The Shawnee Heights board approved updated health curriculum maps and a $26,857.21 purchase for instructional resources after a presentation and questions by board members. The vote to approve the curriculum maps and the requested expenditures was recorded as 6-0.

District curriculum staff described four maps: seventh-grade health (a nine-week unit covering the health triangle and body systems), an eighth-grade Healthy Lifestyles elective, and two versions of a teen-topics map (for eighth and ninth grades) that include units on substances, first aid/CPR and a human-growth-and-development unit. Staff noted that new state legislation effective July 1, 2025 requires school districts to include a fetal development presentation in courses addressing human growth or development; staff said those videos will be shared with parents and that elementary parents will have an opt-out option.

On suicide prevention and self-harm, curriculum staff said suicide prevention instruction will be delivered directly by the counseling team during their lessons and some signals and reporting guidance will be part of the health units. "The specific reference to suicide would be done in the units that our counselors are providing all students," staff told the board.

Staff also asked the board to approve two classroom-text resources: a seventh-grade text (Savas) and team-topics classroom sets with a six-year digital license; staff reported the pair of resource requests total $26,857.21. A board member moved to approve the expenses and the board approved the motion (moved by Rosa, seconded by Christina) with a 6-0 vote.

Curriculum staff said many of the teen-topics items were already taught informally and that this work codifies and standardizes the instruction. The district plans to communicate materials and opt-out processes to families as required by state law and to provide counseling supports for students as the updated curriculum is implemented.