The Healthy Heartbeat Project at Kurri Kurri Public School which involved three Schools from the University of Newcastle, Australia - 1992
Source: livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/11855
Academic staff of three Schools of the University have been working together to assist
a Hunter Valley school in its efforts to establish a 'Health Promoting School'.
The Schools of Health, Medicine and Education have been working co-operatively to help Kurri Kurri Public School develop approaches to creating a greater awareness of health issues, particularly of heart health through an innovative curriculum for Year 6 school students.
The initiative is in response to parent requests for health education programs to be conducted in conjunction with the curriculum and are to be linked with the school canteen in an effort to provide healthier food choices. Local community groups are offering their support of the program. A $500 donation for development has been provided by the Alcan Aluminium Smelter.
The program was launched recently by the Mayor of Cessnock, Alderman Maree Callaghan. Support for the program was provided by the University's Department of Health and Physical Education. Students John Russell, a member of the Newcastle
Breakers Soccer Team; Jane Nixon, under 21 Hockey Representative and Mark Curry, Australian Country Cricket Representative, provided examples of games which are fun to play and which form a basis for a healthy lifestyle.
The program is currently being evaluated, with pre-testing underway at Kurri Kurri public School. A control is being conducted at Telarah Public School. The Department of Health and Physical Education is coordinating the health related fitness testing which is being supervised by lecturer, Dr Ashley Woodcock. Student attitudes to health and their self-reported behaviours are being measured by a questionnaire developed by Dr Ron Plotnikoff from the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics within the School of Medicine. Gains in knowledge are being monitored by Mr Phil Williams from the Department of Holistic Health. Phil, who is co-ordinating the University involvement, says that community involvement in the program is high. He says that the Coalfields Healthy Heartbeat Project and the Newcastle Branch of the Heart Foundation are working together to provide a range of programs which have been requested by parenrts of Year 6
students.
"These range from courses which provide skills for selecting and preparing low fat foods, exercise and stop smoking programs," Phil says. "I believe the co-operation and participation by Kurri Kurri Public School, the local community and the University Schools of Health, Medicine and Education is unique. Even though the project is still
in its pilot phase, I anticipate that the ideas and principles generated will be disseminated to other schools in the area: he says.
This image was scanned from a film negative from album folder B16368.
This image was scanned from a photograph in the University's historical photographic collection held by Cultural Collections at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
This image can be used for study and personal research purposes. If you wish to reproduce this image for any other purpose you must obtain permission by contacting the University of Newcastle's Cultural Collections.
Please contact us if you are the subject of the image, or know the subject of the image, and have cultural or other reservations about the image being displayed on this website and would like to discuss this with us.
If you have any information about this photograph, please contact us or leave a comment in the box below.
The Healthy Heartbeat Project at Kurri Kurri Public School which involved three Schools from the University of Newcastle, Australia - 1992
Source: livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/11855
Academic staff of three Schools of the University have been working together to assist
a Hunter Valley school in its efforts to establish a 'Health Promoting School'.
The Schools of Health, Medicine and Education have been working co-operatively to help Kurri Kurri Public School develop approaches to creating a greater awareness of health issues, particularly of heart health through an innovative curriculum for Year 6 school students.
The initiative is in response to parent requests for health education programs to be conducted in conjunction with the curriculum and are to be linked with the school canteen in an effort to provide healthier food choices. Local community groups are offering their support of the program. A $500 donation for development has been provided by the Alcan Aluminium Smelter.
The program was launched recently by the Mayor of Cessnock, Alderman Maree Callaghan. Support for the program was provided by the University's Department of Health and Physical Education. Students John Russell, a member of the Newcastle
Breakers Soccer Team; Jane Nixon, under 21 Hockey Representative and Mark Curry, Australian Country Cricket Representative, provided examples of games which are fun to play and which form a basis for a healthy lifestyle.
The program is currently being evaluated, with pre-testing underway at Kurri Kurri public School. A control is being conducted at Telarah Public School. The Department of Health and Physical Education is coordinating the health related fitness testing which is being supervised by lecturer, Dr Ashley Woodcock. Student attitudes to health and their self-reported behaviours are being measured by a questionnaire developed by Dr Ron Plotnikoff from the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics within the School of Medicine. Gains in knowledge are being monitored by Mr Phil Williams from the Department of Holistic Health. Phil, who is co-ordinating the University involvement, says that community involvement in the program is high. He says that the Coalfields Healthy Heartbeat Project and the Newcastle Branch of the Heart Foundation are working together to provide a range of programs which have been requested by parenrts of Year 6
students.
"These range from courses which provide skills for selecting and preparing low fat foods, exercise and stop smoking programs," Phil says. "I believe the co-operation and participation by Kurri Kurri Public School, the local community and the University Schools of Health, Medicine and Education is unique. Even though the project is still
in its pilot phase, I anticipate that the ideas and principles generated will be disseminated to other schools in the area: he says.
This image was scanned from a film negative from album folder B16368.
This image was scanned from a photograph in the University's historical photographic collection held by Cultural Collections at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
This image can be used for study and personal research purposes. If you wish to reproduce this image for any other purpose you must obtain permission by contacting the University of Newcastle's Cultural Collections.
Please contact us if you are the subject of the image, or know the subject of the image, and have cultural or other reservations about the image being displayed on this website and would like to discuss this with us.
If you have any information about this photograph, please contact us or leave a comment in the box below.