Pickett County Schools has approved a $2,000 bonus for teachers and non-teachers.
Pickett County Director of Schools Diane Elder said teachers will be receiving the $2,000 from the state as part of the Education Freedom Act. Elder said the school board approved similar bonuses for non-teachers to show appreciation to those employees who were left out.
“It takes all of us to have school,” Elder said. “Our bus drivers are very important, our cooks are very important, our assistants, our custodians, our secretaries, anybody that we have that is not a licensed teacher plays a major role in having school each day.”
Elder said the bonuses will be given in July and will be a part of the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. Elder said the school board will use a healthy fund balance to cover the bonuses.
“We had a good fund balance, and we will be taking the money out fund balance, and I guess it goes back to you get what you give, and I think that it’s worth giving for our school system,” Elder said. “Yes, it will cost the school system quite a bit of money, but I think it’s worth it. It will not put us in a predicament that we have to worry about money.”
Elder said she believes giving bonuses across the board will boost morale among the school system. The Pickett County School Board approved the bonuses during Monday’s board meeting.
