A parent told the Alamo Heights Board of Trustees on Nov. 14 that the district’s off-campus physical-education policy prevents her sixth-grade daughter, a competitive gymnast, from training with peers and risks leaving her behind athletically.

The mother, Lisa Seltman, spoke during the “citizens to be heard” portion of the meeting and said her daughter “has been a gymnast since she was about 6. I estimate in the last 4 years, she's probably put in about 3,500 hours in the gym. She does 20 hours a week.” Seltman said neighboring districts allow younger students to participate in off-campus athletics and that her daughter's gym starts at 3:45 p.m., making it difficult for the student to attend after school.

The request to reconsider the policy came in the public-comment segment; board members did not take immediate action but allowed Seltman to finish her remarks and confirmed her name and spelling for the record. Seltman said the district’s written policy, as she read it, allows students to take a class in lieu of PE but that option does not address the training needs of athletes who require out-of-school practice time.

Seltman asked trustees to consider changing the policy so competitive athletes could pursue off-campus PE or a comparable accommodation that does not require removing the student from campus enrollment. She identified the outcome she wants as the ability for her daughter to “train with her peers and stay on the level” toward higher-level competition.

The board did not debate or vote on a policy change at the meeting. Trustees said they would follow up through the usual staff channels; the board’s procedural remarks clarified that the district will respond separately as needed rather than during public comment.

Background and next steps: Seltman said other area districts (she named multiple Northside and Northeast area ISDs and San Antonio districts) allow off-campus athletics for students younger than Alamo Heights’ policy permits. She asked trustees to examine whether the policy can be adjusted for competitive training needs; the board did not provide a timetable or directive at the meeting.