Teachers Receive Merit Bonuses

BCS Teacher of the Year J.B. Halpin teaches at Pisgah Elementary School.

BCS Communications Department

Thanks to the North Carolina General Assembly, many of our teachers are receiving merit-based bonuses, which recognize impressive student growth.

The state is providing about $600,000 total in merit-based bonuses for third- through fifth-grade reading teachers, fourth- through eighth-grade math teachers, as well as high school Advanced Placement (AP) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers. The bonuses for elementary and middle-grades teachers are based on measured student growth, while the high school bonuses reward teachers based on AP and CTE test scores.

“We’re proud that the legislators are recognizing the individual growth our teachers foster in Buncombe County,” said BCS Associate Superintendent Susanne Swanger. “Our teachers and students are excelling, and that’s something to celebrate.”

BCS teachers are dedicated to preparing students for their tomorrow. Some teach in the same schools they attended as children. Others come from all over the nation and the world! These highly-qualified, fully licensed educators bring cutting edge ideas and methods to our community schools. BCS ranks 17th in the nation for the number of National Board Certified Teachers, and 65 percent of our teachers have more than a decade of experience.

“It’s an honor to be recognized with gracious funding from our legislators for the work that we do in the classroom day in and day out,” said J.B. Halpin, fourth-grade teacher at Pisgah Elementary School and BCS Teacher of the Year. “It’s certainly a morale booster and positive affirmation for the daily efforts we put in.”

Teachers who received the bonus were notified last Friday (Jan. 25, 2019).

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Elementary

Intermediate

Middle

High

Other

Buncombe County Schools