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Compass Survey
Published on Mar 22, 2019 10:18

March 22, 2019

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

Our school will be participating in the 2018-19 COMPASS survey. Researchers from the University of Waterloo will ask students to complete a 40-minute questionnaire about healthy eating, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, smoking, alcohol and drug-use, bullying, school connectedness, academic achievement, and mental health. The survey is confidential and no names are written on the surveys. This means that the name of your child will not be linked with their survey responses. The surveys will be stored at the University of Waterloo and only research staff will have access to the completed surveys. The survey responses will help researchers gather details about youth health, and this information will be shared with our school to help improve school policies and practices related to health. Both the school board and our school have given approval to conduct the study. The survey is repeated once each year, following the same students. There are no known or anticipated risks to participation.

On Wednesday, April 3, 2019, students in grades 9 to 12 with parental permission, and who themselves agree to participate, will be asked to take part in the survey. Students are free to withdraw from the survey at any time, without penalty.

If you do not wish your child to participate, please call the COMPASS Research Coordinator, Breanne Reel, at 1 (844) 819-8388 or contact Ed Donato at the school office by Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Consent will be assumed unless you notify us otherwise. If you leave a message, please include:

  • your child's name,
  • your child's grade,
  • the name of your child's school, and
  • the name of your child's teacher.

This project has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee (ORE #30118). If you have questions for the Committee contact the Chief Ethics Officer, Office of Research Ethics, at 1-519-888-4567 ext. 36005 or [email protected].

To view a copy of the survey questions or for more information about the COMPASS project, please visit www.compass.uwaterloo.ca, or contact COMPASS Research Coordinator, Breanne Reel, at 1-519-888-4567 x38271 or [email protected].

Please note that in cases where researchers believe that a student may need protection from harm, researchers must by law report this information to authorities.