Healthy programs added to Talkeetna Elementary

By Laura Wright–The new school year at Talkeetna Elementary is underway with 113 students. That is a decrease from 123 students last year, but more than the 93 students in 2010. There are four news students and 17 children starting kindergarten.

The pre-school program, whose funding was reinstated at the last minute, has 16 children and about a dozen 2 to 3 year olds that come Tuesday afternoons for social time.

Community Schools starts up soon with Kathleen Fleming as program director. Look for the schedule to come out next week.

A new program that promises to be very exciting for the kids is a Farm to School activity. The PTA healthy lifestyles committee received this grant that will facilitate students to visit a farm, pick vegetables, and use them in their lunch meals.

Also, Nurse Barb Mercer received a grant for $5000 from the Mat-Su Health Foundation that is being used to add a health curriculum to the schedule. $1500 was given to the PTA’s healthy snacks program where all school kids receive a healthy snack one or two times a week. The remaining $3500 will hire a person to prepare and teach lessons on health, wellness, nutrition and exercise. They will rotate through the classrooms. Mercer says, “We all know that good health is essential. If you don’t have your health nothing else matters and this program is a good start.” This is a one-time grant and will only cover part of this school year, but Mercer is hopeful that some other money may come through to continue the program.

There are five full time teachers, two half time teachers, a ¼ time music teacher and ¼ time librarian, two aides and one special education teacher rounding out the staff at the school.