From A1 (above the fold) on Monday, Sept. 14:

“There’s no ‘the talk’ anymore. Now, there’s continuations of multiple ‘talks,’ which can hopefully reduce stress for students + stigma that people experience talking about sexuality" #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

The major changes, in the eyes of an #mbed reporter?

a) "The Talk" in sex-ed (periods, ejaculation, etc) is now in G4 instead of G5 because the onset of puberty is happening earlier.

b) New requirements for *repeated* explicit K-12 lessons on boundary-setting/how to seek, give + decline consent

I started calling teachers, profs, community-based experts to find out what stood out to them.

Cue my first major story to break down the 26 draft curriculum docs' wide-ranging contents, highlights + making a separate list of topics I thought were deserving of #mbed deep dives for the #wfp.

I did a quick scan before heading out to talk to families on the first day at Prince Edward School in Winnipeg.

On the playground there was widespread support for new requirements to start discussing screen time, sedentary behaviours in G1 #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

On a related note, govt officials told me the draft curriculum would be up before classes started (+ pledged to inform me when they were online, which never happened).

I refreshed the #mbed website for >a week. Finally, after Labour Day, I saw 26 docs were online here:

To be clear, P.E. was *already* mandatory for K-12.

BUT Grade 11 + 12 have long been delivered with a range of models... from 25% to 100% in-person, depending on the school.

Health has always been in-person. Some sites asked students to do independent #mbed exercise plans + submit their hours.

Premier Wab Kinew hosted a news conference on Aug. 27 to tease the long-awaited release of a new physical + health #mbed curriculum.

Note: 'sex-ed' wasn't uttered once. Premier's talking points emphasized "new" mandate for in-person, daily P.E. for K-12 www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

A *massive* overhaul of phys-ed, nutrition + sex-ed is underway in Manitoba.

The only dedicated education reporter in MB, I've spent the better part of back-to-school season combing over curriculum (new + old) for @winnipegfreepress.com.

Here's an #mbed thread with all our #wfp coverage.

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Manitoba is revamping how students are taught about drugs with an emphasis on harm reduction, the complexities of substance use disorders and the role of ceremonial tobacco in Indigenous cultures #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Beckoned by a fiddle, children broke out into a jig behind Little Bluestem School. “I couldn’t help myself," one said.

There were cheers and tears at the site, formerly named after a rival of Louis Riel's, in celebration of Métis resilience #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Trustee campaign material that condemns rainbow flags is being met with outrage of all kinds, written complaints and, in one case, a cease-and-desist order.

“Parental rights,” including qs about DEI policies, are resurfacing this elxn season #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Manitoba has a new recipe for health class and “food literacy” is a key ingredient.

A new pilot asks teachers to expand nutrition units w/ in-depth discussions about how everything from diet culture to food insecurity affects eating habits #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Students will learn about everything from emoji etiquette to internet scam artists, as well as the difference between sexting and sextortion, as part of a provincewide overhaul of health class #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

“There’s no ‘the talk’ anymore. Now, there’s continuations of multiple ‘talks,’ which can hopefully reduce stress for students and stigma that people experience talking about sexuality" #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Instead of apples, Emma Caronte is handing out lesson plans on local food history to Manitoba teachers this back-to-school season #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Independent schools are preparing to welcome a record number of students as more families pay for faith-based instruction and secular alternatives #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

The first day of school has been postponed at École Stanley Knowles School after teachers discovered mould on chairs, rugs and other items when they were setting up their classrooms #mbed #wfp www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...