3. Methods

The proposal for this pilot was reviewed by the Queen's University Research and Ethics Board and was approved with requested changes on October 18, 2012. Once approved the proposal was forwarded to the Limestone District School Board (LDSB) for their review.

Cataraqui Woods Elementary School was asked to be the pilot school for this project as it is a 'walkable' school (i.e. the majority of the student population lives within walking distance) and the administration had indicated interest in promoting active transportation. Cataraqui Woods Elementary School has a population of approximately 450 students and teaches junior kindergarten to grade 8 students.

The public health nurse (PHN) assigned to Cataraqui Woods discussed the project with the vice-principal (VP) of the school. The VP was instrumental in devising a procedure that would work efficiently for the school.

One class from each of grades 3 to 6 was selected by the VP to be monitored for their mode of transportation to school. The VP recruited four upper year students (grade 7) to collect the data. KFL&A Public Health provided the tracking sheets, clipboard, and pen to each student for the student's convenience.

Upper year students were trained in the procedure of collecting the information from children in the classrooms. Two upper year students attended each class to make collecting and recording easier. They gathered the information during first period after lunch, as this was deemed the most convenient time for the  school's schedule. One upper year student asked each child how they had arrived at school that morning and the other student recorded the response on the tracking sheet. (see Appendix A) Classification of transportation included: walk, cycle, other mode of active transportation (e.g. scooter, skateboard, roller blades), driven by parent/guardian, and bus. Each child's mode of transportation was to be collected for one week (5 days) in November 2012, February 2013, April 2013, and June 2013.

The weather (e.g. temperature, precipitation) was to be recorded during the weeks of data collection since it can have a major impact on mode of transportation. Other significant community events were to be recorded that could have an impact on transportation to the school (e.g. construction, field trips, track & field day, important assemblies).

The tracking sheets were kept within the school in a secure location until the end of the project, at which time they were shredded. The PHN and a KFL&A Research Associate visited the school after each tracking week in order to enter the collected data into a computer spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was stored on a USB memory stick in a secure location on school property.