Ashdown School Employees to Receive Cash Retention Incentives

All contracted staff employees of the Ashdown School District received some good news on September 7.

They will receive a $6,000 recruitment and retention incentive during the 2022-2023 school year. According to Superintendent Casey Nichols, “All staff members will receive the incentive as we realize that each employee plays an important role in the daily operation of our district.  In addition, the district understands that each group of employees serving our students is currently difficult to recruit and retain. Therefore, the Ashdown School District is offering a retention incentive, for all 'contract staff members' that are under contract at the time payment is issued.”

As part of this incentive, each contract employee will receive a $2,000 payment in September 2022, followed by a $2,000 payment in November 2022, and another $2,000 payment in February 2023.  To receive any of these funds, the employee must be a contract-certified or classified employee of Ashdown Public Schools at the time of the designated payment schedule above.

The entire $6,000 will be paid for with the district’s remaining ARP ESSER funds.  Mr. Nichols also added, "Our goal in this effort is to ensure that we are able to recruit and retain great staff members for our students throughout the duration of the 22-23 school year, despite the difficulties associated with the current pandemic.”