Fannin County School System employees who agree to remain employed by the school system next year will receive retention bonuses following a vote by the Board of Education Thursday, March 11.
The board voted to use local CARES Act funds to pay a $2,000 local retention bonus to all benefits-eligible personnel who are current employees of the system that have signed a next-year contract.
“The payment is based on employment at ‘100%’ and will be reduced, as needed, based on their percentage of employment during FY 22,” Director of Finance Susan Wynn said.
This payment will also apply to all current classified benefits-eligible employees including bus drivers, school nutrition employees, paraprofessionals, etc., who sign a special “classified letter of intent” to return to work for next school year. Previously retired employees, or employees at 49%, who choose to return for FY 22 year at 49% will receive 49% of the local retention bonus.
It was also approved that the system cover the Social Security/Medicare portion of the retention bonus so that employees will receive a $2,165.67 gross amount.
Substitutes and contractors will not be eligible for this local retention bonus.
The bonus payments will be made to employees after the system receives a signed professional employment contract or a classified letter or intent. The payment will be made between June 15 and June 30.
At the request of district leadership, the board also approved the payment of the $1,000 Retention Bonus for Georgia Teachers and School-Based Staff upon approval of Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Education.
A memo from Wynn and Deputy Superintendent of Achievement & Governance Sarah Rigdon states, “The bonus is being provided to all K-12 public school-level teachers and staff to support stronger recruitment and retention of teachers and school-level staff and as a gesture of gratitude for their work and sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The bonus payments are intended for all school-level faculty and staff in Georgia’s K-12 public schools, including but not limited to teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, custodians, bus drivers, school nutrition staff, media specialist, clerical staff and administrative assistants, school principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, and therapists. A specific listing of eligible job codes will be distributed to school districts prior to allocation of the funding. Funding will be allocated to districts based on the number of employees with eligible job codes reported in the most recent CPI count.”
The board was requested to not only approve the payment to those the state provides, but also to all other “benefits-eligible district employees who are current employees of the FCSS at the time checks are issued and that are not otherwise included among those employees funded by Governor Kemp.”
Local funds will be used to make these additional payments.
“I respect that Governor Kemp is providing this for school personnel,” Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney said. “I further respect that the Board of Education realizes that to get the job done it takes every single employee whether their assigned to a school or not.”