Family Life Education is a School Board approved program that has been offered in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) since 1990 for students in grades 2, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10. Recently, the Virginia Department of Education updated the State’s Family Life Education Standards of Learning. As a result, VBCPS has developed and proposed a new curriculum to ensure alignment with the new standards. The proposed curriculum for the 2017-18 school year is still designed to be taught in grades 2, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 and continues to provide parents the option to review individual lessons prior to instruction and to opt students out of any or all lessons.
In advance of considering the revised Family Life Education curriculum for approval, the School Board of the City of Virginia Beach has authorized a public review and comment period for the proposed curriculum materials. Parents, community members and other stakeholders are invited to examine and provide feedback on the proposed curriculum during one of four public review opportunities.
Three evening review sessions are scheduled as follows:
- June 1, 5-7 p.m., Plaza Middle School library (3080 S. Lynnhaven Rd.)
- June 5, 5-7 p.m., School Administration Building Einstein Lab (2512 George Mason Dr.)
- June 7, 5-7 p.m., Laskin Road Annex Professional Development Center (1413 Laskin Rd.)
Stakeholders who are not able to attend one of the evening public feedback sessions, may review the curriculum by appointment only May 31 through June 14 (excluding weekends) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the School Administration Building located at 2512 George Mason Drive. Appointments should be scheduled by contacting Courtney Bennis in the Department of Teaching and Learning at 757-263-1070.
The School Board will receive information from the public review and comment period prior to voting on the proposed curriculum this summer.