Getting health education to elementary school students is one of the Healthy Tri-Town Coalition's top priorities. However, budgetary issues will need to be resolved first.

Currently, Mattapoisett is the only town with any health education in elementary schools because it is funded by the town instead of the school, including $5,000 for The Great Body Shop curriculum. On Tuesdays, a part-time teacher teaches to pre-kindergarten, first, second and third graders, and on Thursdays she teaches fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

Originally, all three towns were planning on chipping in to share a health instructor, but neither Marion or Rochester were able to afford it in last year's budget cycle.

Members of the coalition said that scheduling health education as a specific block of the day validates it as a real subject area.

Superintendent Doug White acknowledged the budgetary struggles at the Nov. 29 meeting.

“...In my first conversation with town administrators, it sounds like there isn’t any extra money laying around,” he said.

In the rest of the district, students start health classes in seventh grade, but the hope is to build a basis of knowledge for students before that.

“We want students to enter health in seventh grade with a solid foundation,” Elise Frangos said. “It’s difficult to add health in through other classes, because it needs to be systematic for it to be effective. A systematically delivered curriculum gives it to every child and really catalyzes a family discussion.”

According White, hiring a health teacher would cost close to $25,000 including benefits. While adding health for younger students is going to be a priority for the new budgetary year, White said he doesn’t think the money will be coming from the town.

“This has to become a priority supported by the budget, whether it’s by reallocating funds or asking for additional money,” he said.

A more feasible and immediate solution was suggested by Jeanne LaRock, who suggested a children’s health fair.

“When the Wellness Committee was still a thing, we had a program at night and had a huge turnout,” she said. “Health information was distributed in a fun way.”

She also suggested it doing it during free blocks, lunch or on half days. That way, it would be part of the students’ school day, instead of hoping they would come to something after hours.

The committee liked the idea and agreed to look into doing it.