Are we helping to fulfill that promise? Previously, he was director of the office of school performance and accountability for Broward County Public Schoolsand served as a designee on the districts recovery team responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the districts recovery and commemoration efforts following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Information regarding dress code, Code of Conduct, attendance, and Student Progression Plan. RELATED: State Senator Manny Diaz appointed Florida's next education commissioner, "It was almost like a drug, like they couldn't stop using it. The opportunity to be heard is subject to policies adopted by the Board as follows: The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct. Miller, who is registered with no party affiliation, said she has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans. Polk County School Board unanimously approves changes to curriculum, Conservative group wants to inspect Polk election system, Campaign manager for 3 conservative Polk School Board candidates served prison time in Texas, Texts falsely claimPolk School Board member is under criminal inquiry, Polk County School Board elections see political parties take larger roles. (Voting is done county-wide, though board members must live in geographic districts for the election.) I'm not coordinating any kind of message with any other candidates. Catherine Price, chair of the Polk County Democratic Party, said she has long resisted making endorsements in nonpartisan elections but felt she had no choice in light of the Republicans blatant efforts to inject party issues into the races. Five Polk County Public Schools superintendent candidates in town for interviews, Polk schools' COVID-19 sick-time policy expires, leaving some employees in limbo, Kindergarten registration now open for Polk County schools, Polk teachers see a pay bump, but no raise for paraeducators or school staff, Editorial: All drugs come with risk. Seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the next superintendent of Polk County Public Schools! Promoting freedom, or 'anti-democratic' group? Traditionally, people who were seeking to get involved were just volunteers, parents, teachers, who were interested in trying to improve education and provide more opportunities for the young people in their district. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. Click on the names of the semifinalists below to read their applications and find out more about them. Martin mentioned the challenged books, saying local Republicans are unhappy with the school districts response. She asserted that Republicans and CCDF are running a coordinated campaign for the conservative candidates. Sometimes that involves give and take. From the communitys perspective, when a student graduates, what does that piece of paper really mean? Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. So, were going to be involved in school board races. Martin called nonpartisan elections in Florida a failure and suggested that school board candidates should be identified by party. Parents and community members, some of them raucous or accusatory, have criticized the board at meetings over mask policies. . Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. He holds a bachelorsdegree insecondary education and a masters in educational leadershipfrom the University of South Florida, and is working on adoctoratein leadership in education administrationat Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. Hes learning what the district needs to emphasize to improve, such as graduation rates and reading and math proficiency scores, he said. The School Board recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. We are supporting candidates that will put children and their families first and be respectful of all members of our community.. So, I mean, it makes sense for them to get behind a conservative.. And to accomplish all of that in the short time we did says a lot about the willingness and sincerity of the people there., School Board Chairwoman Lori Cunningham said Heid brings the leadership characteristics and experiences necessary to take Polk County Public Schools to the next level. And though the party is promoting him and three other candidates collectively, Sharpless said he is not running as part of a package. The Polk County Republican Party is not merely endorsing candidates. The committee picked 15 semifinalists last week and then Thursday night refined the list againby nearly halfwhen the panel of 36 peoplevotedfor their top picks. Four years is a long time to leave the seat empty, and it's a long time for . Do our initiatives, focus areas, resources align? In Florida, that can cause confusion over votes in school board races. However, this penalty will not Dunn and Republicans are portraying the incumbents up for re-election Fields, Fortney and Miller as extremists. Fields identifies herself as a Christian and often speaks of her faith at School Board meetings. Polk County Public Schools Steps for getting your child started at Polk County Public Schools. .partytd.Libertarian { His name would not have been presented to the school board if there was any valid question related to his qualifications, integrity, or his care and concern for the safety, educational needs, and wellbeing of children under his care. I am driven by students, without excuses, without barriers. I love this community and appreciate the great works thats happened in Polk County over the last several years; really excited to partner with the board to provide a great education to our students for the future, McIntyre said. The deadline was Jan. 31. Honestly, I really hate the two-party system, Jones said. "Our teachers are able to teach content more. PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - The Pasco County school district began sending out a survey Wednesday to principals, teachers, parents and students asking for feedback regarding the use of cell phones in schools, as district leaders consider banning the devices. She is in the odd position of being an incumbent facing two challengers endorsed by either party. Five candidates vying for PCPS superintendent are in town this week for in-person interviews after being selected recently by the School Board. He served on a panel that investigated the causes and failures of the school system and law enforcement leading up to the shooting that left 14 students and three staff members dead. Border and Towns received the most votes, with 31 apiece. State executives | He has a hands-on servant leadership style and recognizes the importance of developing a culture of honesty and trust by timely communication with all internal and external stakeholders.. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk public schools statement on hiring Frederick Heid, Lindsay Sharp, Newly hired Polk County Schools employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit, Polk public schools statement on hiring Frederick Heid, Lindsay Sharp. Secondly, the story and podcast allege that Lindsay Sharp was hired improperly by Mr. Heid and that she fails to meet eligibility requirements for the role of PCPS Senior Director of Digital Learning and Innovation. Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Crumbley said the issue goes beyond the disruption caused by cell phones. But she decried the trend toward partisanship in local races. Some might be discouraged if it just becomes a more overtly partisan position.. To win the office . Learn more, including how you can get involved! My objective is to continue that, continue to engage at a high level as partners, not just as passengers.. That will be accomplished by surveying parents, staff, students, business partners, faith-based organizations and more in various languages and asking them to select the 10 most important characteristics a student graduating from high school must have. His mother also lives with the family. Sharpless said he will take part in forums that include candidates not endorsed by the Republican Party. Congratulations to Mark Garrett who was named Superintendent of the Henderson County Schools. The semifinalists will be asked to submit written/video responses to a series of questions. Student safety is Polk County Public Schools first priority. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. No matter how many times you told them, they just couldn't stop," said Legg, adding he instituted the policy at his charter school and saw an immediate difference. Allegation: The Polk County School Board failed to conduct a proper background check on Mr. Heid as a candidate prior to hiring him as superintendent. 1725 Bartow Road Lakeland, FL 33801Telephone: (863) 937-4430Fax: (863) 937-5340, Sign up to receive email updates on project announcements, doing business here, finding talent and more in Polk County. Thursday was the second day of two-hour interviews and a district tour for each of the five. color: white; Superintendent: Mr. Aaron Greene. Heid has served as superintendent of the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois, since 2014. This is a critical component of executive leadership to ensure that the team works collaboratively toward common goals and objectives.. The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to provide a high-quality education for all students. Were going to make sure were going to be able to support the candidates who are going to be reflective of our values.. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! It was really important to me that we honor the work that they put in.. All I ever ask for is transparency. [11], From 1993 to 2013, the Polk County school district had an average of $673,190,857 in revenue and $686,407,476 in expenditures, according to the United States Census Bureau's survey of school system finances. LAKELAND The Polk County Public Schools citizens advisory committee on Thursday evening whittled 52 candidates who applied for school superintendent totheir topseven. This policy does not prohibit the Board from maintaining orderly conduct or proper decorum in a public meeting. Information on how to become an approved volunteer and other ways to support Polk County Public Schools. ERNST PETERS/ THE LEDGER It is a reality of elections that some citizens scan their ballots and. Although this post and podcast are intentionally misleading and disingenuous, we wanted to take the opportunity to speak directly with our community and set the record straight. Dunn is a campaign consultant for two local school board candidates; he has been featured by the Lakeland Ledger previously regarding his having been convicted on federal fraud charges. The roadmap for the next three to five years will include transparency and accountability, he said. Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. A proposition does not include items wherever found on the agenda upon which the Board votes in its quasi-judicial capacity. District Office:1915 South Floral Ave., Bartow, FL 33830, 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About | Sitemap. When candidates werent being interviewedWednesday and Thursday, they were being driven around thesprawling county to see school sites, other popular spots everything fromfromLake Mirror to LEGOLAND along with booming areas like Davenport, which has two new school buildings going up. FSBA, which, among other things, assists districts statewide in finding the right candidate,wonthe contract for about $35,000. The board enlisted the services of the Florida School Boards Association and the Polk County Sheriff's Office to assist with background checks on all PCPS superintendent candidate finalists. DeSantis campaign has issued an Education Pledge, with a blueprint for school board candidates. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Fields noted that she won in 2018 though the Polk Republican Party endorsed her opponent, Jennifer Sabin. I think one downside of our nonpartisan elections here in Polk is that they're often determined in August, during the primary, whenever we have very low voter turnout compared to November. Polk County High School Lori Connett. Dear Polk County Parents and Guardians, Spring Break is a great time to get your child caught up on or AHEAD of all Iowa required and recommended vaccines. Polk County Middle School Jamie Graber. But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. These background checks included searches for bankruptcies, liens/judgments, UCC filings, phone/email information, drivers License information, address, criminal records, sexual offenses, Florida accidents, and a professional license review. Im a planner.. Jacqueline M. Byrd was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2016 to 2021. There was absolutely no indication of any connection of Mr. Heid to any poor decision making related to the hiring or negligent retention of any employee. Clark and Sessions each listed payments of $7,500 to Dunn in their campaign expenditures for June. Dr. Harold R. Border Chief of High Schools, Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Fla.), Dr. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy Area Superintendent West Learning Community, Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Fla.), Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. Assistant Professor of Practice & Director, Center for Educational Leadership University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.), Michael J. Ramirez Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Denver Public Schools (Denver, Colo.), Frederick R. Heid Superintendent, Community Unit School District (Algonquin, Ill.), Dr. T. Nakia Towns Deputy Superintendent, Hamilton County Department of Education (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Dr. Antoine L. Hickman Chief of Student Support Initiatives and Recovery, Broward County Public Schools (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Goal #3: Ensure there is a culture thats positive and focused on improvement in which everyone feels valued. A district spokesperson said the survey, called a "Thought Exchange," will help board members decide if and when they will hold a workshop to discuss the cell phone policy. Contributors to the Democratic-endorsed candidates include Price and her predecessor, Kathie Sutherland, and current and former leaders of the Polk Education Association, the teachers union. Updated: 5:05 PM EDT April 26, 2021. "The mental health aspect, as far as I'm concerned, is one of the most important parts," she said. Learn about the ways were safeguarding our students and schools. Members of the public shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard on a proposition before the Board. LAKELAND, Fla. The search for the next superintendent of Polk County Public Schools is over. Board Policies View and search School Board of Polk County bylaws and policies. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. There was a sincerity to innovate and stay focused on student outcomes, honoring the craft of leading and learning. About a dozen or so people attended the interview sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, while about four dozen people gathered for Thursday evenings meet and greet at the Jim Miles Centerin Highland City. She has also been a vice president at Wells Fargo & Company and Bank of America. The search had been narrowed down to five ahead of Tuesday's vote. #LeadershipMatters #NCSSA. This page contains links to important documents, including the Code of Conduct, Student Progression Plan, School Board polices, and more. } During the Polk County Board of Education's scheduled meeting on Feb. 13 at Stearns Education Center, The Stuart and Margaret L. Forbes Foundation and the Ann L. Turner [] I think it creates more problems than it solves. After being named Teacher of the Year in his third year, he decided to return to school and get a masters degree in Educational Leadership at the University of South Florida. CCDFs podcast recently featured an interview with James Dunn, who serves as campaign manager for Clark, Nolte and Sessions. More than 50 people submitted applications for the job. More: Meet the finalists for Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year. Were not perfect. Any other requests that the Board chooses to take action on shall be placed on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. Polk County Public Schools Curriculum Tech Resources Records Request Health & Wellness Crime Stoppers FortifyFL Family Empowerment Scholarship Florida Department of Education provides educational options for qualifying families through the Family Empowerment Scholarship. People of all political parties have children in our schools. Monday Sept. 13 2021. Click here for more information Community Resources He holds a bachelors degree in English from Boston College, a masters in education administration from Canisius Collegein Buffalo, New York, a masters in urban affairs from Boston University and adoctoratein public policy from the University of Massachusetts. A general election was scheduled for November 8, 2022. Heid is moving to Polk County with his wife and 14-year-old son, who will be attending a public high school as a freshman. Theres no room for second place. She said she and a group of people have been praying about this decision. Board members are elected to specific geographical districts in at-large elections. There's no perfect solution when a school board suddenly needs to fill a vacancy: leave the seat empty until 2026, appoint someone to fill the seat, consolidate an election with an upcoming regular election, hold a special election now - or consider other options. Links to additional information for the community. But Jewett noted that politically contentious issues such as mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and questions of teaching history involving race and addressing sexuality and gender issues have flared recently at school board meetings in Florida. Apply today! [6][7][8], table#officeholder-table th, td { padding:5px; font-size: 16px; } He was an adjunct professor in education at Harvard University in 2006. We havetoo much evidence that thats really how it works best.. PCPS refutes this baseless. Sign up to receive messages from your school. To that end, I am so pleased that he has been in Polk County meeting with employees and community leaders, in order to listen and learn about many facets of our educational system, she said. This blog post and podcast appear to be politically motived and completely lacking in any kind of journalistic integrity. .partytd.Republican { The table below separates the district's revenue into the three sources identified by the agency: local, state, and federal. 22, 2021 The search for Polk County's new superintendent is almost over. Cities | The district had a yearly average of $280,304,571 in outstanding debt. Those elections are nonpartisan, with candidates not identified as Democrats or Republicans. Heid's previous career experience includes being the superintendent for District 300 in Illinois, the chief academic officer for Duval County Public Schools in Florida, and the bureau chief for school improvement for the Florida Department of Education. Should be identified by party becomes a more overtly partisan position.. win! District tour for each of the community Unit school district in Algonquin, Illinois, since 2014 to. 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