The current draft of Mattapoisett’s school budget for the 2016-17 year includes three new staff and less reliance on emergency funds.

Business Administrator Patrick Spencer discussed the proposed budget at Thursday night’s School Committee meeting, but said there is more work to be done with the town before a final number is reached.

As it stands, the budget is just over eight percent or $522,373 above the current budget for a total of $6,908,123.

About $118,000 of that increase encompasses a new kindergarten teacher, moving the media librarian to a full-time position and adding a .3 health teacher. Principal Rose Bowman said the new teacher is not a definite need, and it will depend on how the population of other classes shape up. If one grade no longer required a section, a teacher would be moved to another grade instead of hiring a new person.

The health teacher position is one that all tri-town elementary schools are exploring in light of needs discovered through the newly formed Healthy Tri-town Coalition. That position might be shared between the three towns or a separate person hired for Mattapoisett. Either way, it would not include benefits.

Another significant increase is $165,000 in lieu of relying on circuit breaker funds. Those “relief funds” from the state are provided to help with unexpected special education costs, but Mattapoisett’s budget has used the money as part of the regular budget.

“At some point and time you have to get us on the right path in how to use the circuit breaker,” said Spencer. “You use it as a safeguard for special education expenses, you don’t use it to set it up as an offset to your budget.”

Other increases include funds for bus contracts and maintenance issues.

Spencer said the budget number will still change.

“There will be more meetings and discussions,” he said.

In other news: The School Committee discussed the 2016-17 calendar, which is scheduled to be discussed at the next Joint School Committee meeting. Superintendent Doug White is collecting all comments from tri-town school committees for feedback before the vote.

School Committee Chair Jim Higgins said he would again advocate for no school on Good Friday. Last spring was the first time in many years that schools in the three towns were in session on that day, and there was a dip in attendance for both students and staff.

“I think it's created turmoil in regards to getting an education on that day,” said Higgins. “I’m going to continue to advocate to have it off as long as I’m on the School Committee”

White said the March 24 Joint School Committee meeting is the day before Good Friday, so if that committee did decide to evaluate attendance on the second anniversary it would have to wait on the vote.