(September 30, 2011) — The new school year, along with the many administrative changes, brings a new feature in the physical education department. Although many are familiar with heart rate monitors, the option to purchase monitor straps is something students haven’t experienced before. “The students have been requesting this since last year,” said P.E. teacher Judy Thomsen. “By allowing the students an opportunity to purchase a heart rate monitor, we’re just doing what a lot of students asked for last year.” In previous years, Thomsen has taken the heart rate monitors home and washed them every night, making sure that they are ready for other students. She said that a large reason for deciding to sell the heart rate monitor straps was for the students’ convenience. “It won’t make you feel uncomfortable knowing other students may have sweat on it,” sophomore Anna Dadurian said. “There won’t be an issue of getting a new heart rate monitor strap every day and having to find your size and take time to readjust it.” Compared to the chest straps sold outside of Clark that can cost up to $70, Thomsen sells the monitor straps for only $5. “It’s only $5 for the whole year,” Dadurian said. “We’re going to use the heart rate monitors for a majority of the year, so paying $5 in return for several uses makes it almost free.” Thomsen said she puts into consideration all the possible economic statuses of parents and makes sure that heart rate monitor straps are sold at an affordable price. “If students don’t want to purchase their heart rate monitors, it’s totally fine. We just want to make sure that students have the option to own one if they want to,” said Thomsen. “I don’t think it’s necessary because I don’t need it,” said sophomore Mariam Grigoryan. “I’m not a germophobe and I know the teachers always clean the straps all the time, so it’s always clean.” Sophomores like Grigoryan believe that buying a chest strap isn’t an important investment considering this year would be their last year of P.E. and their last year using the heart rate monitors. Some upperclassmen who no longer have P.E. wish that P.E. teachers offered monitor straps in the past. “I wish they sold the straps when I was in P.E.,” said junior Chase Baker. “I would always have a strap that’s actually my size and one that I would be the only one to sweat on it and be able to wash it whenever I wanted.” According to the sophomore P.E. teacher, selling the heart rate straps is a learning experience. Although allowing students to purchase the straps in previous years would have saved her a lot of time from washing them herself, Thomsen states that offering them to the students had never crossed her mind until they mentioned it to her last year. “You have to figure out what works best for the students.” Thomsen said. “At the end of the day, the students’ feedback is what’s important.” Correction/Clarification: The $5 is for the elastic strap that goes around the chest, NOT for the watch itself. The article stated that the $5 is a discount for a $70 watch; this is incorrect.