File:  IHAM - Health Education

The Board is committed to a comprehensive health education and health service program as an integral part of each student's general education.  The health education program should emphasize a contemporary approach to health information and the skills and knowledge necessary for students to understand and appreciate the functioning and proper care of the human body.

In addition, the student shall be presented with information regarding complex social, physical and mental health problems which will be encountered in society.  In health education, students should examine the potential health hazards of social, physical and mental situations which exist in the broad school-community environment and learn to make intelligent, viable choices on alternatives of serious personal consequence.

The Board believes that the greatest opportunity for effective health education lies within the public schools because of the opportunity to reach almost all children at an age where positive, lifelong health habits may be engendered and the availability of qualified personnel to conduct health education programs and health services.  Good health is a dynamic, not a static, quality and therefore depends upon continuous, lifelong attention to scientific advances and acquisition of new knowledge.

In addition to the requirements listed below, the customary policies and regulations concerning the approval of new curriculum content, units and materials shall apply to any comprehensive health education courses offered by the district:

1.  Instructional materials to be used in comprehensive health education courses shall be available for inspection by the public during school hours.  A public forum shall be scheduled to receive public comments.

2.  Parents/guardians of all students shall be notified that such courses have been scheduled and that they may request that their child be exempt from a specific portion of the program on the grounds that it is contrary to their religious beliefs. If the request for the exemption is from a specific portion of the health education curriculum that concerns human sexuality, no reason must be given by the parent/guardian when requesting the exemption.

3.  The notice to parents shall include a detailed, substantive outline of the topics and materials to be presented in the portion of the planned curriculum that concerns human sexuality.

4.  The Board shall approve an exemption procedure.  If a student is granted an exemption, an alternate educational assignment shall be arranged.

5.  Teachers who provide instruction in comprehensive health education shall have professional preparation in the subject area, either at the preservice or in-service level.

Adopted  September 14, 1992

Revised  August 28, 1984

Revised  August 22, 1995

Revised  August 27, 2003

Revised:  March 25, 2014

LEGAL REFS.:  20 U.S.C. 7906 (prohibition against the use of Title I Funds to operate a program of contraception in the schools contained in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)

C.R.S. 22-1-110.5

C.R.S. 22-25-105

C.R.S. 22-25-106 (4)

C.R.S. 22-25-110 (2)

CROSS REFS.:  IGA, Curriculum Development

IGD, Curriculum Adoption

IHAMB, Family Life/Sex Education

JLC, Student Health Services and Requirements, and subcodes