Health & Fitness
Physical Fitness Event
Last Wednesday, nearly 300 elementary students took part in the first of three federally required physical fitness data collections.
Last October, New London Public Schools was awarded an $844,104 Physical Education Program (PEP) grant that will expose students to a broader range of physical activity programs, allow use of new fitness equipment, and chances to learn about better nutrition habits.
Grant funding will launch Project Fit Kids, will improve the district's Physical Education curriculum; increase teachers' knowledge of evidence-based practices for improving students' fitness and nutrition outcomes; increase the amount of time students are active; improve students' fitness levels; increase the percentage of students with a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) and improve students' eating habits.
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The series of tests will set students’ physical fitness benchmarks and will be used to build fitness and nutrition knowledge programs and activities.
As part of the testing students from Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School, Jennings Elementary School and Winthrop Elementary Magnet School will conduct Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) tests, push-ups, curl-ups, trunk extension, and sit and reach exercises; complete a computer-based report to chart levels of current activity and nutrition knowledge, and wear a pedometer to chart their daily activity levels. All student results reported as part of the grant requirements are anonymous but a fitness report card with individual fitness results will be issued to each student. Smoothies were also offered to students after testing is complete.
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“The results of the assessments are twofold: where do our kids stand with nationally accepted norms, and more importantly, what does this say regarding student contact time, our physical education curriculum, and the opportunities ahead of us,” middle school physical education instructor Edward Sweeney said.
New cardio and strength equipment/machines including treadmills and stationary bikes have also been delivered to Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. New London Public Schools anticipates that as part of the grant, new fitness equipment will be distributed to all five schools.
