Five-Year Tuition Okayed

Several hours before its budget workshop was set to begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the Montauk School Board called a special meeting to approve a five-year tuition agreement with the East Hampton School District.

This year, the district pays for 113 students to attend the high school, at a cost of $24,942 per student. Next year, 134 students from Montauk will go there, at a decreased cost of $24,693 each.

East Hampton High School offers a 5-percent discount to feeder districts that agree to send all their students there, exclusively, after they graduate.

During the budget workshop the board agreed to reinstate the Montauk Afternoon program, pending budget approval. The program was one of several cut a few years ago when the school was forced to remain within the state-mandated tax levy cap. Without the program, many working parents were left scurrying to find after-school care.

The program, which is for all grades, begins immediately after the school day and runs through 5 p.m. During that time the students first finish homework and then are allowed free time to play outside, use the computers, read, or get crafty.

The program costs parents $7 per child, $5 for each additional sibling. The fees help offset the cost of the program, roughly $32,400, said Jack Perna, the school superintendent.