Policies » Section I: Instruction » IHAM: Health Education And Exemption From Instruction

Policy Date: 02/01/2018

CSD File: IHAM
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
HEALTH EDUCATION AND EXEMPTION FROM INSTRUCTION

Consistent with Department of Education requirements, health and physical education, including instruction about parts of the body, reproduction, and related topics, will be included in the instructional program.

Instruction must be appropriate to grade level, course of study, and development of students and must occur in a systematic manner. The Superintendent will require that faculty members who present this instruction receive continuing in-service training, which includes appropriate teaching strategies and techniques. Any faculty member who has not received the necessary in-service training will not present this instruction.

The Candia School District recognizes that this instruction may include topics that parents/guardians may find to be of a sensitive nature. In seeking to acknowledge this and in accordance with NH RSAs, the district will provide prior notification to parents/guardians.

Parents/guardians will be notified in writing in a mailing sent to the residence no less than two weeks prior to the use of instructional materials and/or formal classroom instruction/discussion related in any manner to: health education, human sexual education, human sexuality, gender and any other related topics.

Parents/guardians have the right to review and/or inspect instructional materials pertaining to health education, human sexual education, human sexuality, gender, and/or any other related topics. .Such materials will be made reasonably accessible to parents/guardians and others.

Parents/guardians who wish to review and/or inspect instructional materials pertaining to health education, human sexual education, human sexuality, gender, and any other related topics may contact the Principal to arrange a meeting to review the material or to have the materials otherwise made available.

Opt-Out Procedure and Form
Parents/guardians, , who do not want their child to participate in a particular unit of classroom instruction pertaining to health education, human sexual education, human sexuality, gender, and/or any other related topics have the legal right to have their child opt-out of such instruction.

Parents/guardians who wish to exercise their legal right to have their child opt-out of such instruction are required to complete the district opt-out form and state the particular unit of curriculum in which the student is not to participate. Any student who is exempted by request of the parent/guardian under this policy may be given an alternative assignment sufficient to meet state requirements for health education. The alternative assignment will be provided by the health or physical education teacher in conjunction with Principal.

Parents/guardians who do not want their child to participate in a particular unit of instruction pertaining to health education, human sexual education, human sexuality, gender, and any other related topics must complete a Health Education Opt-Out Form. Opt-Out Forms are available from either the health education teacher or the Principal.

Opt-out requests must be submitted annually and are valid only for the school year in which they are submitted.

Legal References:
NH Admin Rules, Sec. Ed 306.40, Health Educations Program, and 306.41 Physical Education Program, RSA 186:11, IX-c, IXe Notice to Parents/Guardian Required, RSA 186:11, IX-b, Health and Sex Education, Protection of Pupil Rights 90 U. S. C. 1232 (c) (1) (C)
Appendix IHAM-R, Health Education Exemption: Opt-Out Form

Adopted: May 7, 2009
Revised: February 1, 2018