STUDENTS MORE FIT THAN COUNTERPARTS IN STATE CALIFORNIA P.E. TESTS IN SCV'S SCHOOLS SHOW THERE'S MUCH WORK STILL AHEAD.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Most local students remained more physically fit compared with their counterparts statewide, but some school districts could work harder at trimming the fat, a state fitness report said Thursday.

Of the four local elementary school districts, Saugus Union students led the pack on the 2002-03 California Physical Fitness Test. More than 39 percent of its 1,348 fifth-graders were deemed fit under the exam's six standards, which was 16 percent higher than the state's average and 20 percent higher than that of Los Angeles County.

``We really work with the kids to make sure they're not just academically fit but also physically fit,'' said Joan Lucid, assistant superintendent for instruction.

The annual P.E. exam administered in spring measures students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grades under six criteria - aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extension, upper body strength and flexibility - through exercises including curl-ups, pull-ups and mile runs.

Students must meet minimum standards in all six areas to be considered fit. Statewide, roughly 25 percent of students in the three grades achieved that goal. In Los Angeles County, it was less than 22 percent.

``These results are quite discouraging and show that the fitness level of students in California public schools remains low,'' state Superintendent of Public Education Jack O'Connell said in a statement. ``Schools must look for ways to improve their physical education programs and increase physical activity at school.''

Of the six criteria, local students excelled at abdominal strength and trunk extension, but showed weaknesses in aerobic capacity and fat content.

In the William S. Hart Union High School District, about 30 percent of the 2,961 seventh-graders tested passed the exam, compared with 21 percent countywide and 27 percent statewide.

However, that fell to about 25 percent for the 2,627 high school freshmen tested. Hart curriculum director Vicki Engbrecht said many factors might have contributed to the drop in fitness. Some student athletes, who are waived from regular P.E. classes, might not have been tested, she said.

Ninth-graders also performed poorly in the aerobics and upper body strength exams, but excelled in abdominal strength and flexibility compared with their junior high counterparts.

``All of our schools include running and walking as part of their weekly regimen,'' Engbrecht said. ``It's not a part of the curriculum a lot of the kids enjoy, but it is included.''

The test does not affect the Hart district's P.E. curriculum, which already was aligned to state standards, Engbrecht added. But it does promote the importance of athletics and fitness education.

``For students that aren't involved in any of the structured activities, sometimes the P.E. class they get in school is the only time they're truly active,'' she said. ``We need to keep P.E. programs mandatory for our students. Otherwise, many students won't get the physical activity they need to stay healthy.''

The Castaic Union School District, which teaches kindergarten to eighth-graders, trailed the other districts with just 18 percent of its 373 fifth-graders passing the six standards. The seventh-graders performed better, with more than 31 percent of the 374 tested deemed fit.

The district has been revising the P.E. curriculum for students in kindergarten through fifth grades according to state standards, along with a focus on nutrition, said Diann DePasquale, assistant superintendent for education.

``It gets kids moving and gets kids moving longer,'' she said of the new curriculum. ``We've got a $5,000 P.E. grant and we're spending it on materials to support that program.''

About 35 percent of the Newhall School District's 932 fifth-graders passed all six standards, with more than 94 percent excelling at trunk extension. But they showed a weakness in the flexibility category, with only 69 percent deemed fit.

At the Sulphur Springs School District, about 33 percent of the 766 fifth-graders tested completed all six criteria. Students showed weaknesses in aerobic capacity and body composition.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Bob Caprine, 13, a student at La Mesa Junior High School, makes a high jump during gym class. SCV students generally did well in physical fitness tests.

(2) Jeff Orantes, 13, a student at La Mesa Junior High, dribbles a ball Thursday during gym class. Students in local school districts performed well in P.E. tests.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer