2021 6th Grade Sexual Harassment Lesson Information and Opt-Out Form
Dear 6th Grade Parent/Guardian:
To build and maintain safe and supportive school environments, Fairfax County Public Schools has developed two lessons at the sixth-grade level to educate students on the topic of sexual harassment. These two lessons seek to provide students with the necessary information, resources, and strategies to help prevent occurrences of sexual harassment as well as outline the steps to take if they feel they or their peers are targets of these behaviors. In addition, the lessons share how schools support targeted students so that they can continue to focus on learning in an environment that feels comfortable and secure. The two lessons are taught by the school counselor as part of their counseling curriculum. At Poplar Tree Elementary School, these lessons are scheduled to be taught to sixth graders beginning the week of November 1 and ending the week of December 6.
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of these lessons. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, non-punitive alternative instruction, and every effort is made to foster respect for family choice. If you wish to opt your child out of the sexual harassment lessons, please return the form that will be sent in this Friday's folder to the school prior to October 29, 2021.
Your child will be included in the two sexual harassment lessons unless you request that he/she be opted out using the opt-out form or unless he/she has been opted out of school counseling services. You do not need to return the form to the school if you wish for your child to participate in the lessons. If you return the opt-out form and later decide you want your child to receive the lessons, you must notify the principal in writing.
Parents/guardians may view these two lessons prior to deciding whether to opt their child(ren) out. These lessons will be posted in the Poplar Tree Parents Course in Schoology in the 6th Grade Folder under the School Counseling Section. Please email the counselor with any follow up questions.
Sincerely, Sue Andujar Principal
Beth Mertens School Counselor eemertens@fcps.edu
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