Island students and their families won’t have to pay at the gate to attend high school sports events for at least the next month, as the Martha’s Regional High School committee works out a new ticketing policy for non-playoff home games.

Student representative Cali Giglio asked for ticket relief at the MVRHS committee meeting Monday night, saying students who don’t play a winter sport are charged to attend basketball and hockey games.

“I play a fall and spring sport, but I have to pay to get in for the basketball games because I don’t play a winter sport,” said Ms. Giglio, a member of the school’s tennis team.

“Even though it’s only... four or five [dollars], it adds up when there’s a girls game and a boys game in the same week,” Ms. Giglio told the committee.

Other schools in the same sports league with MVRHS offer free game admission to their students, she said, citing inquiries made by activities director Mark McCarthy.

“Monomoy doesn’t charge. Barnstable doesn’t charge,” Ms. Giglio said.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association requires — and collects — admission fees for playoff games, Mr. McCarthy said, but not for earlier matches. Ticket receipts from non-playoff games, including the Island Cup played here in November, have totaled about $9,000 this school year, school finance manager Suzanne Cioffi said.

The money goes to the school’s general fund to be used for game expenses, such as hiring officials, Mr. McCarthy said.

School committee members resoundingly backed Ms. Giglio’s suggestion that students should be free to root for their school without a ticket fee.

“I would like to see an immediate cessation on charging our students until we figure out what to do,” chair Robert Lionette said, asking for the topic to be placed on February’s committee agenda.

Other members suggested that family members should also be admitted at no charge.

“To be able to watch your own child play, you have to pay,” Kathryn Schertzer said.

The committee voted unanimously to lift all ticket fees until a policy is developed.

“Id like to see if it makes a big difference,” Roxanne Ackerman said. “It used to be, in the winter, sports was the only show. That was a good way for the Island to be involved.”

Students are planning a pep rally for Feb. 10, Ms. Giglio said.

Among other business Monday, committee members heard a report on the high school’s mental health first aid program, which has trained 358 students so far.

“Teens prefer to share their problems with peers,” said Kim Garrison, the school district’s specialist for behavioral health on campus.

The training teaches young people to understand when their friends may be suffering and to seek appropriate help, rather than dealing with it themselves, Ms. Garrison said.

Another guest speaker at Monday’s meeting was Danielle Charbonneau, who was recently named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and is the first alternative-education instructor to receive the honor. Ms. Charbonneau chairs the high school’s Project Vine, a selective program for students who prefer a smaller, more intimate learning environment.

The state award provides her with a megaphone to promote the benefits of alternative education, which many schools do not offer, Ms. Charbonneau said.

“I get to do a TED talk .. about Martha’s Vineyard and our commitment to alternative education and this really amazing program,” she said.

Other engagements include a Jan. 24 State House appearance before the education committee, a meeting with new governor Maura Healey and a talk at Google headquarters in California next month, Ms. Charbonneau said.

“My hope is if I speak firmly and loudly enough about this, other students everywhere will have the opportunity to be part of something like this,” she told the school committee.

Also Monday, the committee accepted the donation of a new upright bass for the music program from the Act 2 second hand store in Vineyard Haven. The committee also agreed to have some playing fields regraded and appointed Edgartown select board member Art Smadbeck to the high school building committee, which held its first meeting earlier this month.