District staff present updated health‑enhancement curriculum; materials posted for 30‑day public review

Missoula County Public Schools curriculum staff presented the district’s updated health‑enhancement curriculum on May 27, summarizing a year of work to align local scope and sequence with new national standards and state requirements and recommending supplemental purchases and training.

Jenna Briggs, lead of the review team, told trustees the revision was built from a cross‑grade team and national guidance from Shape America and that the updated scope groups elementary grade bands into K–2 and 3–5 rather than single grades. "Health enhancement is Montana's version of saying health and PE," Briggs said, explaining the curriculum weaves health and physical education rather than treating them as separate classes.

Staff noted several substantive shifts: new emphasis on mental health and wellness; greater attention to social development (cooperation, problem solving, sportsmanship); and a recommendation to move vaping and tobacco instruction earlier in elementary bands based on youth‑risk behavior trends. The team recommended purchasing a supplemental program identified in the presentation (referred to in materials as an "Essential Health Skills" supplement) to provide teacher slide decks, lesson plans and assessments for human development modules across middle and high school grade bands.

Presenters said the district improved teacher engagement during the review by repeatedly checking draft materials with teachers and that middle‑ and high‑school materials will include trusted community partners and established programs such as CATCH and Erica's Lighthouse for suicide‑prevention elements. A presenter said middle‑school teachers typically see very few formal opt‑outs for human‑development lessons; one middle‑school teacher said she had two opt‑outs across three classes of about 25 students each this year.

The board did not vote; staff marked the item as information only and said the materials will be posted for a 30‑day public review period beginning after the meeting, with digital and physical access available to community members.

Ending: Staff recommended phased implementation and teacher training during district early‑out days; materials are available for public inspection for 30 days and district staff will return with any procurement requests if trustees approve purchases following the public‑review period.