The Curriculum Subcommittee recommended a new senior elective, Friendship in Literature and Film, presented by English department staff and developed from a National Endowment for the Humanities summer program. The course is designed to examine friendship and social connection through novels, short fiction and film and will be offered as an honors‑eligible class if enrollment supports it.

Presenter John (staff member) described the course as informed by Peter Sedlak’s summer work on friendship and literature; Sedlak proposed a class that would explore concepts of friendship across texts and media, and the department emphasized the course’s potential to address post‑COVID loneliness and social disconnection among students. “I think that post COVID, we see a higher indication of loneliness and a sense of disconnection than we have before,” John said in the meeting, explaining the course’s rationale.

The department plans to keep the course budget neutral and to ensure that core 11th‑grade American literature curricular expectations (for example, works like The Great Gatsby and Toni Morrison that the department still assigns) are preserved for students who need them; presenters said the course can be structured to meet those expectations if offered to 11th‑ and 12th‑grade students together.

Presenters said one section is planned initially. The subcommittee voted to recommend the course to the full committee; recorded yes votes included Helen, Steven, Jesse and the presiding member.

Votes at a glance: Motion to recommend adoption of Friendship in Literature and Film (senior elective, honors‑eligible) — mover: Helen (School Committee member); second: Jesse (School Committee member); vote: yes — recorded yes votes: Helen; Steven; Jesse; presiding member; outcome: approved.