The Roaring Fork District School Board is set to meet for its second, regularly-scheduled meeting of the month on Wednesday. Among the topics for conversation will be a new student health curriculum 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:

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• 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 the discussion, in follow-up to a Gender Support Toolkit launched in the fall 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 some district families, while aligning with others.

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

After passing House Bill 21-1055 in 2021, the Colorado Legislature has now made it possible for local board of education members to be compensated. The Roaring Fork District would offer up to $5,000 per year, 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 RFSD Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday at the Carbondale District Office at 400 Sopris Ave.

Post Independent reporter Taylor Cramer can be reached at 970-384-9108 or tcramer@postindependent.com.