On February 23, 2015, the Ministry of Education announced a revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum that all publicly funded Ontario schools are required to implement in September 2015.
This is not a new curriculum; it is an update on the previous Health and Physical Education curriculum, which has been in place since 1998 and under review since 2007.
Since February, the Board and our schools have had many questions from parents regarding the curriculum. We have also been in dialogue with the Ministry of Education regarding the implementation process for this revised curriculum.
As announced previously, the Health and Physical Education Curriculum will be taught throughout the 2015-2016 school year. However, in Grades 1-8, the content in the health topic Human Development and Sexual Health components of the curriculum is expected to be implemented in classrooms in the spring of 2016. This timeline allows the Board to complete curriculum support resources, provide professional development opportunities for teaching staff, and distribute additional parent resources.
Curriculum
Parents are encouraged to review the parent guides prepared by the Ministry. These guides include information regarding what will be taught, ideas on how to support their children, and additional resources:
- The Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum: Elementary
- The Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum: Secondary
- Grade by Grade Overviews for Parents
- Health and Physical Education in Elementary School Information for Parents
- A Parent's Guide: Human Development and Sexual health in the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Grades 7-12
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Online Safety, Including Risks of Sexting
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Healthy Relationships and Consent
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Mental Health
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Concussions
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Staying Safe
- Quick Facts for Parents: Learning about Active Transportation
The York Region District School Board places great value on parent voice and we encourage you to contact the Ministry of Education directly. Questions or comments about the review process, or about specifics within the curriculum, should be directed to:
- Tel: 1-416-325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514
- Address: Ministry of Education, 14th Floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street, Toronto ON M7A 1L2
- E-mail: Ministry: information.met@ontario.ca or Minister: minister.edu@ontario.ca