Brevard school employees, including teachers, are getting raises thanks a a millage rate increase passed by voters in November.

Thanks to the extra money, district officials say now they can keep veteran teachers and recruit new ones for the classroom.

For nearly 30 years, Pam Brockmeyer has been teaching math — 24 of those years were spent at Cocoa High School and other Brevard schools. She says she can’t compute doing anything else.

“Just seeing the light bulbs come on with these students, that’s the most fulfilling thing for me, taking the hardest math and making it real,” Brockmeyer said.

She says her goal is to instill her passion and fun nature in her math class, and it’s the highlight of her day if she can get that one kid who is struggling to get it right.

“It makes my heart melt,” Brockmeyer said.

As an experienced teacher, Brockmeyer says she is being paid only a little more than a new teacher.

“On behalf of our 8,000-plus employees, we just really want to thank our voters and our community for coming out to support us,” said acting Brevard Schools Superintendent Sue Hann at a news conference today.

Brockmeyer is one of those employees getting raises thanks to a school millage rate increase passed by voters in November. Property taxes are going up $1 per $1,000 in assessed value.

The millage will span four years, with 80% going to employees, 16% for student programs, and 4% aimed at technology efforts, district officials say.

They say the actual calculation of what comes in a paycheck will be based on our property values. 

“So as soon as the property appraiser gives us the assessed value, taxed value — and that comes last of June, early July — then we will know the size of the pie,” Hann said, noting that employees will be allocated a share based on their years of service.

Payments will be spread out over a 20-month period, and Brockmeyer says that’s the kind of math she’s been hoping for.

“We had to step out in the communities and say we need help, and this is one way you can help,” she said.

The district is also looking for people to serve on an oversight committee to make sure the money is being spent responsibly.