rental policy because he said the rental plan does not go far enough to encourage student responsibility.
“It’s a bad procedure,” Kusmierczak said. “Kids need to be responsible – to show up for class prepared. Bringing your gym uniform is a part of the class.”
