North Andover School officials told the School Committee on Aug. 28 that the district received a $40,000 grant aimed at expanding genocide education in the high school curriculum. The award will roughly split between professional development for teachers and stipends to support lesson planning. "This year, our award is $40,000," the district grants presenter said, noting prior funding of about $20,000 the prior year.

The grant will support a calendar of professional development events and learning modules covering topics that include Native American history, the eugenics movement, genocide in Darfur and Holocaust instruction centered on liberation and displaced persons. Committee members asked whether the programming will reach elementary grades; the presenter said most current work is focused on grades 9–12 and that the grant parameters and statute largely support programming for grades 6–12.

The committee voted to accept the grant. Committee members who spoke praised the work and asked only clarifying questions about scope and grade levels. The presenter said about half the award will be used for professional learning and the other half for teacher stipends so that teachers can plan and incorporate new materials into classes.

The district staff said the work builds on 18 months of high-school-level collaboration between English and history departments and a partner organization, the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Salem State College. The presenter outlined multiple events planned for the year, including an educator conference and topic-specific workshops.

Committee action: the School Committee voted to accept the genocide education grant as presented.