Polk tops 200 new COVID-19 cases for 3rd-straight day, Polk teachers see a pay bump, but no raise for paraeducators or school staff, Polk teachers 'just thought it was adisruption.' 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. Some School Board members and the Polk Education Association teachersunion president agree. Such immunity from liability shall not apply to an employee, student, or volunteer determined to have made an intentionally false report about harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying. Perpetuation of conduct listed in the definition of bullying and/or harassment by an individual or group with intent to demean, dehumanize, embarrass, or cause emotional or physical harm to a student or school employee by: accessing or knowingly and willingly causing or providing access to data or computer software through a computer, computer system, or computer network within the scope of the District school system; or. I just put my absence in as my own sick leave.. But she worries about other newer teachers who might not. Check your childs grades, attendance, and more. The issue came up. 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. There is even a mobile app, so you can access the system from your smartphone or other mobile device. Anti-bullying Assemblies - e.g., Jaylen's Challenge, Yellow Dress, Omega Man, etc. All rights reserved. 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 . District Office:1915 South Floral Ave., Bartow, FL 33830, 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About | Sitemap. 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 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. Information on identifying and reporting bullying. I need to reset my password. of technology or ability. That's an importantpoint for many of the boardmembersits part of the recruitment we have for staff, Miller said. Valuable information and resources for families who are already homeschooling their children or those interested in home education. The Polk County School District operates 135 schools; 84 elementary schools, 24 middle schools and 17 high schools. Thank you for visiting the official website of the Polk County Department of Education. Forgot Your Password? The procedure will include: referral of a student to the collaborative problem-solving team (or equivalent school-based team with a problem-solving focus) for consideration of appropriate services is made through the school problem-solving process by school personnel or parent to the principal/designee; referral of school or area/District personnel to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for consideration of appropriate services will be made by the administrator; school-based intervention and assistance will be determined by the collaborative problem-solving team and may include, but is not limited to: counseling and support to address the needs of the victim(s) of bullying; counseling interventions to address the behavior of students who bully (e.g., empathy training, anger management, etc. The District shall provide for appropriate recognition and positive reinforcement for good conduct, self-discipline, good citizenship, and academic success. 6A-10.081). Upon completion of the investigation, notification shall be by telephone and/or in writing by first-class mail and shall be consistent with the student privacy rights under applicable provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The student may also report concerns to teachers and other school staff who will be responsible for notifying the appropriate administrator. The training and instruction shall include recognizing behaviors that lead to bullying and harassment and taking appropriate preventative action based on those observations. Such behavior is essential in maintaining an environment that provides each student the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education in a uniform, safe, secure, efficient, and high-quality system of education. I just want to change my password. Conduct that constitutes bullying and harassment, as defined herein, is prohibited: during any education program or activity conducted by the District; during any school-related or school-sponsored program or activity or on a District school bus, or at a District school bus stop ; through the use of data or computer software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, or computer network of the District; or. Lakeland, Florida Area. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia is free for educators. practices and standards defined by Section 508 of the U.S. There are also 145 school resource officers and guardians; and district support personnel of 1,595. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person, or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. "We have the issues when it comes to transportation costs but we don't have the advantages of some of those larger districts' coastal property taxes and things like that," he said, giving one example of a financial disadvantage that Polk County faces. Pitts said the decade-long losses in revenues because of millage rollbacks amounted to nearly $271 million. View state and district assessments by grade level; includes tips on preparing for exams. If the action is outside the scope of the District and believed to be a criminal act, the action shall be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency. 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. 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. The total adopted Polk County Schools budget was $2.35 billion this year. Im not going toplay with this, shesaid. Extending the FFCRA COVID leave that covers quarantines through the remainder of the school year is a common-sense move, said Yocum, whose union represents 9,000 Instructional staff, paraeducatorsand clerical personnel. She commended new Polk County Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid, who began in June. 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. The bulk of the current general fund budget goes toward salaries and . Maria Garcia: Food Services Team: Lisa Marie Gill: Office & Support Staff, Paraprofessionals, Title 1 Since millage rates are set by the state, school boards in Florida have few options for local revenues sources, forcing school districts to cut spending to make ends meet. Through the Benefitplace platform, you can log in anytime to see your chosen benefits, dependents and beneficiaries. ; College and Career Readiness Information for planning the next steps of your education and beyond. I looked through the employee COVID info in the(time card)hub, and everything I looked at expired in December, Woolssaid in a text message. Victims of these offenses should also have the incident basis (sex, race, or disability) noted in their student record. 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. School Board Member Justin Sharpless wanted something done to improve revenues. A helpful overview of Polk County Public Schools Fine Arts programs and opportunities. 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 . A step-by-step guide for becoming licensed to drive. Find everything to ensure your child is on track to graduate on time. In July the district will advertise thetentative budget once data has been gathered predicting the number of students and teachers anticipated next school year. Staff Directory Administration. Coronavirus Information A place for current employees 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. He added the state lottery provides funding that amounts to five days of the districts operations. School Board Vice-Chairwoman Kay Fields thankedthe staff for their work, acknowledging that it did nothappen overnight, and thanking the staff and PEA negotiators for including a provision to renegotiate if there is a fluctuation in funding. Discipline and referral data will be recorded in Student Discipline/Referral Action Report and Automated Student Information System. Administrator, Teacher, Parent Education - developed by the District, Monique Burr Foundation for Children, Inc.'s Child Safety Matters, Keys to Character - developed by the District. Flyers, posters, and bookmarks are being distributed at schools with QR codes for easy access. I'm confident we will get it extended,though, and anyone having to take their own time for quarantine will be given their time back, Yocum said. Learn about the ways were safeguarding our students and schools. Florida spending $9,980 per student and pays teachers an average salary of$49,583. 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. ; Bullying Information on identifying and reporting bullying. Polk County Public Schools offers a variety of programs for children ages 3-5. Four School Board members were in attendance for the9 a.m.work session Chairwoman Lori Cunningham, Sara Beth Reynolds, Lisa Miller and William Allen. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Online resources and services for students! These programs focus on correcting behaviors and developing attitudes and skills that will help students make positive changes in their lives. Need Password Help? This content is the sole responsibility of the entity that makes it available. 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 offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. The Staff Portal has been redesigned to be easier to use on a large variety of devices. 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. Check out your childs grades, attendance, and more! Nikki Jones Assistant Principal nikki.jones@polk-fl.net . Their adult daughter, Jenna,alsogotsickand has recovered. Employees of Polk County Schools who are unable to access this folder, please email Laura Barnett. Learn about the many ways were protecting our students. Use your PCPS username and password to login. The ultimate winner: It takes more than numbers to sum up Castle's career. Polk County also has unique challenges having both a rural and urban population as well as being an inland county, Pitts said. ; ClassLink Online resources and services for students! Information on how to become an approved volunteer and other ways to support Polk County Public Schools. The District will utilize Florida's School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) Statewide Report on School Safety and Discipline Data as prescribed. Polk County Public Schools Recruitment and Hiring System. accessibility concerns, please contact the webmaster. The investigator shall document in his/her report the reasons for needing up to an additional ten (10) days. 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. The School Board then votes on the general fund millage rate, he said. has the effect of disrupting the orderly operation of a school. Work online or offline, anytime, and on any device with myPolkApps, powered by Google. Student safety is Polk County Public Schools first priority. Find out dates for spring and winter break, early release days, and more. 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. Our Services may display content that does not belong to Emerald Data Solutions or its affiliates. Register an account or Add a Student: Click Here So,ahome valuedat $200,000 afteranyexemptions would pay$1,165.80. In his 27-page snapshot of the districts financial health, Pritt said the biggest and most pressing challenge for the district in the future will be capital funding. 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. 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. . We are very proud of our students, our schools, and our communities. Polk County Schools does get special revenues, including title funds, food service and other grants of $188 million, Pitts said. You do not need to provide the @polk-fl.net portion of your email address as part of your username. Implementation of the plan by each principal will be ongoing throughout the school year and will be integrated with the school curriculum, the bullying and prevention program, District disciplinary policies, and violence prevention efforts. Complaints against the principal should be filed with the regional assistant superintendent assigned to the school. What is up with that? The intended audience is 6th -12th grade students and parents. The proposed millage rateforPCPSthis school year was tentatively set at $5.829 per $1,000 of a property's value, The Ledger previously reported. The District will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment of any type. Monthly Meeting Agenda and Meeting Materials Monthly meetings are live streamed. The Superintendent shall develop a comprehensive plan intended to prevent bullying and harassment and to cultivate the school climate so as to appropriately identify, report, investigate, and respond to situations of bullying and harassment as they may occur on school grounds, at school-sponsored events, and through school computer networks.