JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley school board is expected to vote next Monday, May 11, to update graduation requirements, adding a new personal finance course mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

To make room for the new state-level requirement, the school district would adjust its health and physical education requirement from 2.5 credits to 2.0 credits — if the vote is successfully.

Signed into law in December, 2023, by Gov. Josh Shapiro, the revised standards indicate the personal finance course requirement is to be implemented in fall 2026.

“Adding a personal finance course is an important step in preparing students for life beyond high school,” said Tracy Vitale, superintendent of the school district. “By making this adjustment, we’re able to meet the state requirement while continuing to prioritize student choice and a well-rounded educational experience.”

At Seneca Valley’s monthly work session on Monday, the school board reviewed the updated board policy on graduation requirements for high school students, leading one board member, Mark Gartner, to voice his concern about the implementation plan.

Gartner, also a health and physical education teacher at Hampton Township Middle School, said the revised policy approval would “effectively eliminate” a half credit health requirement for high school students.

“As we discuss frequently, we are in a health crisis. It’s not just a mental health crisis, but it’s also a physical health crisis,” Gartner said. Pointing out high rates of prediabetes among the American youth, Gartner claimed that mental health crisis is steeped very much in a physical inactivity crisis as well.

Gartner implored the board to look at alternatives that complied with state requirements without cutting the health requirement.

Gartner said that physical education classes are not just time to “go burn off calories,” but that but it is a core component of education, and a beneficial tool in dealing with depression or anxiety.

“Regardless of the quality of content, sitting still behind a screen is detrimental to kids,” Gartner said. He added that he is concerned about a trend of “online physical education.”

“I think the research is clear: when children are physical active, they are better,” Gartner said. “When a physically literate student leaves our school, they understand how to practice a physically active lifestyle.”

As per Gartner, current Seneca Valley policy is designed to ensure physical movement from students, and that the school district currently surpasses other districts in that area.

“I would say we continue to lead in that capacity,” said Gartner.