The Parsippany-Troy Hills School District is committed to preparing our students for the Twenty-First Century through a progressive, sequential and comprehensive school health curriculum. Our comprehensive school health curriculum offers age-appropriate and culturally-sensitive curricula, helping students develop the knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors to adopt a health-enhancing lifestyle.
The curriculum is student-centered, focusing on how one grows and develops from conception to death. Also covered are affirmative action issues from sexual harassment to physical abuse to date rape. Topics relating to family life and human sexuality are age-appropriate and reviewed by the District Family Life Advisory Committee, which consists of staff, clergy, parents and students.
The health curriculum is in compliance with the New Jersey Department of Education’s mandates. The following is a brief synopsis of the Health Education/Family Life content for grade clusters. You may review the curriculum guides at any building. If further clarification is needed, please call the building principal or the Supervisor of Health and Physical Education. In addition, a complete course of study may be accessed on the district website. Please notify the school in writing if you wish your child to be excused from any part of the Health curriculum.
Grade 6: Adolescent skills – nutrition – disease prevention – social, emotional, and intellectual changes during various life stages – development of health goals – effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs – effects of the use of inhalants – decision-making skills – resistance skills – conflict management – legal consequences of drug abuse and misuse – medicine and drug use (dependency and treatment resources) – adolescence and puberty education – HIV/AIDS prevention – fire prevention.
Grade 7: Adolescent skills – stress management – peer pressure/decision-making/resistance skills – relationships (dating, marriage, aspects of love, divorce) – communication skills – reproductive system – endocrine system – puberty and adolescence – STD’s – teen sexuality – effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs – taking medicines (symptoms of dependency, treatment resources, addiction) – HIV/AIDS prevention – First Aid.
Grade 8: Personal wellness – influences affecting wellness – life skills for communication – adolescence – conflict management – chemical health – short- and long-term effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs – legal issues – social interactions (peer pressure, resistance skills, coping skills) – treatment facilities – disease prevention (hepatitis, STD’s, HIV, AIDS) – reproductive systems – conception – pregnancy and childbirth – contraception-abstinence – sexual orientation.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A: 35-4.7, any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school a signed statement that any part of instruction in Health, Family Life education or sex education is in conflict with his conscience or sincerely-held moral or religious beliefs shall be excused from this portion of the course.