Norwich — The newly approved 2021-22 Norwich Free Academy calendar will change the second Monday in October from Columbus Day to Indigenous People Day.

The board of trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the calendar with the change, with board Chairman DeVol Joyner thanking Head of School Brian Kelly for the proposed change. The Norwich Board of Education made the same change earlier this month.

Kelly said Thursday the change was not politically motivated, adding that NFA has an obligation to remain apolitical.

“Our educational philosophy teaches respect for differing opinions, ideas and beliefs, but also a responsibility to teach more accurate and comprehensive chronicles and differing viewpoints about our country’s history,” Kelly said in an email statement Thursday. “Furthermore, the historical importance of indigenous peoples is often in the background of traditional history programs, but NFA is committed to include these stories in the scope and sequence of our curriculum. This change is an integral step to recognize the importance of Native American Tribes in southeastern Connecticut.”

Recognition of Christopher Columbus has become controversial throughout the United States in recent years, and Columbus statues were targeted for protests locally and across the state in 2020.

The Norwich Italian Heritage monument on the Chelsea Parade green in front of NFA underwent a makeover last summer and fall by the Italian Heritage & Cultural Committee. Although the monument was not singled out for protests, the committee removed an image of Columbus and references to the 500th anniversary of his first voyage in 1992, and the monument was rededicated Nov. 21.

The alterations included adding color images of the American and Italian flags and paying homage to Italian immigrant settlers in Norwich.

c.bessette@theday.com