At their September work session, the Caroline County Board of Education approved a one-time $1,500 stipend for all permanent employees who were hired prior to June 30 of this year and still employed as of September 30, 2024. This stipend will be included in the September 30 pay, and applicable federal and state taxes will apply.
In May of 2022, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved CCPS for the Maryland LEADS Grant Program to implement four proposed strategies, two of which were Grow Your Own Staff and Staff Support and Retention. With those funds, CCPS invested in many areas of Grow Your Own Staff including:
Supporting employees finishing their Associates and Bachelor’s degrees
Supporting teachers achieving their National Board Certification
Supporting Instructional Assistants earning their Child Development Associate credential
Continuation of YMCA membership for all employees
As the grant period ends on Sept. 30, funds remain in the Grow Your Own strategy area, mostly due to certain deadlines being extended by MSDE. CCPS requested those funds be transferred to Staff Support and Retention, allowing it to be used for a retention stipend. Once MSDE approved, the Caroline County Education Association (CCEA), Caroline County Education Support Personnel Association (CCESPA), and the Administrators and Supervisors Association of Caroline County (ASACC) were also consulted.
CCEA President Amy Bauman said, “This is another example of CCEA and CCPS leadership working together for the benefit of our members and employees. All of our employees are valued and their hard work is appreciated, and this is another way to say thank you.”
“We know that the best way to serve our students is to continually seek ways to retain the excellent staff we have,” Superintendent Derek L. Simmons said. “We are thankful to be able to provide this one-time stipend that shows our appreciation for the work they do directly and indirectly with students every day.”
Total funding for the retention bonus will be $1,438,742.25, all of which will come out of the Maryland LEADS grant.