By Daily Press staff
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District 5th, 7th, and 9th grade students will be participating in an annual physical fitness assessment.
Fitnessgram — Fitgram — is a part of the State of California’s mandated Standardized Testing and Reporting program.
Schools have from April 10 to June 10 to schedule and complete the Fitgram based upon their program needs. Fitgram is a multi-dimensional health-related fitness assessment developed at the Cooper Aerobic Institute and adopted by the State of California for use in all schools in 1997.
Physical education teachers have prepared students to be successful on the Fitgram See BRIEFS, page 5 by incorporating fitness-training activities into the curriculum throughout the year.
Fitgram not only provides valuable information about student health and fitness, but it also helps measures the effectiveness of our physical education program. Performance is measured against age/gender appropriate criterion-referenced national standards established for each test.
Acceptable student fitness performance is achieved when test scores meet or exceed the standard or “Healthy Fitness Zone.” The 2003 Fitgram will assess the three components of health-related fitness using six different tests: A. Cardiovascular (aerobic) fitness 1. One mile run/walk. B. Muscle strength, endurance and flexibility. 2. Curl-up. 3. Trunk lift. 4. Push-up. 5. Sit and reach. C. Body composition. 6. Grade 5 — Body Mass Index from height and weight. 7. Grades 7 and 9 — Lean body mass assessed using bio-impedance analysis. Individual student Fitgram reports will be sent home with students to parents next fall or as soon as the state releases the results.
Student fitness reports can help you identify student health-related fitness needs and plan for personal fitness improvement. 2002 SMMUSD Fitgram results are available at www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/pe/pe.html and in the annual School Accountability Report Card.
For more information about the schedule and use of Fitnessgram at your school, please contact your child's physical education teacher.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 7, 2003. Read the original PDF.