Fitness Carter: A closer look at physical fitness results in the East Bay

This is an excerpt of On Assignment, education writer Theresa Harrington's blog on Contra Costa County schools. Read more and post comments at IBABuzz.com/onassignment ^[1] . Follow her at Twitter.com/tunedtotheresa ^[2] or Facebook.com/TheresaHarringtonBANG ^[3] .

Oct. 25:

State fitness test results for students in fifth, seventh and ninth grade released earlier this week showed that many children need to eat better and get more exercise to improve their aerobic capacity, strength and flexibility.

Based on six different tests of these areas, about a quarter of fifth-graders met all fitness goals, compared to roughly one-third of seventh-graders and nearly 37 percent of ninth-graders.

Alameda County's fifth-graders scored slightly higher than those statewide, with about 29 percent meeting all six fitness goals, while the same percentage of seventh-graders met the goals and 36.4 percent of ninth-graders met the goals. Contra Costa County students were also in the same range, with 28.1 percent of fifth-graders meeting all six fitness goals, compared to 31.8 percent of seventh-graders and 37.7 percent of high school freshmen.

Seventh-graders at Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek surpassed the Mt. Diablo district average and roughly matched the state average, with about 32 percent of students meeting all six fitness goals.

Anna Meehan, 13, who is now in eighth grade, said she likes PE classes because she knows it's good to get her heart rate going faster every day and to work a little harder as she progresses through the school year.

Maggie Claire McCoy, who is also a 13-year-old eighth-grader, said she also participates in club volleyball outside of school and is hoping to play on the top-notch Northgate High volleyball team next year. She said exercise helps condition her body for after-school sports, as well as to keep her fit overall.

Andrew Rinella, another 13-year-old eighth-grader, said he thinks it's a good idea to participate in after-school sports in high school, so students can stay fit even if they don't take PE in their junior and senior years.

Chris deClercq, chairman of the school's PE department, said he and other teachers promote lifelong fitness and try to find something that every child can enjoy.

"We try to expose them to as many activities as we can," he said. "Our goal is getting them to believe fitness is a good thing and that it can still be fun, even though it's hard at times."

Complete fitness results by school, district, county and state are available at www.cde.ca.gov ^[4] . Click on "Physical Fitness Test Results for 2012-13."

how schools shape up

Here's a closer look at how fifth, seventh and ninth-grade students in some local districts compared to those throughout the East Bay and California in meeting state fitness goals.

Grade 5 Grade 7 Grade 9

STATE 25.5 32.4 36.5

ALAMEDA COUNTY 28.9 32.4 36.4

Castro Valley Unified 49.3 47.8 54.7

Dublin Unified 32.7 55.7 59.6

Livermore Valley Joint Unified 27.3 38.2 47.8

Pleasanton Unified 32.8 40.3 57.9

Sunol Glen Unified 70.0 50.0 (Grades 5 and 7)

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY 28.1 31.8 37.3

Acalanes High 53.5 (Gr. 9)

Antioch Unified 18.7 29.4 33.5

Brentwood Elementary 28.1 38.5 (Grades 5 and 7)

Byron Elementary 41.4 46.2 (Grades 5 and 7)

Clayton Valley Charter High 31.7 (Grade 9)

John Swett Unified 19.2 27.4 28.8

Knightsen Elementary 42.0 28.6 (Grades 5 and 7)

Lafayette Elementary 54.5 24.1 (Grades 5 and 7)

Liberty High 46.0 (Grade 9)

Martinez Unified 23.3 36.2 25.0

Moraga Elementary 66.7 64.9

Mt. Diablo Unified 17.8 28.1 27.1

Oakley Elementary 7.3 23.7 (Grades 5 and 7)

Orinda Elementary 53.9 44.7 (Grades 5 and 7)

Pittsburg Unified 22.2 20.4 21.5

San Ramon Valley Unified 50.0 43.8 53.0

Walnut Creek Elementary 50.8 39.3 (Grades 5 and 7)

West Contra Costa Unified 15.2 20.3 21.9