Sexual Health, Human Growth & Development Curriculum Preview
Please be reminded families are welcome to preview the curriculum for Human Growth and Development (Grades 4-5) and Sexual Health (Grades 6-9) and opt out students if they wish. (Neither Human Growth nor Sexual Health curriculum has been, nor will be, taught in Grades K-3.)
This information is available year-round. However, if you wish to opt out your students, please review and submit the form below at least a week prior to instruction.
For Grades 6-9, Sexual Health will be taught during the following instructional windows for those students enrolled in Health then:
- Quarter 2 Health Classes: Jan. 2 - Feb. 2
- Quarter 3 Health Classes: March 1-29
- Quarter 4 Health Classes: May 1-31
For Grades 4-5, Human Growth and Development will be taught between May 1-31.
Please expect a follow-up communication from your child’s school with exact lesson dates.
CVSD adopted specific lessons within Health Smart as our new sexual health curriculum for grades 6-12. Below, specific lessons are outlined that will be taught in each grade band. Utilize the links to direct you to the Health Smart curriculum to preview the lesson listed under "Related Topics" by grade.
High School
The following topics are required by the state of Washington and must be included in Central Valley’s sexual health curriculum.
- HIV/STD prevention (required annually)
- Affirmative consent - understanding and respecting personal boundaries, including sexual boundaries
- Human growth and development refresher
- Choosing healthy behaviors and reducing health risks - including abstinence, condom use and contraceptives
- How to identify and access valid health care and prevention resources
- Bystander intervention - how to safely intervene when witnessing bullying, harassment or sexual violence
- Healthy relationships - with friends, family and dating relationships
- Understand the influence of family, peers, community and media on healthy sexual relationships
- How to avoid exploitative relationships and the consequences of sexual offenses involving minors
The curriculum does include lessons that extend beyond these required topics. However, only the specific lessons indicated below should be previewed and are the only lessons being taught by CVSD teachers.
NOTE: Additional high school lessons that were approved by the committee and School Board will be taught in the 2023-24 school year at 10, 11 and 12 grade levels. Check back for more info.
The following topics are required by the state of Washington and must be included in Central Valley’s Sexual Health Curriculum.
- HIV/STD prevention (required annually)
- Human growth and development
- Choosing healthy behaviors and reducing health risks - including abstinence, condom use and contraceptives
- Affirmative consent (understanding and respecting personal boundaries, including sexual boundaries)
- Bystander intervention - how to safely intervene when witnessing bullying, harassment or sexual violence
- Healthy relationships - with friends, family and dating relationships
- Understand the influence of family, peers, community and media on healthy sexual relationships
- How to avoid exploitative relationships and the consequences of sexual offenses involving minors
This curriculum does include lessons that extend beyond these required topics. However, only the specific lessons indicated below should be previewed and are the only lessons being taught by CVSD teachers.
NOTE: No changes were made to the prior grades 4-5 curriculum. It is important to note that sexual health has not been, nor will be, taught in K-3rd grades in CVSD.
Opt Out Form:
If you choose to opt your child out of sexual health instruction, please complete the optout/in form with a valid student identification number (under Student & Parent Resources - Forms).
Opt-out forms need to be completed at least a week prior to instruction.
Students who opt out of sexual health or human growth and development lessons will be provided alternative grade-level lessons to include lessons on healthy living, kindness, empathy, and making healthy choices.
Opt In:
If you choose to opt your child back into sexual health instruction, please complete the same optout/in form with a valid student identification number.
Washington State Senate Bill 5395 went into effect on December 3, 2020. This new law requires all public schools to provide sexual health education by the 2022–23 school year. Instruction must be consistent with Washington State Health Education Learning Standards, which provide a framework for instruction and the provisions of the law.
CVSD formed its own local curricular review committee, including parents, educators, medical and faith-based members from our Central Valley community. The committee utilized a broad-based approach to address the student needs now and into the foreseeable future. The committee closely analyzed curriculum, reflective of our diverse parent constituent voices.
