Employees at Northport Public School are eligible for a retention stipend of no more than $3,000 after the district’s Board of Education (BOE) unanimously approved of the item at its regular meeting Monday.
Superintendent Neil Wetherbee said the letter of agreement offering the stipend was made possible after the district received its audit back this year and was made aware of extra, unexpected funds. Northport previously offered similar stipends during the COVID-19 pandemic, but these funds would be used to help school employees with the current cost of living. In addition, Wetherbee said that the district has been fully staffed all yearround.
“And knowing what the cost of living is for everyone, the board is trying to take some of that money that we didn’t have budgeted and help offset some of the costs that our employees are facing right now,” Wetherbee said. “... The fact that the board ended up offering a stipend that was three times what I proposed speaks to how much the board appreciates the hard work of the staff and values keeping good people and how dedicated they are to making sure that our students have a successful school experience.”
