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Board approves one-time $3,000-per-FTE Christmas bonus funded from carryover
Summary
Trustees approved a one-time, prorated $3,000 Christmas bonus per full-time equivalent employee, estimated to cost about $780,000 in payroll and up to $1 million including benefits; new hires after the school year began would receive reduced payments. Vote 5-0.
The Snake River School Board on Nov. 19 approved a one-time recognition bonus to be paid this Christmas to district employees, following a recommendation from Superintendent Mark Kress.
Kress said the district’s strong fund balance from FY 2025 allows the district to make a one-time bonus payment without adjusting the permanent salary schedule. He proposed $3,000 per full-time equivalent employee, prorated to each employee’s actual FTE, estimating about 260 total FTE and a payroll cost near $780,000; including employer benefits (PERSI, Medicare, Social Security), total cost was estimated at roughly $950,000–$1 million. Employees hired after the start of the school year would receive $300 (classified) or $500 (certified) provided they worked at least 90 days.
Kress said the payout would be the largest bonus the district has given and would fulfill commitments made during salary negotiations; he recommended reserving about $800,000 of remaining carryover for district projects. Trustees voted 5-0 to approve the appropriation on a motion by Josh Sorensen with a second from Toni Ibarra.
The board specified the payment as a one-time appropriation and not a change to the permanent salary scale.
