CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — While teachers and students in Clayton County continue to work remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic, CCPS district officials said Monday that they will continue to monitor the data to determine when it is safe to return to the classroom.
Employees in the district were also welcomed with a nice surprise during the Board of Education work session meeting when the superintendent recommended a $2,000 pandemic bonus.
It was approved unanimously by the Board and is expected to be paid out by March 31.
"We are proud to provide our employees with this one-time pandemic bonus as a show of appreciation for their continued dedication to our students and school system during this unusual time," superintendent Dr. Morcease Beasley said.
He said the funds will come from the state and at the local level.
The next question is when exactly will teachers and students return to their campuses.
"At some point, we are going to return to face-to-face instruction," Beasley said during the Monday meeting. "We recognize the desire among some community members to have students in school and we certainly want our students in our school buildings, but that will be a decision made based on the data as a collaborative effort by district leadership and the Clayton County Board of Education."
Last month, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced a $1,000 one-time bonus for teachers in the state. He also said all state employees who make less than $80,000 would get a $1,000 bonus.
Last year, Gwinnett County Public Schools made a similar announcement when they announced that all teachers would get a one-time $700 bonus.