Parents have the option to exempt their student(s) from instruction related to Reproductive Health and Disease Prevention. If you wish to opt your child out of this content, you can find the necessary information in your DCPS FOCUS parent account and on the district’s homepage by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Health Education helps students acquire essential health knowledge while developing positive attitudes, beliefs, and skills needed to make informed decisions about their well-being. Florida law mandates comprehensive health education in grades K-12, covering 12 key components as outlined in F.S.S. 1003.42(2)(0). The goal of this program is to encourage students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and make responsible choices that reduce health-related risks.
Parental/guardian involvement is a very important factor when covering health-related topics. Such involvement can help make the information, skills, and strategies more personal and meaningful to the child. All lessons encourage parent/guardian-child dialogue to provide an opportunity for discussion of the family’s values and beliefs. This dialogue can serve as a catalyst to enhance overall parent/guardian-child communication.
The following lessons are part of the 5th-grade curriculum and focus on puberty, hygiene, and reproductive health:
· Always Changing - Your Body is Changing: Introduces the physical and emotional changes of puberty and promotes healthy hygiene habits.
· Always Changing - The Male & Female Reproductive Systems (Boys' Lesson): Explains the male reproductive system, the role of testosterone, and basic information about menstruation.
· Always Changing - The Male & Female Reproductive Systems (Girls' Lesson): Focuses on the female reproductive system, the menstrual cycle, and hygiene practices.
These lessons are designed to be age-appropriate, fact-based, and aligned with state education standards.
Additional information about required Health Education instruction, State Board of Education rulings, district policy, curriculum overviews, instructions on how to access resources related to comprehensive Health Education, and parental opt-out procedures can be found on the district’s Health Education web page or scrolling to the bottom of the district’s website (www.duvalschools.org).
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher, school principal, or district health specialist at hepe@duvalschools.org.
We value your partnership in developing the health literacy of our students to empower and motivate healthy decision-making, enhance communication skills, and encourage lifelong wellness.
After reviewing the materials and if you so choose to exempt your student(s) from the Reproductive Health and Disease Education curriculum, you may do so by logging into your Parent Focus account to complete the process.
Detailed instructions to guide you through the process can be found here.