The Bryan County Board of Education officially announced that the 3 percent salary bonus for each employee has gone into effect.

During its meeting Nov. 19 at Bryan County High School, School System Superintendent Dr. Paul Brooksher — flanked by BoE members — displayed a large ceremonial check representing the amount of money going toward the bonuses. The bonus total — nearly $1.2 million — was approved in June as part of this fiscal year’s budget.

The official total written on the check was $1,179,936.64.

“The board and I really wanted to make an effort to recognize the good work all of our employees do,” Brooksher said after the meeting.

The board also gave a bonus in 2012. As previously reported in the Bryan County News, the district has 1,028 full-time positions this school year. The budget did not include a raise in the millage rate, meaning it holds steady at 15.537 for the sixth straight year.

Also at the meeting, the board:

Approved the Richmond hill High School wrestling team’s overnight trip Dec. 4-5 to Bogart to compete in a tournament at North Oconee High School, andVoted to accept a donation from Donors Choose to Kerrin Daniels and her second-grade class at Lanier Primary. The donation includes about $285 worth of books and teacher’s guides to use with “Literature Circles and project-based learning,” according to a document distributed at the meeting.