Roaring Fork School District board to cover health curriculum adoption, board member compensation Wednesday

The Roaring Fork District School Board is set to meet for its second regularly scheduled meeting of the month Wednesday. Among the topics for conversation will be a new student health adoption, as well as resolution for establishing board member compensation that has been in talks for quite some time.

The health and human sexuality curriculum adoption, which will be recommended by a committee composed of nine Roaring Fork staff members, will focus on providing students the opportunity to expand their physical and personal wellness, social and emotional wellness and prevention and risk management.

Through the curriculum, the adoption committee states that students will have the opportunity to:

● Ask any questions they have about issues such as puberty, sex, reproduction and relationships

● Receive complete, age-appropriate and medically-accurate information about sexuality

● Explore issues that interest them related to their sexual development

● Develop the skills necessary to form healthy friendships and, later, healthy romantic partnerships

● Have support from caring adults who respect, affirm and celebrate them for who they are.

Human sexuality education will also be a topic of discussion mentioned, following a Gender Support Toolkit launched to help teachers and staff in providing non-conforming and gender-expansive students, the curriculum will look to support the needs and inclusivity of gender-expansive and LGBTQ+ students throughout the district.

After first presenting the support toolkit in fall 2022, the committee received responses from students and parents alike asking for the toolkit to be revisited. Some feedback received shared that the curriculum directly violated values of families throughout the district.

As the health curriculum adoption will be one topic of focus Wednesday night, another topic of conversation will center around the compensation for future district board members selected to represent Roaring Fork schools in November.

After passing House Bill 21-1055 in 2021, Colorado Legislature has now made it possible for board of education members to be compensated up to $5,000, paid in 10 equal monthly installments for their duties performed.

With a decision expected to be made during the meeting Wednesday, the board does have the opportunity to turn the bill away, though it is not expected. The compensation is to be applicable to all local, state and federal taxes.

The board meeting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Carbondale District Office, 400 Sopris Ave.