Pender Co. schools vote in favor of bonuses, raises, and optional face-coverings

The Pender County Board of Education has unanimously voted to keep masks optional for schools in the district.

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County Board of Education has unanimously voted to keep masks optional for schools in the district.

With the omicron variant of COVID-19 leading to record case numbers across the state, some school districts, including in New Hanover and Bladen counties, have returned to mandating masks in schools.

Like Pender — students and teachers in schools in Brunswick County have the option to wear a mask or not.

In another unanimous vote, the board decided to give substitute teachers a pay raise. Now, substitutes in Pender County will make at least $15 per hour.

“Substitutes have been a backbone for us, especially throughout the pandemic, and we basically just want to make sure they’re rewarded and appreciated,” Superintendent Dr. Steven Hill said.

Uncertified subs will take home $120 per day and certified subs will make $144 per day. Dr. Hill says the board wanted to make sure they were paying appropriately for credentials and this pay increase comes half a year before being required by the state. He hopes this will bring in more help for the district.

“We’re trying to attract them. If there’s anybody out there who’s interested, please give us a call we’d love to get you certified and get you in,” Dr. Hill said.

Teachers will also have more money in their pockets soon. In yet another unanimous vote, the school board approved two bonuses for certified staff members. One at $300 and another at $1,000. They must be paid by January 31. While they were not permitted to include uncertified staff because of state funding restrictions, the board wanted to include as many employees as possible and voted to give the raises to all certified staff members.

Additionally, two schools in the district made the top ten list for the highest graduation rates in the state. Topsail High School finished the 2020-21 school year with a 95.2-percent graduation rate and Pender Early College High School finished with an outstanding 100-percent graduation rate.

“You think about trying to achieve something but try to achieve something walking uphill all the time,” Dr. Hill said. “It’s amazing what’s been happening inside this school district and the fact that these people stayed focused on education even when challenged by pandemics and all the other challenges that have come with weather and everything else in this county in the last two years.”