Health Curriculum
Wimberley ISD complies with all Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements for health and science that cover the human body, anatomy, and sexual education components.
Schedules
The only required Health Course is at the High School Level.
This is NOT a STATE requirement, but still a district requirement for high school graduation from WISD.
5HLTH Health Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12 Credits: .5
Students acquire facts, develop proper attitudes and establish practices and habits that will contribute to personal, family, and community health in the following areas: consumer health, body growth and development, fitness for daily living, nutrition, the use of tobacco and electronic cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, injury prevention, healthy relationships, stress and anxiety management, suicide prevention, prescription drug safety, substance abuse, eating disorders, role of media in health messaging, and chronic and communicable disease prevention.
The curriculum used in the course includes:
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- Lessons to help young people make healthy and informed decisions about relationships. Course material includes lessons about healthy relationships, dreams/goals planning, consent, STI’s, contraception, paternity rights, and anatomy and the reproductive system.
- PAPA – Parenting and Paternity Awareness. Evidence-based, educational curriculum for students that teaches the benefits of waiting to become a parent until after they have completed their education, started a career, and are in a stable, committed relationship. WISD does not teach a comprehensive health program, only an abstinence plus program.
9-12th grade- One semester of health is required for graduation, and it includes reproductive health information. The health teacher prepares lessons using multi-sourced information consistent with School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) recommendations that are reviewed and approved by the school board. It includes at the high school level comprehensive contraceptive information, including failure rates, and is abstinence focused. Click here to see the reproductive system lessons. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the health teacher if they have questions about lesson content. Parents may choose for their student to opt out of reproductive system instruction and receive an alternative assignment during that unit of instruction. (Focus on abstinence, safe, knowledgeable, and responsible decision-making).
8th grade- Each spring, the nurse, counselor, and physical education teachers provide abstinence-only education consistent with the junior high TEKS for 8th graders. Girls and boys are separated for the lesson(s) The lessons may include a speaker, a film, and teacher-prepared materials. Parents receive information prior to the presentation and may opt their children in for the lesson(s). (Focus on abstinence, refusal skills, safe decision-making, and healthy relationships.)
7th grade- Each spring, the nurse, counselor, and physical education teachers provide abstinence-only education consistent with the junior high TEKS for 7th graders. Girls and boys are separated for the lesson(s) The lessons may include a speaker, a film, and teacher-prepared materials. Parents receive information prior to the presentation and may opt their children in for the lesson(s). (Focus on abstinence, refusal skills, safe decision-making, and healthy relationships.)
6th grade – Girls and boys are separated for lessons that address puberty. Girls have a female teacher, and boys have a male teacher (PE teachers). The students are provided abstinence-only education consistent with the junior high TEKS for 6th graders. Topics covered are puberty changes in both the male and female body, healthy relationships, reproduction and pregnancy. Information is sent home to parents prior to the unit with the option to opt in for those lessons. (Focus is on the idea that all people in puberty will experience changes, and we are to treat each other and the conversation topic with respect.)
4-5th graders – Girls and boys are separated for lessons. The girls have a woman instructor (campus nurse), and the boys have a male instructor (teacher or coach). They are shown a film about basic puberty changes in their own bodies. Boys learn about boy changes, and girls learn about girl changes. Students must have a signed parent permission form to enter the classroom. (Focus on the normal and expectedness of body changes.)
4th grade – The school nurse at JWE visits with girls about hygiene and basic puberty facts and offers the nursing office as a safe place to visit if they require feminine hygiene products at school. We do not discuss tampons or their use. Students must have a signed parent permission form to enter the classroom. (Focus on the normalness of body changes.)
K - 3rd grade – There is no reproductive health education other than helping children learn to be safe and how to seek help from a trusted adult. This is taught by classroom teachers/counselors. (Focus is on being safe and finding help.)
Instructors
Annie Wood – WISD District Nurse
Kelli Alvarez - JWE Nurse
Tricia Laubach - JH Nurse
2023-2024 school year
Elem. Boys 5th Grade – Mr. Campbell & Mr. Stafford
JH Boys PE – Jeremy Mauk, John Barthels
JH Girls PE – Kylee Davis
HS Health Teacher – Kenneth Gustafson
HS Girls PE – Jill Johnson
Parental Notification
Parent permission slips for Elementary and Opt-In forms for Secondary are sent to parents. The Secondary Opt-In forms are also available online under the Health Curriculum section. [Human Sexuality | Prevention Training]
Demonstrations
Wimberley ISD does not have demonstrations for using contraceptives, nor does the district distribute contraceptives.
Organizations
Pregnant Students
WISD does not have a policy regarding notification of parents when a student says she thinks or is pregnant. Counselors would have the student talk to the parent.
Counseling/Guidance Programs
The mission of WISD's Guidance / Counseling/ College Readiness Program is to implement a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program in grades PreK-12 that promotes student success through a focus on academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy and social/emotional and career development to meet the needs of the students.
The high school is part of No Place for Hate and has also been a part of Rachel’s Challenge.
No Place for Hate is a program helping all the stakeholders take the lead on improving and maintaining school climate so all students can thrive. Rachel’s Challenge is an organization that works to reduce violence. It is a non-religious, non-profit, non-political organization.
The junior high school works on kindness and respect throughout the campus on a regular basis. There is no pre-packaged program being used. The same can be said for Jacob’s Well Elementary and Blue Hole Primary. A Culture of Kindness and Respect is part of the District Goals, and this is worked on year-round.
CATCH Website : https://www.cdc.gov/prc/resources/tools/catch.html
Coordinated Approach to Child Health: Curriculum and Training