Marion School Committee members lamented the cut of a part-time physical education teacher at Sippican School, but said smaller class sizes came first.

On Wednesday night, the committee approved a $5,860,656 budget, a four percent increase above the current budget.

Many parents and teachers attended the meeting, several expressing concern that the physical education staff would be reduced to only one full-time position. The loss of the part-time instructor means that some students will only have one PE class a week next year as opposed to two for every student this year.

Teacher Kelly Kelleher was concerned that it would be difficult to add the position back in another year.

“In the golden days we had a Spanish teacher, we had a technology teacher. I’m concerned that if we cut the position, we won’t get it back,” she said.

Chair Christine Marcolini agreed that the cut was lamentable, but said the other option was to lose classroom teachers. Instead, the committee opted to keep four sections each of first grade and fourth grade next year.

“We’re doing the best we can with what we have,” she said. “Preserving the teacher classroom positions had to be our priority. I want health in our school, but at the end of the day we need money to fund that.”

Marcolini also said that the town is giving the school more money than last year, about $225,000 more, but the wish list was equally as long.

In light of the PE cut, one parent asked if it was possible to increase recess time so that students still had an equal amount of activity. Students only have 20 minutes of recess time a day.

Principal Lyn Rivet said students would still get a second session with a specialist at the school, such as an art teacher, but they could not increase recess time because it would affect teachers’ planning time and would not count as instruction time.

A former PE teacher himself, Superintendent Doug White said teachers may need to be creative about giving kids time to move in their classes.

He added: “I would be the first voice to bring it back if I could find the funds necessary.”

During Wednesday’s budget hearing, the administration also discussed the areas that drove the budget up.

Among the increases are $43,424 for professional staff, $7,000 that reflects the increase in pay for substitute teachers, and almost $16,000 for supplies, of which the majority is for Chromebooks for students and laptops for teachers.

Two significant increases are related to special education costs for students whose needs cannot be met in the district. Approximately $150,000 accounts for tuition costs and more than $50,000 for transportation.

Some of those numbers haven’t actually increased, but will no longer be paid for by state circuit breaker funds, which are meant to fill gaps in special education costs, not to offset the budget.

“We decided to wean ourselves off,” said Business Administrator Patrick Spencer.

The town had to make up the difference.

Going forward, parent Sue Shannon asked if there were other options for funding the budget, such as grants or a foundation.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos said several grants are already part of the budget, and that establishing a foundation where the community could contribute would be a good idea.

“That would enrich this budget in a grand way. I would love to see that happen,” she said.

For now, the current budget stands and will go to Marion Town Meeting for approval.

In other news: The School Committee again voted against the school choice program, a provision that allows the committee to open up slots for out of district students in exchange for $5,000 in tuition. White said the administration felt that additional students would require additional staffing.