Erin's Law-Opt Out
Dear Parents of SMS Health Students:
State Law requires that middle school students receive developmentally appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention education and sexual violence prevention education in health class. This must include instruction in recognizing dating violence warning signs and characteristics of healthy relationships.
Strongsville Middle School uses Speak Up - Empowered lessons in Health 6 and Health 8 to fulfill the state’s requirements. School personnel selected this curriculum due to its age-appropriate content regarding abuse prevention and healthy relationships, as well as its approval from the Department of Education. Participating in the abuse prevention curriculum may help to create a greater awareness of the warning signs associated with unhealthy relationships and prevent abuse before it occurs. The content includes instruction on the following required components:
Personal safety and assault prevention
Dating violence prevention education
Sexual violence prevention education
Dating violence warning signs
Characteristics of a healthy relationship
There is an opt-out policy whereby the parent/guardian may sign a form to withdraw his/her child from participating in these lessons. If you do not wish your child to participate in this curriculum, please either return this signed form to your child’s health teacher or send an email from your parent account with the necessary information from the opt out form to your child’s health teacher, and your child will receive alternate activities to complete outside of the classroom during the lessons time with no penalty or work to make up. If you do not sign and return this form, your child will remain in the classroom to take part in the lessons.
If you are opting your child out of receiving these lessons in health class, please provide the opt out form or email to the health teacher by September 19, 2025.
If you have any questions about the curriculum or its implementation at Strongsville Middle School, you may contact your child’s health teacher or Mrs. Nicole Hackman, Director of Secondary Education at nhackman@scsmustangs.org.
Link to copy of opt-out form
COMPLETING THIS FORM ONLY IF YOU ARE CHOOSING TO OPT OUT YOUR CHILD
To opt out of this curriculum, please complete this FORM by: September 19, 2025.
