Continuing to deliver on his promise to show appreciation and value for members of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) workforce, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell today announced a $2,000 retention bonus for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) employees.
The bonuses – proposed by Dr. Bedell and agreed to by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1693, which represents FNS employees, and the Board of Education – will be paid in two installments. The first of those installments will occur tomorrow for most FNS employees.
“I have said since I got here that to be a premier school district we need to put systems in place to keep the people we have and attract more people to deliver on our mission to help every single student belong, grow, and succeed,” Dr. Bedell said. “The people who work to provide meals to our students have short shifts in the middle of the day and most are ineligible for health care. They do what they do because they love our students, and they are essential to our success. I am grateful to the Board of Education and AFSCME for their work to reward these employees.”
Dr. Bedell said the bonuses should also help AACPS decrease the number of FNS vacancies, which currently stands at 117. They follow similar moves in addition to systemwide compensation increases over the last two-plus years that have included bonuses for all employees, a stipend for special education teachers, and an initiative to sharply increase first-year teacher salaries and pay for contracted bus drivers.
Current FNS permanent and temporary employees who were employed by AACPS in the 2023-2024 school year and are not on a Leave of Absence will receive their first $1,000 bonus tomorrow. The second $1,000 bonus will be paid on July 9, 2025, for employees who complete their contractual duty year for 2024-2025.
New and recently hired permanent and temporary FNS employees who begin employment during the 2024-2025 school year will receive a $1,000 hiring bonus after three months of employment. Retention bonuses for those employees will be based upon their length of service, with employees hired by December 22, 2024, eligible for the full $1,000.
“I’m excited to share that we’ve successfully worked with AACPS to secure a retention bonus for our amazing food service workers,” AFSCME Local 1693 President Delonya Akindoyo said. “These are the folks who show up every day to make sure our kids get nutritious meals, helping them focus and thrive in school. This bonus is a way to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication. We’re committed to supporting them and making sure they feel valued, so they can keep doing what they do best — taking care of our students. This is a big win for everyone, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
The Board and AFSCME are actively exploring additional options to address compensation, retention, and recruitment strategies with the goal to continue provide the support necessary to maintain a stable and committed workforce.