Dear Parent/Guardian:
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) provides a comprehensive, sequential Family Life Education (FLE) program for kindergarten through grade twelve. The FLE program is designed to provide students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to make healthy, responsible, respectful, and life-enhancing decisions related to human growth and development, relationships, substance abuse, and emotional and social health. Instruction is seen as a partnership among parents and guardians, the school, and the community in supporting the learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of all or part of the Family Life Education program. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, non-punitive alternative health instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choices. If you wish to opt your child out of all or part of FLE for this school year, please access the opt out forms for each grade level at http://www.fcps.edu/is/hpe/fle.shtml. Please fill in the opt-out form and return it to your child's school by the end of September or prior to Family Life Education instruction.
Your child will be included in all Family Life Education instruction unless you request that he/she be opted out using the opt-out form. You do not need to return the form to the school if you wish for your child to participate in FLE instruction. If you return the opt-out form and later decide you want your child included in FLE instruction, you must notify the principal in writing.
For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at http://www.fcps.edu/is/hpe/fle.shtml. In addition, grade level specific curriculum lessons, instructional materials, and media are available for review at your child's school, Sprague Technology Center Professional Library and the Fairfax County Regional Library in the City of Fairfax (this location does not have media).
Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to providing sensitive, quality, age-appropriate instruction in the very important topics included in Family Life Education. We welcome your questions and comments about the program. For more information regarding FLE or to share your comments or questions, please call Elizabeth Payne at 571-423-4550 or contact your child's teacher.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth T. Payne
Health and Physical Education Coordinator