BURTON SCHOOL BOARD GRANTS $350 HOLIDAY BONUS TO EMPLOYEES

  

The holiday season may be over, but Burton ISD employees are receiving a late gift.

On Monday, the Burton School Board agreed to provide a one-time bonus of $350 to each district staff member, adding up to a total of $36,750.

Superintendent Vikki Curry said the district recently learned that proceeds from a grant it received last year could go toward covering salary, allowing some funding to go toward this bonus pay.

Trustee Mike Clyde said he fully understands how this will benefit employee morale, but wanted the board to be conscious and mindful with its financial decisions.  He said while this amount may be small in comparison to the full budget, there may be times where the district is looking for whatever money it can and may have to make hard choices. 

Curry said she agrees with Clyde and that the district knows every amount counts.  Board President Jeff Harmel said he appreciates the legwork that went into finding a way to give something back to employees.  Board Secretary Donna Putnam said she has heard personally from several employees expressing their gratitude. 

Also on Monday, the board approved an application for a Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities (LASO) grant through the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  Curry said LASO grants can be used for instructional materials, professional development and training, and salary.

Trustees also formalized their decision from their December meeting to not allow homeschooled students to participate in the district’s extracurricular activities. 

The board also held a public hearing to review Burton ISD’s Texas Academic Performance Report, Results-Driven Accountability Report and Emergency Operation Plan.  The Texas Academic Performance Report and Results-Driven Accountability Report can be viewed on the TEA website.