Carson City trustees approve Family Life Advisory Committee health resources after review and opt‑out clarification

The Carson City School District Board of Trustees voted May 27 to approve health curriculum resources the district’s Family Life Advisory Committee reviewed during the 2024–25 school year.

The board approved the materials after the committee’s chair, Sheila Story, the district’s chief nurse and Family Life Advisory Committee chair, summarized the committee’s work and said the packet addressed a gap identified by middle‑school staff on signs and symptoms of pregnancy. “The committee has approved these 2 resources,” Story said, asking the board for approval.

Trustees pressed committee members for specifics. Trustee Richard asked whether families could opt students out; Story and Tasha (Tash) Fusen explained that a notice and opt‑out slip are sent at the start of the unit and families may decline either the entire unit or portions of it. Fusen added that students who opt out are provided alternative curriculum and asked to study elsewhere during the lesson. “Yes, that is correct,” Story said when confirming the opt‑out process.

Trustees also raised a passage in one packet about pronoun use and gender‑neutral language. Story and Tash told the board that the materials were produced by another district and presented to Carson City as part of a “toolbox” of resources; district staff are not required to follow every phrasing in the packet. “No, teachers do not have to use this exactly as it is written,” Tash said, adding that district guidance can clarify recommended wording rather than mandate specific language.

Trustee Richard asked about the age/grade targeting in one lesson plan, which listed a broad range; committee members said the board is being asked to approve the materials for seventh grade in particular and that the board packet and the district’s executive summary identify the recommended grade level and the specific standards the packet addresses.

After discussion, a motion to approve the Family Life Advisory Committee resources was made and seconded; the board voted in favor and the motion carried.

The board directed staff to ensure the district’s resource list and the district website clearly indicate the grade level for each approved item and the opt‑out process. The board also asked staff to provide guidance for teachers on how to present sensitive material in ways that respect families’ values while meeting learning standards.

Trustees, committee members and staff said they would update posting and teacher guidance to reduce confusion about required language or suggested language in packets supplied from other districts.

The approval was recorded during the board’s May 27 meeting; staff said they will add the approved materials to the Family Life curriculum resource list and post the grade‑level guidance to the district site.