Health

The LT Physical Education and Health Department’s mission is to develop students who possess the information, skills, and the desire to keep themselves physically, socially, and emotionally healthy for their lifetime.

The Health Education curriculum at LTHS consists of 6 interconnected units that center around responsible decision-making. 

The decisions that one makes can impact others as well as their personal well-being. The main concepts covered include:

Accessing Health Information: Students will learn how to be informed and responsible consumers of health information by identifying reliable, valid and credible resources. The focus of the unit will emphasize the importance of critically evaluating health information to make informed decisions, including understanding basic health insurance concepts like co-pays, deductibles, and how to navigate insurance benefits. This unit is designed to help students confidently manage their health and access accurate information in today’s complex media landscape.

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Certification: In this unit students will learn life-saving skills to handle emergencies with confidence. Through hands-on practice, they will be trained in CPR, basic first aid, and how to respond effectively in critical situations. Upon successful completion, students will have the opportunity to earn a HeartSaver certification through the American Heart Association, which is valid for two years. This valuable certification equips them with the knowledge to protect and assist others in times of need.

Goal Setting (through the context of Nutrition): We focus on teaching students about the six essential nutrients and their major functions in maintaining a healthy body, along with an emphasis on the importance of fitness, proper sleep, and how these factors impact teenage well-being. The unit also covers critical topics such as eating disorders, body image, obesity, diabetes, and the use of performance enhancers. By setting personal health goals, students will learn to make informed choices that support their physical and mental health.

Mental Health Unit: The content covered in this unit includes the mental and emotional well-being of teens, self-concept, and strong character traits.  We discuss tolerance, goal setting, resiliency, and mental health disorders.  We talk about stress, grief, loss, bullying, teen suicide prevention, and the warning signs of suicide.  An emphasis is placed on LT's ACT protocol, social well-being, safe and responsible use of social media, coping strategies, and stress reduction techniques. 

Decision Making (through the context of substance abuse): The content covered in this unit includes the concept of misuse and abuse of various substances, addiction and recovery.  There is an emphasis on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco/nicotine products. We also talk about the consequences of short-term and long-term drug abuse.

Communication (through the context of healthy relationships): We focus on the qualities and traits of healthy, safe relationships, promoting inclusivity and understanding of sexual identity. We cover important topics such as consent, dating violence prevention, and provide helpful resources for students. Additionally, we discuss abstinence, sexual responsibility, and decision-making, along with reproduction, pregnancy, childbirth, contraception, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. This unit fulfills the areas of study mandated by the Illinois School Code and the Illinois Administrative Code, ensuring students receive comprehensive, age-appropriate education.

The content in this unit has been aligned for many years with the National Sex Education Standards (NSES).  The NSES update which was issued in early 2022, and was adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for public schools can be found HERE.  The revised information included in this 2nd edition is summarized on pages 10 and 11.  In accordance with SB 818, "No student shall be required to take or participate in the comprehensive sex education unit." A family may request to have their student removed from the comprehensive sex education unit by submitting the following form: Sex Ed Opt-Out form (English)    Sex Ed Opt-Out form (Spanish) .   

Advocacy: Students will synthesize everything they've learned throughout the semester and connect it with their personal interests to create an advocacy campaign. With a focus on mental health, students will choose a topic they are passionate about, research it deeply, and develop a campaign to raise awareness, educate others, and advocate for positive change. This project encourages students to use their voices and knowledge to make a real impact on important issues that affect their well-being and the well-being of their peers.