Health advisory committee recommends curriculum rewrites, updated parent materials and postpartum resources

The Beaufort County School District’s Health Advisory Committee recommended Nov. 20 that the district create curriculum‑writing teams to replace roughly nine textbook or supplement modules that the committee found ‘‘do not align with our legislation,’’ and that the district update parent communications and add postpartum depression resources to high‑school materials.

Amy Prior, speaking for the advisory committee, said the group identified about nine modules across middle‑ and high‑school textbooks and the reproductive‑health supplement that are inconsistent with state requirements: "We found about 9 modules... that do not align with our legislation based off of topics that are discussed in those modules," Prior said. The committee recommended assembling curriculum‑writing teams with medical and education expertise to rewrite those modules and present proposed replacements to the full board for approval.

Committee members also recommended updating the parent notification letter and producing a parent video explaining required elements (noting the district cannot opt parents out of certain statutory requirements such as Gavin’s Law and Aaron’s Law). Dr. Stratus said the parent materials would be translated and made available in two languages; the committee agreed the parent letter and video will be brought to the full board for approval rather than placed on the consent agenda.

A third committee recommendation would add postpartum‑depression resources to high‑school health materials, drawing on South Carolina Department of Health guidance. Committee members said medical‑field participants requested more current, robust content than what was in the existing module.

The committee approved the recommendations by unanimous consent and asked staff to prepare materials and bring them to the full board on Dec. 10 for formal consideration.