Annual fitness test shows room for improvement for Morgan Hill
children
Only 21 percent of fifth grade students in Morgan Hill could achieve all six fitness standards required by the state last year, and less than three-fourths of them were in the “healthy fitness zone” in their aerobic capacity, body composition, upper body strength and flexibility according to a report released last week.
The California Dept. of Education’s report on last spring’s physical fitness testing showed fifth graders fared the worse, in comparison to the seventh and ninth grade students who also participated in the testing.
Test results show that the majority of Morgan Hill students were able to meet four out of six fitness standards. Grade seven students did the best overall in the district, with 39 percent meeting all six standards; in grade nine, 34 percent of the students met all standards; and 21.8 percent of students in grade five could complete all standards.
Compared to the state as a whole, Morgan Hill students performed better on the fitness tests, except for grade five students. In 2005, statewide, just 25 percent of the students in grade five, 29 percent in grade seven, and 27 percent in grade nine achieved the fitness standards in all six areas of the test.
“I’m glad we did a little better, a little better than the state, but there is definitely room for improvement,” said Trustee Kathy Sullivan. “We need to address that problem, really get a good handle on how to improve fitness for our kids in this district.”
The performance of the fifth graders in Morgan Hill compared to seventh and ninth graders may be attributable to the fact that there are no PE teachers in Morgan Hill elementary schools, according to fifth grade teachers Alice Packard and Jackie Lee.
Students at the elementary level may have recess, but no structured PE instruction until they reach fourth grade. Fifth grade students may not be as well prepared for the fitness test as seventh grade students, the grade level that did the best in the district, Lee and Packard said. Seventh grade students have PE for one class period each day.
District elementary students have been dependent on what the individual teacher or group of grade level teachers was willing to provide to students, but while more structure may be on the horizon for all elementary students, as a pilot county program may expand to other grade levels in the future, some fifth graders are experiencing it now.
El Toro teachers Packard and Lee were putting together a program for fitness on their own, fueled by experiences in their own lives, when Santa Clara County Office of Education came out with “Fit for Learning,” a program that offers teachers suggestions about incorporating fitness and good nutrition into every part of their curriculum.
“The timing was excellent,” Packard said. “This fit in perfectly with what we were trying to do.”
Packard and Lee received the Rambus KCI Innovation Award from the Foothill College Krause Center for Innovation for their project. Students will help create a web site through the year detailing their progress as they learn more through cross-curricular units of science, health and nutrition. The activities they participate in during PE are designed to be fun as well as to get and keep them in shape.
“What I like is that the kids are taking it in,” Packard said. “When the kids told me they were going to be sure their families got up off the couch and took a walk after their Thanksgiving dinner, I knew they were getting the message.”
Lee’s husband, Herb Lee, a coach at Evergreen High, assisted the fifth grade teachers’ efforts by inviting the classes to his school to spend a day learning new PE moves and games, as well as watching his classes.
Other elementary schools in the district are participating in the county program; Lee and Packard plan to extend their program to other grade levels after this inaugural year.
“We hope we can make a difference in the way they think about fitness, something that will stick with them over the years,” Packard said. “Life-long changes these kids make could maybe reduce obesity, prevent Type II diabetes and other diseases.”
The obesity epidemic sweeping the nation is also affecting local children according to a report released in August by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. The report claims 23 percent of local children are obese. It’s problem the state Department of Education takes seriously, according to Superintendent Jack O’Connell. He said that though the fitness test revealed modest gains statewide, child obesity is still a growing problem.
“I am pleased to announce the 2005 physical fitness test scores show some forward movement with a 3 to 4 percent increase in overall performance,” said State Superintendent Jack O’Connell. “But there are still far too many students failing to reach even minimal levels of physical fitness. A silent epidemic of obesity and poor nutrition is endangering our children’s health and their ability to learn. This physical fitness test is just one more reminder that we need to rededicate our commitment to turn this trend around.”
