Frequently Asked Questions

  1.  What happens in the Healthy Heart Schools Program?
  2.  How do I schedule the Assessment and/or CPR days?
  3.  Can students still participate without a parent signature/consent?
  4.  What is required of me on Assessment Day?
  5.  What is required of me on CPR/AED Day?
  6.  Where/how can I get extra questionnaire booklets?
  7.  What do you do with the results of the testing?
  8.  Can I get my blood pressure and cholesterol checked when my students get theirs done?
  9.  What can I do to improve my cholesterol levels?
10.  Can I give feedback on how the program is delivered?

1. What happens in the Healthy Heart Schools Program?

Grade 5
There is 1 class for the Healthy Heart Schools Program. On the Assessment Day students learn about cholesterol, blood pressure and body measurement tests. There is also a healthy lifestyle questionnaire and consent that you give the student to take home to fill in with their parent before they can participate. The student receives a take home sheet with all the results.

Grade 7
There is 1 class for the Healthy Heart Schools Program. On the CPR/AED Day the student learns about saving lives. There is also a healthy lifestyle questionnaire and consent that you give the student to take home to fill in with their parent before they can participate.

Grade 9
There are 2 classes for the Healthy Heart Schools Program. On the CPR/AED Day the student learns about saving lives and on the Assessment Day the student learns about cholesterol, blood pressure and body measurement tests. There is also a healthy lifestyle questionnaire and consent that you give the student to take home to fill in with their parent before they can participate. Students will receive a CPR certificate and take home sheet with all their individualized results.

Before Heart Niagara comes to the school you may have already had classes on the heart, heart disease and not smoking. We do not test for blood sugar and diabetes in this program.


2. How do I schedule the Assessment and/or CPR days?

You can contact our office at 905-358-5552 or email the Healthy Hearts Schools' Program Administrator, schools@heartniagara.com to set the schedule. Please book early in the semester as our data indicates that more students will participate.


3. Can students still participate without a parent signature/consent?

Students are able to participate in everything except the cholesterol testing if they do not have a signed consent.  Teachers may also choose to sign the consent form for a student if they feel comfortable with that or contact a parent to obtain consent. A parental verbal consent or text message is often used for those students who have forgotten to have a parent sign the consent.

4. What is required of me on the Assessment Day?

For assessment day, please have a look at the Teachers Resource to see equipment requirements and set up.  Also, if your class has completed the Beep Test, a copy of the results on the class list would be greatly appreciated.

5. What is required of me on the CPR/AED Day?

For CPR/AED day, floor space and mats are all that is required.  

6. Where/how can I get extra questionnaire booklets?

You are able to download extra forms off of our website:

Grade 5 questionnaire booklet
Grade 7 questionnaire booklet
Grade 9 questionnaire booklet

Grade 9 consent and family history only

Alternatively, you can contact our office at 905-358-5552 or email the Healthy Hearts Schools' Program Administrator, schools@heartniagara.com to request more forms.

7. What do you do with the results of the testing?

The results are used to help educate students about heart disease risk factors and a healthy heart lifestyle. The results are also used for research purposes in partnership with Cardiovascular Clinical Research Unit - The Hospital for Sick Children. Research ethics approval has been granted by the school boards. Please have a look at our research publications timeline and publications reference list.

8. Can I get my blood pressure and cholesterol checked when my students get theirs done?

Phys-ed teachers are welcome to participate in the assessment day process with their students.  As adults, your cardiovascular risk scoring is possible and interesting for you to see where your risk is. Due to the cost of running the program and the cholesterol cassettes, we are only able to offer this opportunity to phys-ed teachers, principals and vice principals. Click here for a copy of the minor assessment form for males, for females or the full assessment form.

9. What can I do to improve my cholesterol levels?

The single most important thing you can do to improve your health and cholesterol levels, is to be active.  Physical activity not only lowers your bad cholesterol, it helps to increase your good cholesterol levels.  Physical activity has also been proven to lower the risk of developing over 25 chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, certain types of cancer and many more.  For other suggestions on how to improve your cholesterol levels, click here.

10. Can I give feedback on how the program is delivered?

Yes, please let us know if we are meeting your needs and if the students are learning from the experience. Click here for a satisfaction survey, please print it, fill it out and fax it to 905-358-6033.



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