Cord Bailey stood in the doorway of the regional high school culinary arts dining room, aviator shades on, arms crossed. Tantalizing smells of chicken and bacon floated into the hallway. Inside the dining room the annual Brazilian American Friends lunch was taking place. Only 42 lucky students were granted access.

High school winter sports teams took a brief holiday break before resuming play in a flurry of action.

The up-Island regional school committee voted this week to certify a budget for the coming fiscal year of $9.1 million, a 3.5 per cent increase over last year. Increases can be tracked to money that must be set aside for post-retirement benefits for school workers and funds for Chilmark school renovations. Schools are now required to set aside money to cover the cost of future health benefits for employees who will retire.

An up-Island school committee meeting to discuss and approve the annual budget Monday spilled into a heartfelt discussion about security in the public schools following the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., last week.

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School seniors Douglas Andrade and Isabella Hazell-El-Deiry were sworn in as members of the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council for Dukes County on Nov. 30. Governor Deval Patrick presided over the swearing in of 28 new members — two representatives from every county — on the Grand Staircase of the Massachusetts State House.

Both students have been active in the high school and Island community.