Heart Tech Plus: Encouraging Students to Move

The Heart Tech Plus platform enables instructors, trainers, coaches and PE teachers to assist students with achieving individual results during group fitness activity. By showing each participant’s heart rate, step rate, RPM, power and calories burned data live on a big display, then storing it in a secure web portal for later access, both instructors and students can view and analyze their data, then set appropriate fitness goals. The platform allows continuous adjustment of goals, based on accumulated data.

Rebecca Stanton, principal at Helen Haller Elementary shares her experience working with Heart Tech Plus.

How were you introduced to Heart Tech Plus? Why did you decide to partner with them? 

RS: I found out about Heart Tech Plus through a mutual friend. My friend knew that I had taught Health/P.E. at an Elementary School and that I am now the principal. Heart Tech Plus came out over the summer to share their program with me. I immediately saw so many applications for students and families and knew that our current H.P.E. teachers would have an instant place in their curricular plans for the year. After about an hour presentation with me Heart Tech Plus took the opportunity to sit down with both elementary P.E. teachers in our district. They were hooked after that.

What are the benefits to your facility as a result of the partnership? What are the benefits to students? 

RS: The benefits for our PE teacher are many. First, Heart Tech Plus ties closely to our state’s health and P.E. standards and the state’s classroom based assessment. Heart Tech Plus enables teachers to visually represent cardio-respiratory endurance because it shows students if they’re working in the right fitness zone for the activity. It encourages them to move. It allows for goal setting and instant feedback for students on how they are progressing toward their goal. Teachers have been able to integrate Heart Tech Plus bands into some long time activities they’ve been doing and teachers have seen a huge improvement in the amount of movement students do. The bands give teachers a visual platform for practicing a healthy lifestyle outside of school P.E. time. I’m sure I’ve missed some of the benefits, but we are a month in and we are consistently seeing new ways to use them. We are looking forward to sharing the online piece with parents.

Have you been pleasantly surprised by working with Heart Tech Plus in any way? 

RS: Heart Tech Plus has been easy to work with and very accommodating to our teachers. They have taken good care of them and even setting up appointments to check in when they are in the area. In education, professional development for a new system is of paramount importance to a successful implementation. Their patience in teaching and knowledge of their product ranks high in my book.

What else can you tell others about working with Heart Tech Plus? 

RS: It’s been a joy! Best of all – their product has 625 kids in our building moving more than ever and setting and achieving fitness goals. Thank you for impacting young lives.