Odyssey director joins advisory committee

The Spokane school board voted last week to add a representative from the Odyssey Youth Center to a committee that examines and makes recommendations about the district’s human growth and development curriculum.

Ramon Alvarez, the executive director of the Odyssey Youth Center, a center for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, will fill a spot left vacant on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Human Growth and Development by a representative from the Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium.

The 16-member committee is made up of “at-large” citizens, and representatives from a list of approved Spokane agencies, said Scott Stowell, coordinator for science, health, and human growth and development for Spokane Public Schools.

“There’s actually more agencies then we have slots for on the committee,” Stowell said. The executive members of the committee vote on which agency representative will fill spots as they are vacated, he said.

The committee usually meets once a month for two hours, from September through May with the exception of November, to discuss instructional materials for human growth and development, including sex education, HIV/AIDS and personal safety.

Human growth and development, specifically sex education, begins in the fourth grade and continues through the ninth grade. The state mandates that HIV/AIDS courses be taught from fourth through 12th grade, and lessons in personal safety begin in kindergarten and continue through ninth grade, and then continue as an elective until graduation, Stowell said.

Under state guidelines, parents may request to view human growth and development curriculum at any time through the school district.

St. George’s plans open house

St. George’s School will host an open house Monday from 9 a.m. to noon for students and parents interested in learning more about the school.

Students and parents are invited for campus tours and classroom visits led by current St. George’s students. Administrators and parents of current students will also be on hand to answer questions about the school at 2929 W. Waikiki Road, just north of the city on the Little Spokane River.

Founded in 1955, the private nonsectarian college preparatory school is home to about 390 students in grades kindergarten through 12.

For more information about the school and its application process visit the school’s Web site at www.sgs.org. For open house information, contact Debbie Duvoisin at 466-1636, ext. 304.