Guilford County Schools OKs $1,500 employee bonuses and extends mask requirement

Guilford County Schools has approved $1,500 bonuses for most employees in the district.

The Guilford County Schools Board of Education voted on Tuesday to approve the bonuses for all employees, except for principals and assistant principals. Superintendent Sharon Contreras also recommended including an additional $500 bonus for the district's lowest-paid classified staff, including custodians and bus drivers.

Distribution of the bonuses, which total nearly $17 million, will still need to be approved by the state Department of Public Instruction. 

According to a news release, the money will come from the federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER).

Also at Tuesday's meeting, board members voted to continue a mask mandate requiring students and staff to wear a face covering while in school buildings or school-related settings.

North Carolina passed a law in August requiring school districts to vote monthly on amending mask policies.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools board members also voted on Tuesday to continue a mandatory mask requirement which will be reevaluated at their next meeting in January.