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Board reviews memoranda of understanding with mental-health and instructional partners ahead of school year
Summary
The board reviewed several memoranda of understanding with Centerstone, Volunteer Behavioral Health, STARS and an instructional program 'Optimal Health for Me' aligned to family life instruction standards and Tennessee law; discussion focused on consistency with prior changes and who determines "age-appropriate" instruction.
Rutherford County Schools’ board reviewed multiple memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and an instructional program ahead of the new school year, including agreements with Centerstone, Volunteer Behavioral Health, STARS and a family-life program titled Optimal Health for Me.
School staff said the district requires an MOU whenever an outside facility or provider offers services to students on campus. Board members noted the district updated MOU language last year and asked whether that language carried forward; staff confirmed the changes were included.
The board also reviewed the Optimal Health for Me curriculum, described in the meeting as a risk-avoidance and relationship-education program for grades 6–12 that the presenter said would align with the district’s family-life instruction expectations. The presenter cited Tennessee Code Annotated provisions governing family-life instruction and parental permission requirements, describing the program as available to grades 6–12, three to five lessons depending on grade, and requiring parental permission.
Board member Brent Bond asked how “age appropriate” is determined for such programs; the presenter replied that some determinations are set by statute and that specific requirements vary by section of the law. Other board members asked whether the program differed from prior offerings; staff said it is the same program presented previously but is being positioned for the start of the school year rather than midyear.
No formal adoption, vote totals or roll-call votes for the MOUs or the instructional program are recorded in the public transcript. Board members indicated the MOUs would appear on the consent agenda and that the policy committee had discussed related policy changes previously.
Provenance: The MOUs and program descriptions and questions about statutory benchmarks appear in the meeting transcript during the human resources and instruction agenda segments.
