School board approves new family life materials

The Carson City School Board has approved new material reviewed by the district’s Family Life Advisory Committee during the 2022-23 school year for inclusion in its family curriculum.

Committee members vetted seven new resources for review and adoption by the board, according to director of equity in curriculum and instruction Cheryl Macy, who said the group is “very passionate in making sure we find materials that are age appropriate and that are in line” with what the state requires.

The committee consists of parents, committee members and a student .

Macy said the committee isn’t responsible for bringing anything for consideration. The teachers typically make the requests or bring questions about resources for consideration to the committee and ask whether they align to district standards if they’re interested in using it in their classroom.

“The committees have said, ‘I think there’s a gap and I think we can fill it,’” Macy said.

She said parents generally have not presented many direct complaints about the committee’s work or selections, but they must sign a waiver if they prefer their child not to participate when a material is being taught.

“Occasionally, you’ll get a parent who says, ‘I just don’t want my child to watch this video,’ but the vast majority of our parents trust our health teachers and trust our materials,” Macy said.

Students who signed out of a unit are given alternative assignments, she said.

Carson City’s family life standards are taught in grades three to five, seven and nine, with Carson City Health and Human Services teaching some of the content. The resources allow for the school district to create a toolbox for teachers, Macy and Story told the board at the July 25 meeting.

New resources included videos on topics covering sexually transmitted diseases, testicular self-exams, the reproductive system, fertilization, human reproduction and child birth, the female reproductive system, internal and external organs and the process of change for students.

Macy said as the new school year begins this month, the committee will have a teacher position and religious position open on the committee. Applications will be due Sept. 11 with the school board expected to make an appointment at its Sept. 26 meeting.

For information about the Family Life Advisory Committee, visit www.carsoncityschools.com.