Health Education Department

Health Education instills the skills and knowledge necessary to enhance the health and wellness of our students. Drawing on knowledge and health issues from the biological, environmental, psychological, social, physical, and mental sciences, students learn essential skills to reduce health risks and promote wellness.

Health Education at Shenendehowa follows the NYS Navigate by the Stars curriculum. In this program, students study functional health knowledge areas that have been identified as essential for young people to know in order to be safe, healthy, achieve academically and avoid risky behavior. Students learn and practice essential skills in the context of realistic, health-related situations that are relevant to adolescents.

Elementary School

  • Health lessons are woven into the elementary curriculum and taught by the regular classroom teachers. The lessons help students develop attitudes, knowledge and behavior that contribute to their own sense of self-worth, respect for their bodies and ability to make constructive decisions. Personal health guidance is provided including habits necessary to maintain good individual and community health.
  • For grade 5 students, Shen has partnered with the Prevention Council to offer Too Good for Drugs Program, a science-based prevention program designed by the Mendez Foundation. It is a coordinated effort with 5th grade teachers to provide students skills including goal setting, communication and decision making. In addition, students will learn resistance techniques enabling them to say no effectively to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
  • In grade 5, all students attend a Maturation Program. Boys and girls attend separately a 1 hour presentation provided by one of our health teachers. A parent information meeting is held prior to the delivery of this curriculum.

Middle School

Middle School Health Education builds upon the skills and knowledge that students learned throughout their elementary years.

Grade 6 – Webpage

  • Health education is taught every 3 days for 10 weeks (roughly 15 sessions) to students in Grade 6.
  • Goals include building confidence and community to help support the transition to middle school and adolescence.
  • Through curiosity, playfulness, and connection, students explore improving skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making.

Grade 8 – Webpage

  • Health education is taught for twenty weeks to students in Grade 8.
  • Course information sheets: middle school health class.
  • Information on the sexual health unit.

High School

High School Webpage

Health education is taught for one semester (2 quarters) in high school (grades 11 or 12). The district also offers an on-line health course for high school.

Graduation Requirements in Health

  • In order to graduate with a Regents/Advanced Regents diploma, students must take and pass one semester of health (a half-year course).