Board adopts updated human growth and development curriculum; opt-out form retained

The board voted to adopt revisions to the district's human growth and development curriculum after a committee review that included students, parents, health professionals and staff. Kristen Dixon summarized the adjustments and said the committee prioritized additional review of prior years' content so concepts are reinforced across grade levels. "So my focus for this presentation is really to go over not the whole plan, but just the changes that were made and adjustments that were made to the plan," Dixon said.

Notable changes approved by the board include added food-safety and hygiene content in 4K and a commitment to review previous years' material again in subsequent grades; basic first-aid and emergency-response instruction to be led by the district nurse in grade 3; an introduction to reproductive-system anatomy in grade 5; expanded reproductive anatomy and the female menstrual cycle in grade 6; and added content in grade 10 on menstruation and conception. Dixon emphasized that "we have that opt out form always available for families" for parents who prefer their children be excused from specific lessons. The motion to approve the curriculum as presented was moved by Brown and seconded by a board member whose name is spelled inconsistently in the transcript (appears as "Coburnek" and "Coburnick" in different places). The roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes from Ben, Andrea, Paul, Marlo, Kate and Roseanne; the motion passed.

The board was told the changes followed updated health standards for 2026 and that committee discussion included school nurses and RNs from Aurora. The presentation materials will be available to the teaching-and-learning committee and the board as the district implements the updated curriculum.