The principle mission of our health-related fitness assessments is to promote lifelong physical activity and to track the progress of the student’s fitness levels year after year with an electronic personal profile portfolio. The portfolio begins in grade 3 and ends in grade 11 or 12.

The comprehensive fitness assessments are designed to assess cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and body composition. The age and gender specific criterion-referenced standards associated with good health have been established for children and youth for each of the health-related fitness components.

The report summarizes the child’s performance on each component of health-related fitness and provides a graphical summary of previous assessments. The Wellness Education teacher uses the results to assist their students in improving  their health during Wellness Education class. We encourage parents to use the information and share with their child’s physician to plan for a comprehensive program of physical activity outside the school day.

The components measured include:

1. Aerobic Capacity: Aerobic Capacity is the most important area of any fitness program. Aerobic Capacity is measured by the pacer and BMI (Body Mass Index). BMI is calculated by height and weight. The aerobic capacity output on the report is shown as VO2max. (maximal oxygen consumption).
2. Body composition: is measured by height and weight and reported as BMI. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased sharply in recent years, and the trends are evident for children as well as adults. These trends have been associated with low cost and availability of high-fat foods, as well as with declining levels of physical activity. High levels of body fatness are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes. While children are not generally at risk for heart disease or stroke, increases in blood pressure and cholesterol occur in overweight and obese children. In addition diabetes (type 2) has increasingly been diagnosed among children. Obesity and heart disease risk factors are known to track through the life span, so it is important to document body composition as part of a comprehensive health-related fitness profile.
3. Muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility are combined into one broad fitness category because the primary consideration is determining the functional health status of the musculoskeletal system. It is equally important to have strong muscles that can work forcefully and over a period of time and to be flexible enough to have a full range of motion at the joint. Musculoskeletal injuries are often the result of muscle imbalance at a specific joint; the muscles on one side may be stronger than the opposing muscles or may not be flexible enough to allow complete motion or sudden motion to occur. The assessments include: push-ups, curl-ups, sit and reach and trunk lift.