As informed in a previous newsletter St Josephs PS are once again participating in the Great South Coast Health Behaviours Study. The information is once again published below in this newsletter.

Several years ago St. Joseph’s school made a commitment to data helping to inform school-wide decisions. In the health area, this involved every two years students participating in the ‘Great South Coast Health Study’; students of Grades 2, 4 and 6 participate. The study is coordinated by Deakin University under the jurisdiction of researchers Professor Steven Allender, Professor Colin Bell and Dr Claudia Strugnell. It is funded by government grants, occurs between April through to June and is supported by many schools in this region. This will be the third time over a six-year period we have participated.

The purpose of this study is to examine if health weight and related behaviours (physical activity, diet quality, and wellbeing) among children have changed in recent years in our area. Information is de-identified, we get a school-wide report of our school cohort and parents can ‘op out’ their child if so desired. For St. Joseph’s this information has helped us reflect on our student’s health and then how as a school we can support student’s healthy development. This has resulted in school fruit snack programs, general student’s health and physical activity, curriculum, canteen food availability and programs such as ‘Walk/Ride/Scoot To School’ engagement.

Correspondence will arrive home for children in Grades 2, 4 and 6 with full details this week. Family support and student engagement will add to regional information supporting the many local agencies in this area to promote, plan and develop support for the Great South Coast liveability.