• INTRODUCTION

    The Okemos Public Schools Personal Health and Sexual Education Handbook is a comprehensive resource for staff, families and other stakeholders. It encompasses the sexual health curriculum as well as the State of Michigan and Okemos Board of Education policies and regulations regarding this area of instruction.

    This handbook includes information that is in accordance with the Michigan School Code and reflects the changes in laws affected by Public Acts 165 and 166 of 2004.

    We believe that parents/guardians are the primary sexuality educators of their children; therefore, our goal is to work with parents/guardians as partners in presenting this material. To accomplish this goal, parents/guardians are invited to preview the materials online or in person before instruction begins to facilitate discussion in the home, if desired. We encourage parents/guardians to take advantage of these opportunities to review the materials and discuss their values about sexuality with their children.

    Teachers providing the curriculum have been specially prepared to teach sexual health education by attending a Michigan Department of Education-approved in-service as well as subject-specific in-service. All curricula, videos, handouts and guest speakers have been approved by the Okemos Personal Health and Sexuality Education (PHASE) Advisory Board and are made available for parental preview on the school website.

    If you have any questions regarding the contents of this handbook, please contact Nicole McGuire, Supervisor of Reproductive Health, at nicole.mcguire@okemosk12.net, or contact your building principal.