Dexter Community Schools are exploring adding a Peer to Peer Gym Class

Dexter Community Schools are looking to add a unique Physical Education course at the high school that would be open to all students wanting to be part of the Peer-to-Peer program.

Planned to be called Peer-to-Peer Physical Education, the course was introduced to the school board at its Dec. 15 meeting. The school board is expected to approve the course at an upcoming meeting. Dexter teachers Eric Williams and Kellison Kohler introduced the course as a proposal.

They described the course this way: “Peer to Peer Physical Education is an elective credit course open to all students that is designed to increase academic, independence, and social engagement opportunities for students with autism and other disabilities. This is achieved by inviting multiple peers without disabilities to learn about their schoolmates with developmental or intellectual disabilities.”

The course will take place in a physical education setting (i.e., gymnasium, Twin Turfs), where students enrolled in the class will participate in sports and physical education lessons that are accessible to all.

“Physical education aims to help students, including those with a disability, to become competent movers who will enjoy a lifetime of physical activity. Peer education gives students knowledge and skills that demystify disabilities and increase understanding and acceptance. Students will also learn to advocate with and for students with disabilities,” the course description said.

Dexter High School currently offers a Peer-to-Peer course, a semester-long elective where general education students (Mentors/Links) partner with students with special needs, fostering friendships, understanding differences, and building compassion through activities like shared lunches, promoting an inclusive environment alongside the SNAP (Students Need Accepting Peers) club. This program focuses on peer support, breaking down barriers, and creating a supportive school culture, aligning with broader initiatives like Unified Champion Schools. 

This new course would allow more students to participate.

In their rationale for the course, Williams and Kohler said, “Peer-to-Peer Physical Education (PE) is a new course that allows students to take the Peer-to-Peer course in a general education setting (i.e., high school gymnasium), which is co-taught by a general education physical education teacher and a special education teacher. During the 2025-2026 course selection process, 165 students requested to enroll in the Peer-to-Peer course as it is currently taught, and only 14 students were able to enroll. This new course will allow more students to take a Peer-to-Peer course because it has the ability to enroll more students than the current course format.”

As for the goals for the course, they said by the end of it, students will be able to:

● Demonstrate understanding of differences and inclusion

● Build positive relationships with diverse peers

● Model appropriate social and academic behaviors

● Collaborate and communicate effectively

● Advocate for inclusion and positive school climate