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Health/Health Instruction

Health/Health Instruction

The Iowa State Legislature and the Iowa Department of Education require that all Iowa students in grades kindergarten through twelve be provided instruction in the following areas as part of their health curriculum. Instructional areas to be covered are: personal health; food and nutrition; environmental health; safety and survival skills; consumer health; family life; substance use and non-use, including the effects of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and poisons on the human body; human sexuality; self-esteem; stress management; interpersonal relationships; emotional and social health; health resources; prevention and control of disease; and the characteristics of communicable diseases, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Health instruction in each of these areas will be adapted appropriately for student age and understanding levels. Beginning no later than seventh grade, communicable disease instruction shall include information about sexually transmitted diseases.

Those individuals wishing to examine the course objectives and/or instructional materials can do so by contacting the school office. Parents/guardians having objections may file a written request with the building principal to exclude their student from instruction.

See Board Policy 609 - Health Education.

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