The option to take online physical education in place of in person physical education instruction was offered at Forest Hills High School for the 2024-2025 school year. Many students expressed that they were unaware of this option or that they knew of online P.E. but weren’t sure what it entails. This article is meant to enlighten students on what online physical education encompasses, if it’s recommended and how to program this class into your schedule in future years. 

What is online physical education?

Senior Keya Patel is a current online Phys Ed. student. “We do Edpuzzles, we talk about fitness, different components of fitness, we talk about sports, we have interactive conversations…. It’s just learning about gym and fitness and how to take care of yourself mentally and physically.” 

She later adds that her teacher encourages the students to implement what they learn in class in their everyday lives. 

Mr. Ebanks, Assistant Principal of Guidance at FHHS, concurs and explains the variety of activities that may be done in online physical education. “If you think about an online gym class, the teacher can have the student do things at home or in their workplace or somewhere where they can say, ‘turn on your cameras, let’s do 15 jumping jacks together.’” 

The class is interactive on a virtual level. “It’s basically an online exercise class,” Mr. Ebanks says. “The teacher can say we’re going to do this stretching together, and then for the next 10 minutes I want everyone to go, walk 10,000 steps, which is typically a day’s worth.”

Online physical education is not the only class that can be taken virtually. In fact, it’s part of a larger initiative: SBVL. 

What is SBVL?

SBVL stands for School Based Virtual Learning. According to the NYC Infohub, SBVL can be defined as virtual classes taught by a school’s teachers to their currently enrolled students in order to provide students with flexibility based on their (and the staff’s) needs and/or the opportunity to advance. 

FHHS was one of the 19 DOE schools chosen to take part in this pilot program. However, online gym is not the first online class offered. 

“Our first online class that we offered last year was College and Career Development. And we had two sections for that. And then because we were one of the 19 pilot schools in all of New York City, they gave us the green light to offer as many classes as we wanted because we did it correctly,” AP Ebanks explains.

Is online physical education recommended?

Senior Keya feels that the answer varies from person to person, because it is a commitment, just as an in-person course. “If you’re someone that’s able to do the Edpuzzles, join the class every single day, do what you have to do in that class, then sure, go ahead. You’re going to see that there are more interactions happening. Between the teacher, to Edpuzzles, to communication… if you talk in the chat, participate… [it’s] more serious, in a way.”

In comparison to other physical education classes, Keya feels online P.E. is preferable to health and exercise gym (largely for the reason of changing and feeling a little sweaty in the following classes), but she ranks weight training higher than online P.E. “I think it’s cool, but objectively, I think that weight training was more fun. I had Mr. Serio and he was so chill.” 

Mr. Ebanks agrees that online gym may not be for everyone. “If you would’ve asked me in high school if I wanted to take online gym, I would’ve said no. And again, I grew up playing sports. I played sports in college. I always wanted that competitive edge in doing something against someone else. And if I’m at home by myself, who am I competing against?”

But everyone is different. “If you see yourself as being a highly athletic person, enjoying the stressors of working out and being pushed to the limit of vomiting, you know, personally, that online gym may not be for you. [However,] those student athletes can also use that time in online gym as a way to recover from the strenuous activities that they are doing in practice.”

How can students opt to take online physical education?

It is important to preface this section by stating that this program is not a guarantee. The school has to reapply for the SBVL program every school year. Ebanks says that the application will most likely be around March, but he hopes to have it in place beforehand so juniors can schedule online classes when programming with their guidance counselors. “We also have to be mindful that this may not be forever. If the city says no more School Based Virtual Learning then students have to realize that we expect u to come back in. And that’s something that’s out of my control, Principal Wilbur’s control, the city controls everything.”

In the case that online physical education does return, it is also necessary to note that online P.E. (and SBVL as a whole) is geared towards upperclassmen, particularly seniors. “The one thing that I always think about is offering more for older students. Offering more for seniors because the older you get in the school building, typically your responsibilities increase.” Ebanks adds that this system is meant to support students who are pursuing endeavors outside of school, which often applies to upperclassmen. “Being able to support the student at the back end of their high school career is almost a reward because they’ve done everything that they needed to do. They put themselves in a position to intern at a law firm or work at a hospital or do any of that other stuff. And why should your standard school building schedule hold you back from those opportunities?”

Online gym is scheduled in a way that gives students this flexibility and opportunity, which is why it is scheduled for periods 10 and 11. This gives students the time to get to their destination after they leave the building, take the 45-minute class, and then return to other responsibilities. 

Ebanks feels it is sensible from a social emotional development standpoint to give virtual classes to upperclassmen. “Before we start pushing or directing students to online classes, come to Forest Hills, get a feel, [and] build relationships first. Because no matter what career you go into, no matter what you do, you have to work with people. And if you never develop those skills, and typically high school is the learning curve, we will be setting you up for failure. So, us being able to have students develop with us for 3 years and then explore the fourth year being a hybrid schedule or a potentially fully online schedule, I think that’s the best way to do it.”

Online physical education may be the right decision for seniors who want to pursue a job or internship outside of school and don’t want their schedule to impose upon that. However, it’s important to consider your fitness goals, your responsibilities and the fact that this class is not a guarantee.