Support staff in the Pleasant Valley School District will get a little bonus of sorts beginning this school year for the holidays.

For Thanksgiving, and winter and spring recess, the school district agreed with the Pleasant Valley Educational Support Professionals Association to allow the support staff who work 12-months a year to leave two hours early on the day prior to the recess without a loss of pay or benefits.

Employees who work 10 months a year will be released the last instructional day before the recess begins. The school board approved the item Thursday night.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the union and the school district stated reason for the change was because “The association staff members work hard day in and day out serving the students and community, which assists in the district’s success. The district acknowledges the hardworking Association staff members and their willingness to go above and beyond.”

Paraprofessionals, health room technicians, monitors and food service employees comprise the 10-month employees.

In the specifics of the memorandum regarding 12-month employees, bookkeepers will be allowed to leave 30 minutes after the buses have left the building where they work.

For those working in the district office, they can leave two hours early. Information system technicians can leave two hours earlier than their normal shift end. Couriers are released after dropping off money in their last run. And custodians and maintenance staff of all shifts can leave two hours early, unless there is snow impacting the buildings. If there is snow that needs to be cleared, then they can receive up to two hours of additional pay.

Paraprofessionals and health room technicians can leave once the students have been dismissed and are on their buses. Monitors can leave 30-minutes early as long as it doesn’t impact lunches or dismissal. And food service employees will be paid for the full day, but can leave after students are served, deposits completed and the kitchen is cleaned.

Other personnel items include:

• Hiring of professional staff — long term substitute — Julie Borruso, special education, PVES, from Oct. 14 to Jan. 16, 2025, Step 1: $52,642 (prorated);

• Hiring of support staff — Yvette Carrasquillo, food service employee, PVES, $13.14 per hour, replaced Lisa Costenbader (change of assignment);

• Supplemental contracts: nonathletic — FBLA, Susanne Rasely-Philipps and Amanda Giunta, advisers, PVHS, $1,500.00 each, and;

• Volunteers — Sergio Cespedes, Samantha Mathews, Elizabeth Pietrolewicz, Shannon Sandt, Rebecca Schaeffer, Kayleigh Noyes, Marie Ealey, Angela Schwartz, Jeffrey Porter, Roy Thompson, Mark Randis, Kelly Randis and Lindsey Blundetto.