Dear Parent,

This year, Family Life Education and HIV/AIDS education lessons will be taught in middle school health education classes. By state mandate, all public school systems in the state of Georgia must include this instruction as one content strand of the comprehensive health education program.

As with all areas of the curriculum, these lessons will be age-appropriate and treated factually and sensitively. We believe it is important that all students be equipped with accurate, appropriate information about these topics. The content and materials used have been approved by CHEAC (Community Health Education Advisory Committee). This is a committee of parents, educators, students and community members whose purpose is to review sex education and HIV/AIDS education materials for use with students.

The Family Life Education and HIV/AIDS Academic, Knowledge and Skills (AKS's) are included with this letter, or may be viewed at the Gwinnett County Public Schools website http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us. The AKS provide the objectives for the abstinence-based instruction that your child will receive. Abstinencebased instruction includes abstinence education, mode of STD transmission, methods of STD and pregnancy prevention and the success and failure rates of those prevention methods. Should you have questions or wish to preview any of the materials, please contact your child's health teacher. As required by state law, parents have the option to exclude their child from human sexuality and HIV/AIDS lessons. If this is your wish, you MUST notify the school through your child’s teacher IN WRITING. If your child is removed from the Family Life Education portion of the curriculum, an alternative assignment will be given to your child to be completed by the end of the Family Life Education unit of study.

It is our hope that parents and guardians will take this as an opportunity to discuss these topics with their children. Parents are the first to provide guidance to their child in these areas. We strive to thoughtfully and carefully enhance this guidance.

Materials Used

• Choosing the Best Way (6th), Path(7th), Life (8th)
• Choosing the Best Videos
• Choosing the Best Gwinnett County Public Schools scenarios (8th)

Sixth Grade Standards

15. comprehend concepts related to puberty and family life

• a. explain the process of reproduction, recognizing the stages of fertilization and pregnancy
• b. identify ways that the body changes (i.e., physically, emotionally, mentally) during puberty
• c. define these acronyms - HIV, AIDS, and STD - and recognize that they are communicable diseases
• d. describe situations in which HIV/AIDS can and cannot be transmitted
• e. define the term “abstinence”
• f. distinguish between HIV infection and AIDS

16. demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and to avoid or reduce health risks

• a. understand the importance of discussing concerns with parents/guardian
• b. identify ways of resisting persuasive tactics regarding sexual involvement (e.g., saying "no," negotiation, using refusal and decision-making skills)

17. demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health

• a. recognize abstinence from any sexual activity as the only method to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases

Seventh Grade Standards

D – Disease Prevention

7. comprehend concepts related to disease prevention to enhance health

• c. identify methods of transmission and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS) and their degree of effectiveness
• d. describe the effects of HIV/AIDS on the immune system, recognizing that HIV is a sexually transmitted communicable virus that is incurable and potentially fatal

H – Family Life

23. comprehend concepts related to lifestyle changes and responsibilities

• a. recognize that having children is best undertaken in marriage
• b. identify parental roles and responsibilities
• c. identify roles and responsibilities of children in the family

24. demonstrate the ability to use decisionmaking skills and analyze the lifestyle changes and responsibilities in becoming a parent

• a. identify ways of resisting persuasive tactics regarding sexual involvement (e.g., saying "no", using refusal, and negotiation skills)
• b. identify common sources of pressure that can affect sexual decisions (e.g., community, peers, media/technology)
• c. discuss the benefits of setting boundaries when expressing physical affection in dating relationships
• d. understand the legal, social, and educational consequences of sexual relationships for adolescents

25. demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health by recognizing abstinence from sexual activity as the only sure method of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases

• a. recognize abstinence from sexual activity and from intravenous drug use as the most effective methods of preventing pregnancy and STDs (including HIV/AIDS)
• b. differentiate between various STDs (e,g., gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis) and discuss the various methods of transmission
• c. analyze the effects of STDs on individuals
• d. compare the methods of preventing pregnancy and understand the reasons for choosing abstinence during adolescence

Eighth Grade Standards

D – Disease Prevention

15. demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce disease-related health risks

• b. explain ways to prevent the spread of germs that cause infectious diseases such as HIV by not having sex, not touching blood, and not touching used hypodermic or tattoo needles

H – Family Life

36. analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media/technology, and other factors on physical relationships

• a. explain how perceptions of norms influence healthy and unhealthy sexual practices, behaviors, and relationships
• b. explain how social expectations influence healthy and unhealthy sexual practices, behaviors, and relationships
• c. explain how personal values and beliefs influence sexual health practices, behaviors, and relationships
• d. describe how some health risk behaviors influence the likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behaviors (e.g., how alcohol use influences risky sexual behavior)

37. demonstrate the ability to use decisionmaking skills related to physical relationships to enhance health

• a. describe ways sexually active people can reduce the risk of pregnancy
• b. summarize ways to prevent pregnancy, focusing on not having sex and effectiveness of contraceptives
• c. identify circumstances that help or hinder making a decision related to a potentially risky sexual situation
• d. choose a healthy alternative when making a sexual healthrelated decision
• e. assess the barriers to achieving a personal goal to avoid or reduce the risk of pregnancy and transmission of HIV and other STDs
• f. apply strategies to overcome barriers to achieving a personal goal to avoid or reduce the risk of pregnancy and transmission of HIV and other STDs
• g. use strategies and skills to achieve a personal goal to avoid or reduce the risk of pregnancy and transmission of HIV and other STDs