Physical Education

State law requires school districts to annually assess the physical fitness of students enrolled in grade three or higher and to provide the results of individual student performance on the administered physical fitness assessments to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The Physical Fitness Assessment Initiative (PFAI) is a program designed to collect and analyze the required student physical fitness data.

Parents may request their child's physical fitness assessment results by contacting their child's physical education teacher.

A student who is unable to participate in the state-required regular PE program due to a specific physiological condition should have a physician complete the Physician's form and will have their program modified.

The “Move to Live, Live to Move” (P.E.P. Grant) Program features Mobile Learning Modules aligned with TEKS-based curriculum. These modules focus on fitness and lifetime activities to enhance fitness levels, increase awareness and knowledge of fitness training, and motivate students to stay active into adulthood. By introducing a variety of lifetime sports and leisure pursuits, the program encourages students to “live to move” and provides rotational access throughout the district.

Note: Module rotations vary from year to year and are provided throughout the district.

Sports Medicine I and Sports Medicine II are courses that are options for students interested in Athletic Training.  This is an elective course not available for P.E. credit.

Sports Medicine l (9-12) #5632 This course is for students interested in athletic training, physical therapy, or other related medical fields. It provides an opportunity for the study and application of sports medicine components, including concepts of sports injury, injury law, prevention, psychology, and nutrition. It also encompasses the recognition of injuries, initial injury evaluation, and immediate care of athletic injuries. It includes First Aid, CPR, and AED training as well as skin conditions in sports, blood borne pathogens, thermal injuries, and special medical concerns of the adolescent athlete.

Sports Medicine ll (10-12) #5633 Sports Medicine II is designed for students continuing in the student athletic trainer program. This course will provide the students with actual hands-on psychomotor skills development in the curriculum's specified areas. This course will involve outside-of-class time and required time working with athletes and athletic teams. Students must receive the approval of the Licensed Athletic Trainer supervising the athletic training staff. Sports Medicine II complements a student’s exercise and wellness or science program in preparing students for college health care profession courses.

Northside ISD participates in Category I Off-Campus Physical Education (OCPE). Off-Campus Physical Education students must meet qualifying criteria, participate, and compete in a sport. Students must train at least 15 hours per week and compete in national to Olympic level competitions throughout the year. Please see the Off-Campus PE Guidelines for additional information. Failure to meet these requirements will result in removal from the program. 

The OCPE Program is a partnership between Northside Independent School District and approved off-campus agencies to provide activities such as dance, gymnastics, martial arts, swimming, equestrian, etc. Students will receive a numerical grade at the end of each grading period.  

Student applications for Off-Campus PE will not be approved if the activity is available as part of the NISD curriculum or athletics at their grade level.  Activities approved at the middle school level may or may not be allowed in high school. All sports/activities require individual, one-to-one, directly supervised instruction. No team sports, including team sports private lessons, will be approved (i.e. basketball, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball, etc.) Only sports that allow for individual scoring and individual advancement will be approved.

The Physical Education Department supervises the OCPE program standards to ensure that each student receives an exceptional off-campus physical education experience. Considerations for agency approval include district staff travel times to visit agencies during instruction. Areas for consideration include the Northside ISD vicinity to include areas near Loop 410, North Loop 1604, and within the I-10 West corridor to Boerne.  

Note: As determined by Texas Education Code, the requirements are different for high school students vs. middle school students. For students in grades 9-12, TEC allows participation in a Category I program to substitute for the state physical education graduation requirement. NISD extends the above requirements and guidelines to students in grades 6-8.

Incoming 6th grade students are eligible for the Off-Campus P.E. Program during the spring semester. Please contact your campus counseling department for further information.

To be considered for the Off Campus Physical Education program at Northside, please review the following:

1. Complete the Off-Campus Physical Education online application.
2. Submit the completed application by the application deadline.  
   1. Incoming 6th Grade Student registration window:
      1. October 1st - December 1st - (Spring Semester Eligibility)
   2. 7th - 12th Grade Student registration window:
      1. First Friday in June - Second Friday in August - (Registration for Fall and Spring)
      2. October 1st - December 1st - (Registration for Spring Semester)
3. The student must participate in their activity, under professional supervision, for a minimum of fifteen (15) hours per week.  The agency must submit a student schedule to the district through the agency portal.  If the application is approved, the student must be off-campus during 1st or 8th period.
4. If an agency is not on the NISD Approved Agency list, the agency must complete the Off Campus PE online application by the May 15th  deadline each year to ensure time for application processing and training. 
5. Approval of an OCPE application is for the current school year only.  A new OCPE Program Application must be submitted for consideration for the subsequent school year. 
6. If all of the requirements and deadlines have been fulfilled, and the requesting agency is certified by the District, the Northside P.E. Department will determine eligibility and notify the campus counselor and principal for final approval prior to the beginning of each semester.  
7. Final review from the P.E. department will occur upon receiving the training schedule from the institution ensuring the minimum of 15 weekly training hours.
8. If the student application is approved, it is important to communicate with the campus counselor regarding the student schedule. Approved students must be off-campus during their 1st or 8th period.

Note: It is the responsibility of the student/parent-guardian to submit a completed application. School staff or Agencies may not submit an application on behalf of the student. 

The OCPE Program is a partnership between the Northside Independent School District and approved off-campus agencies. Students may not be enrolled in OCPE and any other general physical education class or physical education substitution at the same time.

NISD only participates in Category I of the TEA OCPE program.

Category I - Olympic/National Level - Participation and/or competition includes a minimum of 15 hours per week of highly intensive, professional, supervised training. The training facility, instructors, and the program’s activities must be certified by the superintendent to be of exceptional quality. Students qualifying and participating at this level may be dismissed from school one hour per day. Students dismissed may not miss any class other than physical education. PLEASE NOTE: Students who leave for instruction during the school day cannot participate in UIL activities in the same sport.

24-25  Agency List

To be placed on the NISD OCPE Approved Agency List, an agency must do the following:

1. Complete the Off-Campus PE Agency online application.
2. Submit the completed application.  Proof of insurance will be submitted on your online portal.
3. If all of the requirements and deadlines have been fulfilled, and the requesting agency is certified by the District to be of high quality, the agency will be added to the published approved list.

OCPE Agency applications are closed on May 15th each year to ensure time for application processing and training.

1. All documentation must be completed and submitted by the required deadlines. It is suggested that parents/guardians and students start this process at least 2-3 weeks prior to the deadline to meet all the documentation and scheduling requirements. Incomplete information will result in denial of the student application. 

2. Students may only participate with one agency at a time and credit cannot be issued for summer activities. 

3. Students must participate 15 hours per week for Category I at the approved agency from the first week of the semester through the end of the semester or transfer into a general Physical Education class at the students home campus.

4. The OCPE Attendance Policy - 

   1. Excused Absences -  A student who is absent from class more than 3 days due to an illness or injury must be verified by a doctor’s note.  Students are also excused for sanctioned UIL school functions. A parent/guardian note is sufficient for less than a 3 day absence.
      1. Note: A Category I OCPE student may be granted excused absence(s) for a state and/or national level competition. A maximum of five days per school year may be missed with required documentation. 
   2. Unexcused Absences -  A student who is injured or ill for more than 3 days without a doctor’s note, attending a non-UIL school function/outside school activity without a parent note, or choosing not to attend a scheduled OCPE class. 

5. Students must continue to attend agency classes if injured. They will receive alternative activities and lessons, but still must meet the minimum required hours per week.  If injury extends beyond 1 week, a doctor’s note must be given to the OCPE Agency Coordinator specifying what the student can and cannot do and when they can return to full participation. The Agency Coordinator must contact the OCPE Specialist for further assistance if injury/illness extends beyond 1 week.