If the action is within the scope of the District, District procedures for bullying and/or harassment shall be followed. The Principal shall establish and prominently publicize to students, staff, volunteers, and parents the procedure for reporting bullying and how such a report will be acted upon. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). That's an importantpoint for many of the boardmembersits part of the recruitment we have for staff, Miller said. State funding covers just 60% of the district's mandated transportation services. During this time, Mrs. Blackman was an integral part of the leadership team that dramatically raised and maintained student achievement at Oscar J. Pope Elementary School. PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and presentations perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans. The ultimate winner: It takes more than numbers to sum up Castle's career. I know a lot of the paras decide to work for us for little to nothing based on that benefit.. Charter school monies pass through the district coffers and that is expected to be $128 million for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. "I know that we have not charged anything to the employees and we have talked about it for a long window of time and we wont needtodo it for the next year or two, but I think at some point,that might change, Fields said. We are located in the southeastern corner of Tennessee in the heart of the. The School District will respect the privacy of the complainant, the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the Board's legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action, and to conform with any discovery or disclosure obligations. Library Media Services Library Media Services offers a number of services and programs to aid students, school library staff, teachers, faculty, district office staff and members of the community. The Staff Portal is where you can update your address & phone number, view remuneration statements, tax information, and more! Mrs. Blackman earned a Bachelor's degree from Florida A & M University and a Master's degree from Nova Southeastern University. Click here for more information Community Resources Accelerated Academic Programs Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. Qvonda.blackman@polk-fl.net Delores Shockley Herhusband, whoalso works from home,contracted it firstand hassincerecovered. The Staff Portal has been redesigned to be easier to use on a large variety of devices. Library Media Services offers a number of services and programs to aid students, school library staff, teachers, faculty, district office staff and members of the community. Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you may access. This policy should not be interpreted as to prevent a victim or accused from seeking redress under any other available law either civil or criminal. The district has a $900 million capital shortfall, his report showed. About 300 teachers in Polk County, both public and private, have contracted COVID-19 between Sept. 6 and April 3, according to records with the Florida Department of Health. Information on ESE services, projects, and programs, and resources for families. InJanuary, district officials extended the COVID sick leave through March31. The bulk of the current general fund budget goes toward salaries and benefits at $625 million. He asked his colleagues and administrators present at the session to let the district's lobbyist know about the financial presentation. Florida spending $9,980 per student and pays teachers an average salary of$49,583. She commended new Polk County Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid, who began in June. He added the state lottery provides funding that amounts to five days of the districts operations. The highest level of confidentiality possible shall be provided regarding the submission of a complaint or a report of bullying and/or harassment and for the investigative procedures that are employed. Sexual cyberharassment may be a form of sexual harassment. He vowed to visit Florida's legislative offices in Tallahassee himself to make them aware of the alarming numbers facing the fast-growing school district. Pitts gave the following context for the board to see where Polk County Schools rank financially at the state and national levels: The presentation also showed that Polk County Schools: However, he showed Polk County is currently 62nd of 67 districts in funding per student. LAKELAND Polk County Public Schoolsand the Polk Education Association teachers union arein final talks toextenduntil June 4the 10 days of COVID sickleave. The district does also get sales tax proceeds, Pitts said. Search results from our Services may contain copyrighted material and, if so, you may not use such content unless you obtain permission from its owner or are otherwise permitted by law. Capital is needed for the district's wish list of building projects that could add 10 more schools and multiple remodeling projects by 2041 in order to relieve already overcrowded schools and accommodate the endless waves of families with school-aged children moving to Polk County. The issue came upthis week in Polk afterWendell Watson Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Susan Woolsasked The Ledger about it. Need Password Help? Maria Garcia: Food Services Team: Lisa Marie Gill: Office & Support Staff, Paraprofessionals, Title 1 Created by the School Board of Polk County Help Desk- (863) 519-8040 or 56661 05/27/2014 5) While 'Redirecting', you will login again to fss.polk-fl.net using your full POLK-FL Network email address and password to complete your webmail Office 365 access. I have forgotten my password and security questions. Upon the completion of the investigation and if criminal charges are to be pursued against the perpetrator, the appropriate law enforcement agencies shall be notified by telephone and/or in writing. Our district consists of 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and a virtual learning academy for grades K-12. I just put my absence in as my own sick leave.. PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and presentations perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans. No Registration is required. Employees and retirees can submit requests through Benefitplace to change their benefits due to a qualifying, life-changing event, such as marriage, divorce, death of a dependent/beneficiary, birth of a child, adoption, etc. The general fund on lastyearsbills had a millage rate of 4.019, andfor the local capital improvement, which was 1.5. View state and district assessments by grade level; includes tips on preparing for exams. MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. Polk County Public Schools Let's get started! District Office:1915 South Floral Ave., Bartow, FL 33830, 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About | Sitemap. acting in a manner that has an effect similar to the effect of bullying or harassment. Submission of a good faith complaint or report bullying or harassment will not affect the complainant or reporter's future employment, grades, learning or working environment, or work assignments. Any student or student's parent/guardian who believes s/he has been or is the victim of bullying or harassment should immediately report the situation to the school principal. The programs of training and instruction authorized by the District shall include, but not be limited to: Dating Violence Prevention: CDC's Choose Respect. Journey - Personnel Evaluation & Professional Learning System | A Polk County Public Schools Project Journey is an evolving resource designed to support educators at all levels in student-centered professional learning and personnel evaluation activities. So,ahome valuedat $200,000 afteranyexemptions would pay$1,165.80. The standards for student behavior shall be set cooperatively through interaction among students, parents/guardians, staff, and community member, producing an atmosphere that encourages students to grow in self-discipline. 88 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[68 36]/Info 67 0 R/Length 103/Prev 529646/Root 69 0 R/Size 104/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream 103 0 obj <>stream Is the 10 days no longer a thing? Its not rocket science.. Polks spending on administrative costs is the third lowest in Florida. . hb``b``*c```w01G30i.F E(|_ PyLsY\&mv e4 The School Board is committed to providing an educational setting that is safe, secure, and free from harassment and bullying, including cyberbullying, for all of its students and school employees and applicants for admission. In addition,all active employees will receive a 2% increase on their current salary level. Information on identifying and reporting bullying for parents and students. It should have been extended because its the right thing to do. Work online or offline, anytime, and on any device with myPolkApps, powered by Google. College funding: Florida Southern College receives $120,000 state matching grant for nursing education, Trailblazer: Winter Haven doctor, a pioneer of emergency medical services in 1960s, dies at age 98, "One of the most concerning things for me is not just this presentation, but in school funding in general, is where we rank in our district's costs differential," Sharpless said. These programs focus on correcting behaviors and developing attitudes and skills that will help students make positive changes in their lives. Each principal shall implement a process for discussing, at least annually, the District policy on bullying and harassment with students. The investigator shall collect and evaluate the facts including but not limited to: whether there were past incidents or past continuing patterns of behavior; the relationship between the parties involved including whether the individual was in a position of power over the individual allegedly subject to bullying or harassment; the characteristics of the parties involved; where the bullying and/or harassment occurred; whether there have been other incidents in the school involving the same or other students; whether the conduct adversely affected the student's education or educational environment; the context in which the alleged incidents occurred; and. It was like getting hit by a train and trying to breathe with an elephant sitting on you,saidWools, who rarely gets sick. The issue came up. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia is free for educators. She said some contracts have been renewed for up to 10 years and the audit could shed light on unnessessary or duplicated services. practices and standards defined by Section 508 of the U.S. Notification shall be by telephone or by personal conference and/or in writing and shall be consistent with the student privacy rights under applicable provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). If a provision of this policy is or becomes illegal, invalid, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that shall not affect the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this policy. Mar 2013 - Jul 20163 years 5 months. ", Students, parents, teachers, school administrators, counseling staff, and school volunteers shall be provided training and instruction, at least annually, on the District's policy and administrative procedures regarding bullying and harassment. Learn about the history of Polk County Public Schools and the mission that is guiding it into the future. Some School Board members and the Polk Education Association teachersunion president agree. Lakeland, Florida Area. "Within the scope of the District" means regardless of ownership, any computer, computer system, or computer network that is physically located on school property or at a school-related or school-sponsored program or activity. There will be no changes to the district's health insurance plan. COVID-19 Testing Sites Available In Polk County You can find COVID-19 testing sites in your area by visiting https://polkschoolsfl.com/healthinformation/ to view a list of Polk testing sites provided by the Florida Department of Health. The state and federal government also contributes roughly47% and 9% respectively (based on National Center for Education Statistics) to complete the majority of a school districts funding sources each year, Education Week reported. Information for planning the next steps of your education and beyond. You do not need to provide the @polk-fl.net portion of your email address as part of your username. Search results are not intended as legal advice for you or your organization and are not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction. The School Board is committed to providing an educational setting that is safe, secure, and free from harassment and bullying, including cyberbullying, for all of its students and school employees and applicants for admission. 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About the District | Style Guide, Designed for iOS and Android mobile devices, the Benefitplace. In July the district will advertise thetentative budget once data has been gathered predicting the number of students and teachers anticipated next school year. . Each year the tax collector will then certify the taxable value of property in Polk County in July and the state sets the mileage rate the district can assess to determine its local funding amount. School Board Member Justin Sharpless wanted something done to improve revenues. After his presentation, several School Board members wanted more information or called for legislative action on seeing the outlook for its next spending plan. User Name. The Superintendent may authorize additional instructional programs or activities not previously listed within this policy on a case-by-case basis. The District shall provide for appropriate recognition and positive reinforcement for good conduct, self-discipline, good citizenship, and academic success. Butler state police said in a criminal complaint that it was a little before 7:45 p.m. Thursday when Dakota Hughes, 22, called 911, identified himself by his name and date of birth, and said he . Polk County Public Schools crisis team responds to a wide variety of situations, including deaths of students and staff members, natural disasters and other traumatic events. Coastal counties tend to have higher real estate values and their local property taxes generate more revenues for education. Please use your Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) credentials to access the Staff Portal Admin System. But she worries about other newer teachers who might not. This content is the sole responsibility of the entity that makes it available. The districthas lost a third of taxable value from the increases in home values since the Great Recession because of the rollback on millage rates, he added. This policy has been developed and reviewed in consultation with District students, parents, teachers, administrators, school staff, school volunteers, community representatives, and local law enforcement agencies as prescribed in F.S. Links to additional information for students. The next largest category is contracted services at $56.3 million. Incidents that require a reasonable investigation when reported to appropriate school authorities shall include alleged incidents of bullying or harassment allegedly committed against a child while the child is enroute to school aboard a bus or at a school bus stop. Links to additional information for the community. Learn about the wide variety of school options Polk County Public Schools offers for students of all ages. Polk K12 Parents: Forgot Password? 0 Find critical coverage information, insightful plan details, and relevant benefits that meet the needs of your unique life circumstances. Fieldsattended via zoom,Sarah Fortney was at a function for international teachers, and Lynn Wilson had a prior engagement and arrived late. Flyers, posters, and bookmarks are being distributed at schools with QR codes for easy access. If you would like additional assistance or have Documented interviews of the victim, alleged perpetrator, and witnesses shall be conducted privately and shall be confidential. Password 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. "I am so sorry, said School Board member Lisa Miller. While Polk's average teacher salary is 35th in the state. The district has high transportation cost because it covers so much land encompassing more square miles than the state of Rhode Island, Pitts said.