As part of your child’s P.E. program and their comprehensive health and physical education plan, their level of fitness will be tested using FITNESSGRAM, the state mandated fitness assessment program. FITNESSGRAM is a five part comprehensive fitness assessment designed to measure cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility and body composition. Administration of this fitness assessment will be for all students in grades 1-12 that participate in a P.E. class.
FITNESSGRAM will be used by all students that are enrolled in a P.E. class regardless of age, gender or ability. Official FITNESSGRAM testing begins in 4th grade, but students will practice learning about the assessments beginning in 1st grade. Students are encouraged to be self-aware of their health related fitness and to take responsibility by setting personal fitness goals. When students focus on continually improving their fitness level a positive lifelong impact can be achieved.
As part of this process your child’s height and weight will be confidentially measured by the PE staff and recorded to determine your student’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Height and weight measurements will not be shared with students. 4th and 5th grade parents and/or guardians will receive a copy of their child’s FITNESSGRAM score report indicating their student’s body composition, aerobic capacity, abdominal strength, upper body strength and flexibility at the end of the school year. Data collection from FITNESSGRAM assessments will be used to create informed policies, programs, and curriculum and instruction decisions for K-12 physical education at the school, district, and state levels. Individual student information will not be used as a part of this process.
As the parent of a minor child, Georgia law gives you the option of not having your child’s height and weight measured at school. If you choose to exempt your child from this portion of the FITNESSGRAM Test, you will still receive a copy of the report but the BMI section will be left blank. If you DO NOT want your child’s height and weight to be measured please email Coach Snyder ([email protected]).
If you have any questions about FitnessGram, ask your students, ask the PE team, or check out the information and links below! Thanks!
FITNESSGRAM will be used by all students that are enrolled in a P.E. class regardless of age, gender or ability. Official FITNESSGRAM testing begins in 4th grade, but students will practice learning about the assessments beginning in 1st grade. Students are encouraged to be self-aware of their health related fitness and to take responsibility by setting personal fitness goals. When students focus on continually improving their fitness level a positive lifelong impact can be achieved.
As part of this process your child’s height and weight will be confidentially measured by the PE staff and recorded to determine your student’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Height and weight measurements will not be shared with students. 4th and 5th grade parents and/or guardians will receive a copy of their child’s FITNESSGRAM score report indicating their student’s body composition, aerobic capacity, abdominal strength, upper body strength and flexibility at the end of the school year. Data collection from FITNESSGRAM assessments will be used to create informed policies, programs, and curriculum and instruction decisions for K-12 physical education at the school, district, and state levels. Individual student information will not be used as a part of this process.
As the parent of a minor child, Georgia law gives you the option of not having your child’s height and weight measured at school. If you choose to exempt your child from this portion of the FITNESSGRAM Test, you will still receive a copy of the report but the BMI section will be left blank. If you DO NOT want your child’s height and weight to be measured please email Coach Snyder ([email protected]).
If you have any questions about FitnessGram, ask your students, ask the PE team, or check out the information and links below! Thanks!
FitnessGram Videos
Coach Snyder has posted two videos demonstrating FitnessGram Push Up and Curl Up Tests. As well as video links for the cadence used to take the test. These are videos for students to use to practice at home! :)
The following information is from the Parent Information FAQ on the FitnessGram Website. The website can be found by clicking here
General Questions About Fitness And Fitnessgram
Q. Why are fitness tests important? I'm a parent, and my child is not going to be a professional athlete. Who cares if he/she can do push-ups or run a mile?
The FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment is based not on athletic ability, but on good health. No matter what your children grow up to become, they will live happier, more productive lives if they are healthy--and physical fitness is vital to overall health. FITNESSGRAM provides accurate and reliable information about your child's level of physical fitness. The FITNESSGRAM test (and report) includes a number of different assessments because fitness has multiple
components. Some kids may have good muscular fitness but need improvement on aerobic fitness. By having a complete report, you (and your child) will know more about their overall level of physical condition and how it can be improved
Q. Why are physical activity and fitness important?
Physical activity and physical fitness are not the same thing. Participation in regular physical activity leads to improvements in physical fitness and provides many important health benefits. This is well documented, and has been
neatly summarized in widely publicized documents such as the Surgeon General's Report called Physical Activity and Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996). To quote one point from the "General Conclusions" section of that report:
"Physical activity reduces the risk of premature mortality in general, and of coronary artery disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus in particular. Physical activity also improves mental health and is important for the health of muscles, bones, and joints."
Physical fitness (an outcome associated with participation in physical activity) also has been shown to be important for health and quality of life. Assessments of physical fitness provide an effective way to evaluate overall physical condition and potential risk for negative health outcomes. Physical fitness is also more easily assessed than physical activity since it doesn't vary on a day-to-day basis. It is important to note that physical fitness is also influenced by factors that are out of a person's control (for example, genetics). While not everyone can be an elite athlete, most people can achieve healthy levels of fitness by performing the recommended amounts of physical activity.
For a more detailed description of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in children, see pages 10-27 of the FITNESSGRAM Reference Guide, accessible from the home page of www.fitnessgram.net or through the Cooper Institute Web site at www.cooperinstitute.org/youth/fitnessgram/references.cfm.
Q. How does a fitness report lead to better health and fitness?
The FITNESSGRAM report generated by the FG software provides information about fitness in an easy to read format. More importantly, the report provides personalized tips and suggestions that can help in planning an individualized
fitness plan. An accurate assessment of physical fitness is one component of a comprehensive physical education curriculum that incorporates health-related fitness education. The report provides a way for teachers (and parents) to teach children about the importance of being active and fit throughout their life.
Q. Will schools use FITNESSGRAM to grade my child?
The FITNESSGRAM assessment and report are intended to provide teachers (and parents) with accurate information about children's physical fitness. A Position Statement developed by the FITNESSGRAM Advisory Board says that schools should not use FITNESSGRAM either to grade your child or to evaluate teachers. The inherent goal of the FITNESSGRAM program is to promote regular, enjoyable, physical activity for students so that they can reach and maintain a level of physical fitness that will contribute to good health and well-being. FITNESSGRAM helps teachers to determine student needs and guide students in planning personalized physical activity programs.
FITNESSGRAM also helps parents/guardians understand their child's needs so they can help the child develop and stick to a plan of regular physical activity--one that's focused on enjoyable activities the child can do throughout
his or her life.
To read the Position Statement on appropriate and inappropriate uses of the FITNESSGRAM tests, click here to view the PDF document.
Q. Will my child's FITNESSGRAM scores be posted or made public?
FITNESSGRAM results are meant to be individualized and personal. Schools should not post FITNESSGRAM results. They are for use by the teacher, the child, and the child's parents/guardians. Where FITNESSGRAM data is collected by the state, the data will have student names removed so that individual scores may not be identified with a particular student. That data will be used to study trends and not to judge individual students.
Contact your local school district or visit your district's Web site for details regarding your district's privacy policy concerning students' personal information.
Q. Will my child be compared to other children?
No. FITNESSGRAM uses health-related criteria called Healthy Fitness Zones to determine students' overall physical fitness and suggest areas for improvement when appropriate. Healthy Fitness Zones (HFZ) are not based on class averages or any other peer comparisons. They are "criterion-referenced" standards that are
based on how much fitness is needed for good health. The standards are set specifically for boys and girls of different ages using the best available research. The FITNESSGRAM report defines the recommended range of fitness for
each test measure and calls this range the Healthy Fitness Zone. If your child's score falls within the Healthy Fitness Zone it means they have achieved the recommended level of fitness for their age.
So, your child will not be compared with other children. Your child will get personalized information on his or her own fitness as it relates to good health.
For more detailed information about the development of the Healthy Fitness Zones, a definition of the criterion-referenced standards they're based upon, and why these standards are important, go to the FITNESSGRAM Reference Guide at www.cooperinstitute.org/youth/fitnessgram/references.cfm.
Q. Will my child be made to feel that he or she is too fat or too skinny?
No. FITNESSGRAM recognizes that physically fit and less-fit people come in all shapes and sizes. The beginning level of the FITNESSGRAM Healthy Fitness Zone for body composition is based on research that links these levels to an
increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The FITNESSGRAM parent and student reports use carefully worded terminology to help parents and youth understand possible risks associated with higher levels of body fatness. Language that could be used to describe physical appearance is not used in the FITNESSGRAM reports.
Additional information about body composition, body mass index, and related issues is provided in other parts of this FAQ document. For more details about the scientific basis for Healthy Fitness Zone standards for body composition,
see pages 90-92 of the FITNESSGRAM Reference Guide, accessible from the home page of the www.Fitnessgram.netWeb site or from the Cooper Institute Web site at www.cooperinstitute.org/youth/fitnessgram/references.cfm.
Q. Will body composition testing increase the risk of students developing eating disorders?
Some teachers and parents express concern that assessments of body composition (or weight status) will make a child overly concerned about their body and lead to eating disorders. There is no research evidence suggesting that
this likely to occur. On the other hand, lack of knowledge about body composition and the lack of appropriate perceptions of body image may be greater contributors to the development of eating disorders.
Body composition testing (particularly skinfold testing) offers an opportunity for teachers to deal with the cultural obsessions with thinness and body image that prevail in our society. The teacher can set a tone of acceptance
for different body types and acknowledge the important genetic contribution to obesity. With greater tolerance for variation in fitness levels, children can better determine the relation of their body composition to health without fear
of ridicule. Avoiding the use of body composition assessment does nothing to counter the perceived cultural pressure to be thin or the tendency of many children to become obese as adults.
Using FITNESSGRAM can help young children set realistic standards for their body fatness and avoid the overemphasis on leanness that is often displayed by our culture.
Additional information about body composition, body mass index, and related issues is provided in other parts of this FAQ document.
Q. What happens if my child "fails" the FITNESSGRAM test?
There is no pass or fail to the FITNESSGRAM report. The category below the Healthy Fitness Zone on the FITNESSGRAM test is referred to as "Needs Improvement," to indicate dimensions of fitness that may require special
attention. While the effect of low fitness may not influence health until later in adulthood, it is important to identify potential risks early on so that adjustments can be made to improve those levels. Therefore, the Needs Improvement message should be used prescriptively to help children set goals or targets to improve their fitness. The wording used for this category does not imply "bad fitness" or "poor fitness" but rather areas in which the child should seek improvement.
It should be noted that it is also possible for some students to score above the HFZ. FITNESSGRAM acknowledges performances above the HFZ but does not recommend this level of performance as an appropriate goal level for all
students. However, students who desire to achieve a high level of athletic performance may need to consider setting goals beyond the HFZ.
The Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) standards in the FITNESSGRAM test reflect reasonable levels of fitness that can be attained by most children who participate regularly in various types of physical activity. Because of this, we
recommend that all students should strive to achieve a score that places them inside the HFZ. However, it is common for children to achieve the HFZ for some dimensions of fitness but not for others. Most children usually have areas that
they excel in more than others.
Q. Doesn't fitness testing take away time from academic areas and thus hurt academic test scores?
Parents--as well as teachers and administrators--sometimes express this concern. The general assumption is that the best way to improve students' test scores in core subjects is to increase the amount of class time spent on core
subjects, even to the exclusion of other curriculum areas like physical education and fine arts. However, there is no research evidence to suggest that daily physical education detracts from academic success, even when it results in
less academic class time during the school day. While a direct cause-and-effect relationship has not been established, some research suggests that fitness (and physical activity) may improve cognition and academic performance. The evidence is compelling enough that the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement in favor of "expansion of school physical education, dissuading children from pursuing sedentary activities, providing suitable role models for physical activity and making activity-promoting changes in the environment."
It is also important to point out that FITNESSGRAM testing need not take time away from academic subjects. Most physical education teachers use fitness assessments as part of their normal instruction, so additional class time is not
needed to complete the testing. Depending on class size, the FITNESSGRAM test battery can be completed in 3 or 4 class periods, and the assessments help reinforce students' learning of fitness concepts that are part of the overall
physical education curriculum.
A selection of reference sources for information about research related to physical education and academic achievement (or physical activity and cognitive function) can be found at:
www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm?template=pr_121002.html
www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/documents/2004pftresults.doc
www.cahperd.org/images/pdf_docs/CAPEfitnessacademicCSBA06.pdf
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/49250.php
www.tahperd.org/HOME_PDFs/Activity_Achievemnt_Scores_article.pdf
www.actionbasedlearning.com/article09.shtml