Superintendent Could Receive a $30K-Plus Vacation Time Pay Out

When current Superintendent Philip Meara retires from his position on Sept. 1, he could be receiving a payout upwards of $33,000 for unused sick time and 25 days of accumulated vacation time.

According to the superintendent's contract, the maximum payout for unused sick time is $15,000, said the district’s business administrator Thomas Eldridge on Thursday morning.

That, coupled with the 25 days of vacation, would add up to a potential sum of $33,000 -- all dependent on how much time Meara elects to take from now until his retirement.  

“I think it’s a little too early to be doing calculations at this time, for I don’t know if [the superintendent] is planning on taking any days from now until Sept. 1,” said Eldridge.

As of last week, Eldridge said the superintendent has a total of 25 available vacation days.

According to the contract, Eldridge said that vacation time is determined by dividing Meara’s current salary, at $197,000, by the total number of days in the work year, which is 260.

Sick time is calculated by paying Meara a day for every two days of that time that has been unused.

The total, reiterated Eldridge, could be different come the end of the summer. 

"At this time, I don't really have any expectations," said Eldridge when asked if Meara will be expected to receive that amount. 

Superintendent Philip Meara announced his retirement from the Lawrence Township Public Schools in mid-June citing his need to spend more time with his family. He submitted his retirement intent to BOE President Laura Waters on June 1, 2011.

Meara’s contract was due to expire in 2013.

Meara’s education career spans 40 years. Prior to coming to Lawrence, he was the superintendent in Freehold Borough since 2003. From 1973-1990 he taught and, at the age of 24, entered the administrative arena as a unit leader in the East Windsor regional district. He taught in West Windsor from 1990 to 1995 at the Dutch Neck School. He also served as a Principal in the Plumsted Township School District in Ocean County and eventually became an Assistant Superintendent there.

With his tenure at Lawrenceville, Meara implemented a handful of educational programs, including a teacher-leader concept and brought a House system involving such leaders into the Lawrence Intermediate (LIS) and Middle Schools. He extended the concept to Lawrence High School (LHS) by establishing academies also led by teacher-leaders.

The Lawrence community approved all six district budgets with Meara at the helm, including the very difficult 2010-2011 budget for which the district lost $3.5 million in state aid and voters in over 60 percent of school districts statewide said “No” to their budgets. 

Meara is a Trenton native who is married and has three grown children and six grandchildren. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in education from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia in 1972, and a master’s degree in education leadership from Bank Street College in New York City.