American School Health Association. She will be recognized at the organization’s annual
conference in Louisville, Ky., on October 12.
Ms. Kirrane is recognized for her professional leadership in the coordination of school health
across the Brockton Public School District in Massachusetts, where she serves as head of the
wellness department, K-8.
In her role, she oversees the implementation of the pre-K-8 wellness curriculae and coordinates
all district wellness initiatives. For the past 18 years, Ms. Kirrane has written and implemented
several system-wide grants that have impacted the district greatly. Middle school fitness centers,
international nutrition events, peer programs and violence prevention curriculum have just been a
few of the changes that her grant work has produced for the district. Ms. Kirrane acts as a liaison
with other departments and community agencies in implementing local and state health
mandates, most recently the newly signed Anti-Bullying Prevention and Intervention Model Plan
project.
Ms. Kirrane received a Bachelors of Science in Health Education from Northeastern University
in 1981 and a master’s in administration from Suffolk University in 1988. She is also certified as
an elementary school principal and she has completed the New England Division of School
Health Institutes Coordinated School Health Leadership Program.
One of Ms. Kirrane’s major focuses has been in advocacy for broadening health education in the
Brockton Public Schools. She has worked closely with classroom teachers to integrate health
concepts and skills into daily lessons. Ms. Kirrane has often begun presentations by reminding
administrators and teachers that, “all teaches are teachers of reading, writing and arithmetic and
also can be teachers of wellness when given the right tools.”