At City Schools, we are deeply committed to supporting the growth and well-being of every student, beginning in kindergarten. Our health education lessons are in alignment with the Maryland State Health Education Framework and state regulations.  In alignment with our curriculum management plan, we are currently conducting an internal review of our health materials to make certain we are meeting those requirements. 

We also recognize the importance of honoring every individual’s dignity and celebrating our community’s diversity. With this in mind, we recently reviewed our work in this area and identified opportunities to refine and enhance our lessons to better serve our students. 

We assure you that these lessons are not intended to promote any single perspective or belief. Instead, our goal is to provide content that is developmentally appropriate. For our youngest learners especially, we are taking intentional steps to ensure that these lessons meet their developmental needs. 

Here are some steps we are taking to further enhance this program: 

• Improving lesson delivery: As part of our regular cycle, we are currently reviewing all lessons in our health curriculum, including this area, to determine how well they align with best practices and community values.  

• More professional development: We are also enhancing professional development for our educators to help them effectively use curriculum materials and resources. Additionally, we are conducting a comprehensive evaluation of our learning platforms to ensure all content is up-to-date. 

• Providing choice for families: We understand that some families may prefer alternative arrangements for their children. As noted on our website, families have the option to opt out of these lessons. Students who do not participate in these lessons will be given an independent, alternative assignment to complete outside of the health classroom. 

Thank you for your partnership as we work together to support the health and development of our students. If you have questions or would like more information about this important topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your student's school.