Health

Elementary Health Education is taught sequentially each year to all PreK - 5th grade students.  Health is considered a special area subject where students in grades 1 - 5 receive one hour of instruction each week.  PreK and Kindergarten receive 30 minutes of health instruction each week.

Health skills that students will develop include analyzing influences, accessing valid information, interpersonal communication, decision-making, goal setting, self-management, and advocacy for self and others.  

Health classes provide the opportunity to acquire accurate information and develop positive attitudes and behavior patterns to encourage a healthy lifestyle.  The curriculum provides age-appropriate information that includes mental and emotional health, substance use prevention, safety and violence prevention, healthy eating, disease prevention and control, body systems, and family life and human sexuality.  

A Family Life Advisory Committee reviews all curricular resources for the Family Life and Human Sexuality unit. In accordance with the revised MSDE Health Education Framework, parents of students in grades Pre-K through 4 have the option to opt their child out of this unit. If no response is received, your child will automatically take part in the Family Life and Human Sexuality Unit in the Health Education class. For 5th grade students, parents may choose between two instructional frameworks for the Family Life and Human Sexuality unit, or they may opt their child out entirely. If no response is received, your child will automatically take part in the Maryland State Department of Education Family Life and Human Sexuality unit in the Health Education class. If your child enrolls in the Health Education class after the electronic selection timeframe has closed, or as a parent/guardian you would like to change your response, please contact your child's school for a paper copy.