InJanuary, district officials extended the COVID sick leave through March31. Our district consists of 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and a virtual learning academy for grades K-12. In 10 years, the Polk County millage rate peaked at 5.42 in 2012 and sank to 3.998 in 2019. Your principal has materials for you to certify that you have viewed the training video and have taught the required lesson for your grade level, but there are lots of other materials on the website if you want to explore the topic further with your students. A step-by-step guide to help students and their parents navigate the process of becoming licensed to drive. "Bullying" means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one (1) or more students or employees. Cunningham and Fields left before the vote was takenduring a special meeting at 11 a.m., although the work session, set to run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., had been scheduled months in advance. The District expects students to conduct themselves in keeping with their levels of development, maturity, and demonstrated capabilities with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students and school staff, the educational purpose underlying all school activities, and the care of school facilities and equipment. We are located in the southeastern corner of Tennessee in the heart of the. A victim of bullying and/or harassment, anyone who witnessed the act, and anyone who has credible information that an act of bullying and/or harassment has taken place may file a report. The Staff Portal is where you can update your address & phone number, view remuneration statements, tax information, and more! Jason Pitts, the districts chief of staff for the superintendents office, led the budget presentation during the boardsregularly scheduled work session Tuesday. The Polk County School Board kicked off itsbudgeting process for the next school year with a report that showed the district ranks among the poorest both nationally and statewide for such a large district. The proposed millage rateforPCPSthis school year was tentatively set at $5.829 per $1,000 of a property's value, The Ledger previously reported. Yocum said in a text message that the teachersunion has been in talks with PCPS Associate Superintendent for Human ResourcesTeddra Porteous about the extension. Users can also select how they wish to receive communication about their benefits (text and/or email). MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. All school employees are required to report alleged violations of this policy to the principal or as described above. Learn more, including how you can get involved! 68 0 obj <> endobj Information on ESE services, projects, and programs, and resources for families. Reminders of the policy and bullying prevention messages will be displayed, as appropriate, at each school and at District facilities. 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. Consequences and appropriate remedial action for a school employee found to have committed an act of bullying or harassment or found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment shall include discipline in accordance with District policies, administrative procedures, and the collective bargaining agreement. The District will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment of any type. 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. Polk County Board of Education meetings are held at 6:30 PM on the second Monday of each month. LAKELAND Polk County Public Schools paraprofessionals and support staff can expect a whopping paycheck at the end of October, thanks to a contract negotiated in recent months andapproved by the School Board during a special meeting on Tuesdaythat retroactively grantsraises and salary increases. Use the Password Reset Tool to reset your password now. 1006.147 and in conformity with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Model Policy. . Florida spending $9,980 per student and pays teachers an average salary of$49,583. "Cyberstalking" means to engage in a course of conduct to communicate, or to cause to be communicated, words, images, or language by or through the use of electronic mail or electronic communication, directed at a specific person, causing substantial emotional distress to that person and serving no legitimate purpose. The next largest category is contracted services at $56.3 million. Use your PCPS username and password to login. LAKELAND Polk County Public Schools' paraprofessionals and support staff can expect a whopping paycheck at the end of October, thanks to a contract negotiated in recent months and approved . Links to additional information for the community. The issue came upthis week in Polk afterWendell Watson Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Susan Woolsasked The Ledger about it. 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. After his presentation, several School Board members wanted more information or called for legislative action on seeing the outlook for its next spending plan. Some School Board members and the Polk Education Association teachersunion president agree. I have forgotten my password and security questions. Password The Superintendent will also provide such notification to all District contractors. The Florida Education Finance Program provides a formula taking into account the local property tax base, the cost of education programs, the cost of living within a school district, among other factors. About 300 teachersinPolk County,bothpublic and private, have contracted COVID-19 betweenSept.6 and April3,according to records with the FloridaDepartment of Health. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia is free for educators. MLK Day: Events celebrating legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. planned in Lakeland. ; Accelerated Academic Programs Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. You can search, save, and share with ease. There is even a mobile app, so you can access the system from your smartphone or other mobile device. Written and oral reports shall be considered official reports. After the revised policy has been adopted, it shall be submitted to the Florida Department of Education not later than September 30th. There will be no changes to the district's health insurance plan. School Board Member Lisa Miller said she was interested in seeing an in-progress efficiency audit of current contracted services with the district. 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. All records generated under this policy and its related administrative procedures shall be maintained as confidential to the extent permitted by law. MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. False charges shall also be regarded as a serious offense and will result in disciplinary action or other appropriate sanctions. School Board member Lisa Miller said she wants to see the employee contribution left at zero,especiallyfor staff and paraeducators. Polk County HUB ; Staff List; Annual Accountability; . All rights reserved. The development of such an atmosphere requires respect for self and others, as well as for District and community property on the part of students, staff, and community members. Many of the teacher vacancies and other services are covered by contracts with outside vendors such as INVO, providing behavioral support. Polk School District is a dynamic public school district located in Polk County, Georgia. The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to provide a high-quality education for all students. Instruction regarding bullying, harassment, and the District's violence prevention and school safety efforts shall be integrated into District curriculum at the appropriate grade levels. . acting in a manner that has an effect similar to the effect of bullying or harassment. Learn the measures were taking to operate more efficiently. Suspected retaliation should be reported in the same manner as aggressive behavior and/or bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons, if the distribution or posting creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. has the effect of disrupting the orderly operation of a school. In-person benefit assistance is available at an upcoming health and benefit fair. Thank you for visiting the official website of the Polk County Department of Education. 110 East Polk Avenue, Lake Wales, FL 33853 PH: 863.678.4244 | FX: 863.678.4680. She said there was simply no way she would be able to teach from home, as she has been doing throughouttheschool year to try to avoid getting sick. Please select an option from the list and click Start. The district does also get sales tax proceeds, Pitts said. The tentative budget for the 2023-2024 school year will be prepared by June setting a proposed millage rate, which is determined by a state formula. This policy does not imply to prohibit expressive activity protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution or Article 1, Section 4 of the Florida constitution. Reports may be made anonymously, but formal disciplinary action may not be based solely on the basis of an anonymous report. Instruction regarding bullying, harassment, and the District's violence prevention and school safety efforts shall be integrated into District curriculum at the appropriate grade levels. 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. If you want to be notified of updates to our website, please subscribe here! Egregious acts of harassment by certified educators may result in a sanction against an educator's State-issued certificate. User Name. 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. Monthly Meeting Agenda and Meeting Materials Monthly meetings are live streamed. Camerons Collection can also be accessed through ClassLink, the Gale GVLR site, or each schools Destiny homepage. While ten (10) days is the expectation for completion of the investigative procedural steps, more time may be needed based on the nature of the investigation and the circumstances affecting that investigation. If the bullying incident results in the perpetrator being charged with a crime, the principal shall inform by first class mail or by telephone the parent/guardian of the identified victim(s) involved in the bullying incident about the Unsafe Schools Choice Option, Title IX, Part E, Subpart 2, Section 9532) that states, in pertinent part, as follows: ".a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary school or secondary school, as determined by the State in consultationwith a representative sample of local educational agencies, or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, as determined by State law, while in or on the grounds of a public elementary school or secondary school that the student attends, be allowed to attend a safe public elementary school or secondary school within the local educational agency, including a public charter school.". Fieldsattended via zoom,Sarah Fortney was at a function for international teachers, and Lynn Wilson had a prior engagement and arrived late. Password. Polk County Public Schools employs school counselors who provide students with the support they need at each stage of their development. Woolscould not understand why the date had not been extended through the end of the school year yet. Links to additional information for students. Polk County Public Schools Recruitment and Hiring System. Find critical coverage information, insightful plan details, and relevant benefits that meet the needs of your unique life circumstances. Funded 995th out of the top 1,000 largest school districts. Polk K12 Parents: Forgot Password? Click Here to Change/Reset Your Password I know my password and it has not expired. In addition,all active employees will receive a 2% increase on their current salary level. The District will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment of any type. This content is the sole responsibility of the entity that makes it available. The School Board then votes on the general fund millage rate, he said. What You Need To Know About Section 504 A Guide for Parents. Latest: At least 16 Polk County Public Schools teachers, staff have died of COVID-19 since the start of school, By the way: Polk County School District details plans for $202M in relief funds. 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. Herhusband, whoalso works from home,contracted it firstand hassincerecovered. There are also three career centers, five alternative education (Department of Juvenile Justice) facilities, two adult schools and 33 charter schools. The New Polk Schools Staff Portal - Now Mobile Friendly! A step-by-step guide for becoming licensed to drive. Information for vendors and potential business partners, including purchasing and construction bids. It was like getting hit by a train and trying to breathe with an elephant sitting on you,saidWools, who rarely gets sick. 1915 South Floral Ave. | Bartow, FL 33830 | 863-534-0500. But after year of COVID-19, a new reality sets in. Learn about the many ways were protecting our students. 0 Computers without web-filtering software or computers with web-filtering software that is disabled shall be used when complaints of cyberbullying are investigated. The current general fund was set at $1.167 billion. There are 13,588 districts in the U.S. By comparison, New York spends $24,800 per student and the average teacher salary is$87,738. Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you may access. During the first semester, the Superintendent shall inform school staff, parents/guardians/other persons responsible for the welfare of a student of the District's student safety and violence prevention policy. We are very proud of our students, our schools, and our communities. A maximum of ten (10) school days shall be the limit for the initial filing of the incidents and completion of the investigative procedural steps. The Polk Schools Staff Portal The Staff Portal is where you can update your address & phone number, view remuneration statements, tax information, and more! PCPS provides students with access to a variety of free resources, including eBooks, videos, articles and much more, to conduct research and build literacy skills. Wools, 53,woke up April 1 withunbelievably intensemuscleaches, fever and a pounding headache. She tested positive for COVID-19 and went to apply for the special sick leave on Sunday. Online resources and services for students! But after year of COVID-19, a new reality sets in, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Qvonda.blackman@polk-fl.net Delores Shockley Created by the School Board of Polk County Help Desk- (863) 519-8040 or 56661 05/27/2014 5) While 'Redirecting', you will login again to fss.polk-fl.net using your full POLK-FL Network email address and password to complete your webmail Office 365 access. The intended audience is 6th -12th grade students and parents. 1915 South Floral Ave. | Bartow, FL 33830 | 863-534-0500. As for Wools, she was in the emergency room on Thursday with worsening symptoms COVID pneumonia. Is the 10 days no longer a thing? hbbd```b``Z "+rLHo`7X|XdS$;; "$uI @u&A"@;Fg` I 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. -Serve as Guidance/Student Services department chair for middle school, grades 6-8. However, we are working with the union on this matter and reviewing available options., More:Polk tops 200 new COVID-19 cases for 3rd-straight day, More:Polk teachers see a pay bump, but no raise for paraeducators or school staff, More:Polk teachers 'just thought it was adisruption.' Discipline and referral data will be recorded in Student Discipline/Referral Action Report and Automated Student Information System. Forgot Your Password? Steps for getting your child started at Polk County Public Schools. Polk County Public Schools offers a variety of programs for children ages 3-5. Pitts said the decade-long losses in revenues because of millage rollbacks amounted to nearly $271 million. Find out dates for spring and winter break, early release days, and more. Reporting an act of bullying or harassment that is not made in good faith is considered retaliation. If you have forgotten your Polk County Schools password click here. website. Polk County Schools does get special revenues, including title funds, food service and other grants of $188 million, Pitts said. The district employs 6,312 teachers; 1,065 paraprofessionals; 334 counselors, social workers and nurses; 432 principals, 437 secretaries, 599 custodians, 755 food service workers and 580 bus drivers. Learn about the ways were safeguarding our students and schools. It is defined as any unwanted and repeated written, verbal, emotional (relational), sexual aggression, cyberbullying, or physical behavior, including any offensive, threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, by an adult or student, that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment; cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably interfere with the individual's school performance or participation; and may involve: "Harassment" means any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data or computer software, or written, verbal or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that: places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; has the effect of interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities, or benefits; or. The District will utilize Florida's School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) Statewide Report on School Safety and Discipline Data as prescribed. of technology or ability. The meetings are held in the Board Room at the Stearns Education Center. Use your county credentials or email to log in. Information for planning the next steps of your education and beyond. "The School Board takes the taxable value from the property appraiser to determine the millage rate that needs to be charged in the general fund to generate the $437,500,000.". 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. Student safety is Polk County Public Schools first priority. 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. School Board Member Justin Sharpless wanted something done to improve revenues. Data reporting on bullying, harassment, unsubstantiated bullying, unsubstantiated harassment, sexual harassment, and threat/intimidation incidents, as well as any bullying-related incidents that have as a basis of sex, race, or disability should include the incident basis. Search . Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. Username. Polk County Public Schools serves at-risk students through various alternative education programs. If a bullying (including cyberbullying) and/or harassment incident occurs it will be reported in SESIR, coded appropriately using the relevant incident code and the related element code. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The contracts are not necessarily the most expensive items in the budget but they could add up and a review could free up funds needed elsewhere, she said. 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. Click the icon to log in to ourdistrict applications. 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. 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 Consequences and appropriate remedial action for a visitor or volunteer found to have committed an act of bullying or harassment or found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment shall be determined by the school administrator after consideration of the nature and circumstances of the act, including reports to appropriate law enforcement officials. -Organize, train for, and . Nikki Jones Assistant Principal nikki.jones@polk-fl.net . Lakeland, Florida Area. 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 . 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. 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. Our district consists of 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and a virtual learning academy for grades K-12. Designed for iOS and Android mobile devices, the BenefitplaceTM Mobile App gives you instant access to relevant benefits information for the moments that matter most. Teachers, CommonSense Media has developed lessons for Digital Citizenship and Literacy. We serve over 7,800 students across eleven schools throughout the Polk County community. The Staff Portal has been redesigned to be easier to use on a large variety of devices. The total adopted Polk County Schools budget was $2.35 billion this year. This includes two high schools, one college and career academy, two middle schools, and six elementary schools. 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. This year, the minimum wage went up to $11 an hour. Register an account or Add a Student: Click Here "Bullying" and "harassment" also encompass: Retaliation against a student or school employee by another student or school employee for asserting or alleging an act of bullying of harassment.