Procedure 2.1.40 HEALTH EDUCATION EXEMPTIONS
Approved: February 4, 2020
Revised:
1.0 Overview
- Students are permitted to be exempt from instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations from strand D (Healthy Living) of the Grade 1-8 Health and Physical Education curriculum when a request for an exemption has been made by a parent/guardian in writing in accordance with this procedure.
- Students will not be exempted from instruction related to any other expectations in the Health and Physical Education curriculum or related to expectations in other curriculum subjects.
- Exemptions will be granted only for instruction related to all the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in a student’s grade, and not for instruction related to selected expectations or groups of expectations.
- References to human development and sexual health made by teachers, board staff, or students outside the intentional teaching of content related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations are not included in this procedure.
- There will be no academic penalty for an exemption.
- There will be no assessment, evaluation, or reporting of exempted students’ achievement of the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations in their particular grade. Exempted students’ grade in health and physical education will be determined on the basis of the overall expectations in strand D of the curriculum, without consideration of the specific expectations under Human Development and Sexual Health.
2.0 Roles and Responsibilities
- Parents/guardians are the primary educators of their children with respect to learning and being a role model. It is therefore important for schools and parents/guardians to work together to ensure that home and school provide a mutually supportive framework for young people’s education. Parents/guardians will be provided with a list of all Human Development and Sexual Health expectations by grade and can choose to have their child exempted from instruction, on an individual basis, by completing and returning an exemption form for each child (Appendix A).
- Teachers are responsible for using appropriate and effective teaching strategies to help students achieve the health and physical education curriculum expectations and addressing individual students’ needs. Teachers will communicate with parents/guardians about what their children are learning and follow this administrative procedure.
- Principals will ensure all members of the school community are kept well informed and will work in partnership with teachers and parents/guardians to ensure that each student has access to the best possible educational experience. They will provide support for the successful implementation of the health and physical education curriculum by emphasizing the importance of the curriculum within the framework of a healthy, safe inclusive and accepting school and this administrative procedure.
3.0 Notice and Communications
- At least twenty school days before instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations begins, the Health and Physical Education teacher will complete and send home the exemption form (Appendix A) and a list of all Human Development and Sexual Health expectations by grade (Appendix B).
- Schools will inform parents/guardians of the date by which the completed exemption form or must be submitted in order for their child to be exempted from instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations. The deadline for parents/guardians to submit their completed exemption form must not be more than five school days before the start of the period of instruction.
- If a parent/guardian wishes to request that their child be exempt from instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations, they will complete the exemption form (Appendix A) and submit it by the deadline.
- In the case of an unforeseen event, school boards and schools have the authority to move the period of instruction to a later date in the school year and must give notice of the change to parents/guardians as soon as reasonably possible.
4.0 Supervision of Exempted Students
- School boards are responsible for students’ safety and well-being during instructional time. Options for supervision during the exemption period must be offered. Parents/guardians will be given the choice of how their exempted child will be supervised during the exemption period. Parents/guardians must choose one of the following options for their child:
- to remain in the classroom during the exemption period without taking part in instruction in Human Development and Sexual Health, and to be assigned work or activities by the teacher that are unrelated to Human Development and Sexual Health; or
- to leave the classroom for the duration of the instruction and remain in the school under supervision. The student’s activities during the exemption period will be at the discretion of the teacher or principal. Individual schools will determine and implement a supervision plan based on the context within the school. The board will provide support as needed; or
- to be released into the care of the parent/guardian or the parent/guardian’s approved designate.
References