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| Patterson students working toward physical fitness |
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| Written by Maddy Houk / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 26 December 2007 | |
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Local middle school and high school students did well in state physical fitness tests last year. However, elementary school students still have some work to do, according to results released by the state Department of Education earlier this month.
 Fifth-graders at Apricot Valley Elementary School play tetherball during a 10-minute recess last week. Photo by Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator On the other hand, fifth-graders fell short — 42.1 percent of PUSD kids met all or most of the criteria, down from 43.5 percent the previous year. That compares to 53.3 percent of fifth-graders in the state this year and 48.2 percent in the county in 2006. Cathy Schulz-Brown, a teacher on special assignment for assessment programs in the Patterson Unified School District, said the overall results are positive, but more work needs to be done to get the remaining kids to pass the test. “Our P.E. scores look good,” Schulz-Brown said. “Compared to the state and county, we’re doing well.” She said students are doing well if they meet five or six of the six fitness criteria on the test. Students are tested in aerobic activity, body composition (percent of body fat), abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, and upper-body strength and endurance. They are rated on a scale of 1 to 6, with a score of 6 being the highest. Focusing on fitness Schools within the district have worked hard to improve the health of local students within the past few years. For instance, the district no longer allows sodas, fries and other "junk" foods to be served to students during the school day. In addition, more exercise programs are in place throughout all grade levels in the district.  Camari Wright shows off his handstand skills for other students Dec. 17 during recess. Photo by Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator The most recent program within the district, Project FIITNESS — Fostering Individual Improvement through Nutrition, Exercise and Student Specialists — started at Patterson High School in mid November. More than 40 freshmen agreed to take part in the program, in which they are monitored for 24 weeks of exercise and engage in motivational meetings as they learn about lifestyle changes, self esteem, leadership skills and family involvement. The program started with a kickoff rally earlier this month hosted by former WNBA basketball player Cardte Hicks. Before Project FIITNESS started, all PHS freshmen had their height, weight and body-mass indexes measured at school. Those who were deemed overweight were given the opportunity to enroll in the program. Teens who successfully change their lifestyles at the end of the program will get a makeover, including new clothes from participating companies. They also will visit local elementary schools to tell younger students about healthy exercise and eating habits. The program was started by West Valley Health Coalition, a group of school, city, health and nonprofit representatives that formed in May to improve health in the community. High-energy fitness Creekside Middle School has focused on improving students’ physical fitness through its regular P.E. programs. The four physical-education teachers at Creekside Middle School say they take pride in their programs for students from sixth to eighth grade. Kathy Pon, PUSD’s assistant superintendent of educational services, described physical-education teacher Steve Cardoso’s P.E. class as high energy. “They’ve gotten good results from it,” she said. Cardoso said the physical-education curriculum is closely aligned with state standards, using a variety of sports and activities. “Our goal is that the students will select one or more of these activities/sports and pursue them throughout their lifetime,” Cardoso said. Physical education is broken up into units, or classes, by grade level. Seventh-graders participate in the following individual and dual activities: racquet sports, fitness unit/testing, gymnastics, disc sports, recreational games, dance, orienteering, bowling, aerobics and track and field. Eighth-grade physical education focuses more on team sports, including lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, fitness, soccer, floor hockey, team handball, flag football, dance, disc sports and track and field. Teachers at Creekside emphasize cooperative games with sixth-graders. Each P.E. class has a daily warm-up and cardio run that varies before students participate in class activities. Students can also chart their results and see their progress throughout the year. “P.E. usually has the old stereotype of ‘Roll out the ball and play,’” Cardoso said. “We don’t do that here — our program incorporates a variety of units, which require our students to complete written work and learn about the unit of study that they’re in.” Students integrate skills from other classes into their P.E. routines. For instance, they use math to measure courts and fields and to find their target heart rates. Students also must complete writing assignments, which involve the history, rules and vocabulary associated with each unit. In addition, they must learn some basic human anatomy. The school recently received a P.E. block grant that provides money for handheld “pocket” personal computers, which teachers use for assessment and evaluation. Cardoso noted that the school has large fields for games and exercise, a blacktop and a nice gym. “We’re very fortunate to have great facilities, equipment and an administration that thinks highly of physical education,” Cardoso said. Keep kids moving Meanwhile, over at Apricot Valley Elementary School, the fifth-graders are learning a new curriculum introduced in July under the leadership of Vice Principal Jose Sanchez and Apricot Valley teachers. The program, called Tandalay, is all about play, and motivates kids to get them moving. Tandalay teaches sportsmanship, teamwork, cooperation, encourages kindness. Apricot Valley Principal Steve Charbonneau said Sanchez has done a good job of implementing the program for the 100 fifth-graders at the school. “It’s a comprehensive program that incorporates P.E. into a series of very engaging games and a series of fun activities,” Charbonneau said. “The most amazing thing about the program is the kids get a great workout without knowing it.” Every day, kids get 20 minutes of activity, including relay races and games. During one game called “Clean Your Room,” the teacher distributes soft, colorful toys, and kids run around and try to put them in a basket. “It’s not really the equipment but the whole philosophy behind the program,” Charbonneau said. “The way they frame these activities is so nice.” To reach Maddy Houk at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail her at
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