Brevard School Board Provides Employees $1,000 One-Time Recognition Pay for ‘Unwavering Commitment’

Based on 9,300 Brevard Public Schools employees, the bonuses total $9.3 million

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Brevard School Board announced that all Brevard Public School employees will receive a one-time recognition payment of $1,000 for “their unwavering commitment to making school year 2020-21 a success.”

Based on 9,300 total BPS employees, the bonuses total $9.3 million.

According to Brevard Public Schools, the district is the 49th largest in the U.S. and the 9th largest district in Florida.  As the largest employer in Brevard County, BPS staff members serve about 73,000 students.

BPS officials said that during a year that brought unique challenges, the School Board wanted to recognize employees for their extra efforts to provide excellence in the classroom to our students.

“Teachers spent hours to prepare for hybrid instruction, administrators undertook the task of contact tracing after hours and on weekends, support staff ensured continued smooth operations in our schools and district offices by providing exemplary customer service, nutritious meals, safe transportation, childcare in elementary schools, and clean and healthy environments for students to learn and employees to work,” said BPS in a release.

BPS officials said this one-time recognition payment was only possible because of the savings created by the School Board’s responsible financial management over the past 18 months. The one-time payment will be paid as part of payroll this summer.

“BPS teachers, staff, and administrators have worked tirelessly this school year and in a unique year we wanted to provide a unique recognition for all of them,” said Misty Belford, School Board Chair.

“Our ability to save district money over the past several months put us in the position to do this and we could not be any happier.”

The school district partnered with employee groups Brevard Federation of Teachers (BFT), Local 1010 of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (1010), and Brevard Association of School Administrators (BASA) on the one-time payment.

“The Brevard Federation of Teachers applauds the School Board for recognizing and rewarding the unprecedented and difficult work employees did this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Anthony Colucci, BFT President.

“Furthermore, we are grateful that this bonus leaves no one out and honors the work of all of the district’s employees.”

“We are happy to get this recognition for all the support staff who worked extra hours to make this year a success,” said Delores Varney, Business Representative for Local 1010.

“Providing this $1,000 payment of appreciation is a wonderful thing that the school board is going to do, and I hope all employees will look at it in the spirit that it’s given and acknowledge the school board and superintendent recognizing them for the amazing job this past year,” said Gary Shiffrin, Executive Director for BASA.

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