Page 24 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 28, 2023 HEALTHY YOUTH | FROM PAGE 6 their academic performance, and is something every student in our state deserves. We owe it to them to fi nally pass the Healthy Youth Act.” Currently, public schools in the Commonwealth that choose to teach sex education are not required to use or adhere to a specifi c sex education curriculum. While some schools provide comprehensive and eff ective sex education, others teach outdated and abstinence-focused programs, including curricula that ignore LGBTQIA+ health and critical lessons on consent. This has led to a patchwork of sexual education programs across the state. DiDomenico’s bill aims to change this by requiring school districts that off er sex education to follow certain guidelines when selecting a curriculum. This is vital to ensuring that students throughout the state are provided with age-appropriate, medically accurate and comprehensive information, including topics on: • the benefi ts of delaying sex • human anatomy, reproduction and sexual development • eff ective contraceptive use • prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) • relationship and communication skills to form healthy relationships • coverage of affirmative, conscious and voluntary consent • age-appropriate information about gender identity and sexual orientation, including resources that off er support to LGBTQ students The bill does not require public schools to teach sex education but sets curriculum guidelines for those that do. This legislation also protects and enhances parents’ right to remove their children from all or part of the sex education program if they choose to do so – an action already protected by state law. Additionally, this bill updates parent-notifi - cation guidelines for districts that choose to teach sex education curriculum and requires schools to send notice to parents in English and in other commonly spoken languages in the district. Notice would alert parents that their child is enrolled in a sex education course and would inform them of their right to review the curriculum or opt their child out of some or all of the lessons. Sex education programs have repeatedly been shown to work best when they emphasize the value of delaying sex while also teaching students about the importance of protecting themselves from unintended consequences. As demonstrated by numerous studies, comprehensive sex education programs have been proven to delay the initiation of sex, increase use of contraception, lower the rates of STIs and unintended pregnancy among teens and reduce reported levels of bullying towards LGBTQ youth in school. CITY OF EVERETT - LEGAL NOTICE - ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 484 BROADWAY, ROOM 24 EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS 02149 To Whom It May Concern: This notice is to inform you that a public hearing will be held on Monday May 15, 2023 at 6:00 PM, Everett City Hall, 3rd Floor George Keverian Hearing Room. All interested parties may attend and opinions will be heard regarding the following petition. Whereas a petition has been presented by: Property Address: 81 Elsie Street Map/Lot: M0-04-000268 Person Requesting: Sergio Cornelio 43 Luke Rd. Everett, MA 02149 PROPOSAL: The owner wishes to erect an accessory structure on the side yard to be a separate dwelling unit bringing the total number of dwelling units on the property to three (3). The separate dwelling unit will have a total square footage of 3,337 S.F. The lot is 10,982 S.F. The current structure on the property was erected in 1948. Reason for Denial: Pursuant to Section 4(A)(1), a single or double semi-detached dwelling existing at the time of the first enactment of the Zoning Ordinance may be converted to provide not more than a total of three (3) dwelling units. This provision does not apply to the proposed use, since the existing structure was constructed after the first enactment of the Zoning Ordinance in 1926 and because the new dwelling unit will be in a fully detached structure. Accordingly, a use variance is required. Pursuant to Section 4(B)(2)(c), maximum floor area ratio is .50. Though no FAR calculation is provided, it appears that this standard will be exceeded with the construction of a new unit. The applicant should provide certification of the new FAR and, if in excess of .50, must obtain a variance. Pursuant to Section 17.A.1 of the Zoning Ordinance, a three-unit residential use would require six (6) parking spaces, but the lot contains only five (5) parking spaces. You may either reconfigure your site plan to create a sixth parking space, seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals or participate in the Transportation Demand Management program under Section 35 of the Zoning Ordinance. MARY GERACE - Chairman Roberta Suppa - Clerk of the Board of Appeals April 28, May 5, 2023 Say nir Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Tips and Tours for Traveling with Grandchildren Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are interested in taking our two grandkids on a big trip this summer and are looking for some good ideas. Can you recommend some travel companies that offer special travel packages for grandparents and grandkids? Doting Grandmother Dear Doting, Grandparents traveling with just their grandchildren has become a growing segment of the multigenerational travel industry. Not only is this type of travel fun, it’s also a terrifi c way to strengthen generational bonds and create some lasting memories. To help you with your traveling aspirations, there are a number of travel companies today that offer specialized grandparent/grandchildren and multigenerational trip packages. This is a nice way to go because they plan everything for you with most activities together, but some just for adults so you can get an occasional breather. Available in various trip lengths and price ranges, these tours are designed for children, typically between the ages of six or seven up to 18, and are usually scheduled in the summer, or sometimes during winter breaks when the kids are out of school. Here are some top tour companies to check into that will take you and your grandkids on a fun, well-planned vacation. Road Scholar (RoadScholar.org): This well-established not-for-profi t organization has off ered educational travel to older adults since 1975. They currently offer 83 different programs geared to grandparent and grandchildren. About 75 percent of the grandparent trips are domestic; 25 percent are international. Some of the many popular trip destinations include the U.S. National Parks, Washington D.C., Canada, France, Italy, Iceland, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands. The average cost per person per night is around $265 for domestic trips, $365 for international. Intrepid (IntrepidTravel. com): An adventure travel tour operator that off ers “grandparent holiday” tours that bring together the young and the young at heart. They off er 35 one and two-week tours in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as in Alaska and Wyoming. To fi nd these trips, go to Intrepidtravel.com/ us/theme/family/grandparents. Tauck (Tauck.com): This is a large tour operator that off ers 19 foreign and domestic multigenerational trips called Tauck Bridges Family Tours. Some of their most popular trips are Costa Rica, the European riverboat cruises, and the Cowboy Country, which tours you through Wyoming and South Dakota. Smithsonian Journeys (SmithsonianJourneys.org): They off er 10 diff erent family journey trips to Iceland, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Japan, Ireland, Costa Rica, South Africa, Yellowstone and a Rhine River cruise. Journeys International (JourneysInternational.com): They off er customized multigenerational trips primarily to Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacifi c. Grandkids Travel Documents Depending on where you go and your mode of transportation, you’ll need to gather some documents for your grandchildren to make sure everything goes smoothly. In general, most travel experts recommend you bring a notarized travel consent form (letter of permission from the parents), and a medical consent form in case any emergencies or problems arise. Also bring copies of insurance cards. If you’re traveling domestically, you should know that airlines and trains don’t require any form of ID for children under 18. But if you’re traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, or other areas of the Caribbean by land or sea, grandchildren 15 and under will need certifi ed copies of their birth certifi cates. And if your grandkids are 16 or older, or you’re traveling to these locations via air, passports will be required. If you’re traveling overseas, all children, even infants, must have a passport. Some countries also require a visa for entry, and vaccinations may be required in some cases. Before booking a trip, check the U.S. Department of State’s website at Travel.State.gov for country-specifi c information. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior ior
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