The Brockton School Committee voted Jan. 7 to accept three grants that district staff said will support music, cybersecurity and classroom food-education programs.

Rebecca Desmond, the district director of music (K–12), presented a Klarman Family Foundation instrument fund award seeking $30,000 to replace aging marching percussion and other instruments. "Our marching percussion instruments are about 20 years old; new instruments will be lighter, have better cases and allow students to use stands indoors so they aren't carrying heavy drums every rehearsal," Desmond said. The request includes replacement tubas and a tenor saxophone for South Middle School.

Dan Vigen, senior director of information technology, described a $25,000 Massachusetts Technology Collaborative grant intended to bolster the district's cybersecurity defenses. "There is an increase of attacks on schools and libraries; this grant will help fill gaps in our existing security suite and provide a safer learning environment for students and staff," Vigen said. The district's IT staff identified the grant as a targeted addition to a larger, ongoing cybersecurity program.

Food service staff presented a $20,000 MA Fresh (Mass. Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health) grant to expand a “seed-to-table” classroom program that this year will focus on mushrooms because they grow quickly and fit classroom timelines. The presenter, identified in the record as Tom Burke (district staff), said the mushroom kits allowed students to cultivate and taste mushrooms in class; the program will also use the high-school container farm as a classroom hub. "The kids loved growing and tasting the mushrooms; we gave them recipes and they brought mushrooms home," Burke said.

All three grants were approved by roll call: $30,000 for the instrument fund, $25,000 for cybersecurity and $20,000 for MA Fresh. Committee members suggested the music program and facilities subcommittee track long-term instrument needs and noted grant funding is an important supplement to the regular budget. The committee also approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) advisory committee appointments as presented; members asked staff to provide clearer applicant summaries for future advisory-board votes.

The clerk will process grant acceptance paperwork and the district will begin procurement and program planning.