Two Liberty Township elementary schools begin state-mandated child sexual abuse prevention lessons in October, starting with Cherokee Elementary the week of Oct. 6.

Cherokee Elementary School Counselor Stephanie Latoski will teach personal body safety lessons to students in grades 3 through 5 throughout October. Heritage Early Childhood School, which enrolls 598 students, follows with its own schedule: kindergarten on Wednesday, Oct. 21, first grade on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and second grade on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2027.

Both schools are part of the Lakota Local School District, which serves 17,885 students across 22 schools.

What the lessons cover

Latoski described the curriculum in an Oct. 2 post on Cherokee's website. The lessons focus on "helping students understand personal boundaries, safe and unsafe situations, trusted adults, and how to speak up when something doesn't feel right," she wrote.

At both schools, building counselors deliver the lessons for grades K through 6. Lakota's junior high students receive the instruction through a separate program called "Play it Safe," according to a Heritage ECS school notice.

How parents can opt out

Ohio law requires annual child sexual abuse prevention instruction for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Parents can opt out. A written request from a parent or guardian is enough to excuse a student.

At Cherokee, Principal Mike Stapleton sent opt-out forms digitally in September. All students in grades 3 through 5 will participate unless a parent completed that form, Latoski wrote.

Heritage Early Childhood School has not published a specific opt-out deadline or form. The school encouraged families with questions to contact the school directly.

Cherokee families who still have questions can reach Latoski at 513-755-8200, ext. 16125.