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 principal/assistant principal or District will make a determination if an act of bullying or harassment falls within the scope of District authority. This review process shall be conducted not less than every three (3) years thereafter. He added the state lottery provides funding that amounts to five days of the districts operations. The doctor gave hera prescriptionandsent her home. The bulk of the current general fund budget goes toward salaries and . 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. "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 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.". But after year of COVID-19, a new reality sets in, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. 1006.147 and in conformity with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Model Policy. The meetings are held in the Board Room at the Stearns Education Center. At least 16 Polk County Public Schools teachers, staff have died of COVID-19 since the start of school, Polk County School District details plans for $202M in relief funds, Polk schools budget is estimated at $2.2B,but its not as much as it could be, See Florida and federal minimum wages over the last 20 years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. The issue came up. A school employee, school volunteer, students, parent/guardian, or other persons who promptly reports in good faith an act of bullying or harassment to the appropriate school official and who makes this report in compliance with the procedures set forth in District policy is immune from a cause of action for damages arising out of the reporting itself or any failure to remedy the reported incident. hmo0w>?HS%eZHFPA6u~wNMQ $ YFm{0D1JR K"XfF6ED#Fshb. It should have been extended because its the right thing to do. Username. In July the district will advertise thetentative budget once data has been gathered predicting the number of students and teachers anticipated next school year. The programs of training and instruction authorized by the District shall include, but not be limited to. The programs of training and instruction authorized by the District shall include, but not be limited to: Dating Violence Prevention: CDC's Choose Respect. Computers without web-filtering software or computers with web-filtering software that is disabled shall be used when complaints of cyberbullying are investigated. I need to reset my password. We are very proud of our students, our schools, and our communities. 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. What You Need To Know About Section 504 A Guide for Parents. 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. Online resources and services for students! She commended new Polk County Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid, who began in June. That's an importantpoint for many of the boardmembersits part of the recruitment we have for staff, Miller said. The Superintendent may authorize additional instructional programs or activities not previously listed within this policy on a case-by-case basis. Learn about excused and unexcused absences, and attendance expectations. If you have forgotten your Polk County Schools password click here. 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. Log in using the same username and password you created during the self-registration process. "I am so sorry, said School Board member Lisa Miller. Check your childs grades, attendance, and more. There are lessons for all grade levels, plus materials for parents as well. Learn about the ways were safeguarding our students and schools. The Staff Portal has been redesigned to be easier to use on a large variety of devices. Thank you for visiting the official website of the Polk County Department of Education. The total adopted Polk County Schools budget was $2.35 billion this year. School Board Member Lisa Miller said she was interested in seeing an in-progress efficiency audit of current contracted services with the district. through the use of data or computer software that is accessed at a nonschool-related location, activity, function, or program or through the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased, or used by the District or school, if the bullying substantially interferes with or limits the victim's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by the District or school or substantially disrupts the education process or orderly operation of a school. Teachers, CommonSense Media has developed lessons for Digital Citizenship and Literacy. You can search, save, and share with ease. Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you may access. Florida spending $9,980 per student and pays teachers an average salary of$49,583. The Student Progression Plan describes requirements for students to be promoted to the next grade. Search the Destiny library catalog, find online resources and learn how parents can give input on library materials. 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. 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. TDOE has a preview site located here. 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. While Polk's average teacher salary is 35th in the state. The District shall provide notice to students and staff of this policy in the Code of Student Conduct and in employee handbooks. 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. Polk County Schools does get special revenues, including title funds, food service and other grants of $188 million, Pitts said. After his presentation, several School Board members wanted more information or called for legislative action on seeing the outlook for its next spending plan. hbbd```b``Z
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In 10 years, the Polk County millage rate peaked at 5.42 in 2012 and sank to 3.998 in 2019. Information on identifying and reporting bullying. 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. K-12 Students: (username only, do not include @mypolkschools.net) to access Moodle. The District will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment of any type. InJanuary, district officials extended the COVID sick leave through March31. Step 2: Search For Qualified Applicants. The district does also get sales tax proceeds, Pitts said. Step 3: Interview and Hire! 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. Use these tools to encourage collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, and work one-on-one or with the whole class. Work online or offline, anytime, and on any device with myPolkApps, powered by Google. A helpful overview of Polk County Public Schools Fine Arts programs and opportunities. Retroactive to July 1,2021,all affected hourly rates will be increased to a new minimum-base entry-level rate of $11anhour. 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. Polk County Public Schools strives to reduce its energy footprint. 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. Click the icon to log in to ourdistrict applications. 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. Through the Benefitplace platform, you can log in anytime to see your chosen benefits, dependents and beneficiaries. Password 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. All rights reserved. 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About the District | Style Guide, Designed for iOS and Android mobile devices, the Benefitplace. You can visit the Password Reset Tool to reset your district password. 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. The instruction shall include evidence-based methods of preventing bullying and harassment, as well as information about how to effectively identify andrespond to bullying in schools. Reminders of the policy and bullying prevention messages will be displayed, as appropriate, at each school and at District facilities. Steps for getting your child started at Polk County Public Schools. A step-by-step guide for becoming licensed to drive. The Superintendent will also provide such notification to all District contractors. Another, Kelly Services, provides the district with staff, including substitute teachers. Individuals who are interested in addressing the School Board on a particular issue must register in person, at the meeting location, starting 30 minutes prior to the meeting. 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. If the action is within the scope of the District, District procedures for bullying and/or harassment shall be followed. Use your county credentials or email to log in. We are committed to providing a Its not rocket science.. We ask all members (even if you do not plan to make changes) to login and verify their data and update their life insurance beneficiary information. 110 East Polk Avenue, Lake Wales, FL 33853 PH: 863.678.4244 | FX: 863.678.4680. 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. After the revised policy has been adopted, it shall be submitted to the Florida Department of Education not later than September 30th. Coronavirus Information A place for current employees 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. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Funded 995th out of the top 1,000 largest school districts. User Name. 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. Access is anonymous. Polk County School Board. A step-by-step guide to help students and their parents navigate the process of becoming licensed to drive. There are also 145 school resource officers and guardians; and district support personnel of 1,595. Sign up to receive messages from your school. LAKELAND Polk County Public Schoolsand the Polk Education Association teachers union arein final talks toextenduntil June 4the 10 days of COVID sickleave. The next largest category is contracted services at $56.3 million. Alsoin the contract:If per-student funding, which provides staff raises, fluctuates greater than 2% of the current funding up or down, both sides can come back to the bargaining table to work out a new agreement. About 300 teachersinPolk County,bothpublic and private, have contracted COVID-19 betweenSept.6 and April3,according to records with the FloridaDepartment of Health. Log In Using Your polk-fl.net Account. MetaSearch is intended for research, information and reference purposes only. 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. 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. The law went into effect Sept. 30. They can share this with their significant other if they want that person to handle benefit-related matters. 2023 www.theledger.com. 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.' has the effect of disrupting the orderly operation of a school. Growth: As development comes to Lake Wales, some residents worry about changes to quality of life. 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. In all cases, the Board reserves the right to refer the results of its own investigation to the State Attorney for possible criminal charges, whether or not the Board takes any action. Their adult daughter, Jenna,alsogotsickand has recovered. False charges shall also be regarded as a serious offense and will result in disciplinary action or other appropriate sanctions. The Polk Schools Staff Portal The Staff Portal is where you can update your address & phone number, view remuneration statements, tax information, and more! In addition,all active employees will receive a 2% increase on their current salary level. 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. "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 is even a mobile app, so you can access the system from your smartphone or other mobile device. We are very proud of our students, our schools, and our communities. Log In Username: Password: Forgot password? If you have forgotten your Polk County Schools password click here. Complaints against the superintendent should be filed with the Board Chair. 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. Student safety is Polk County Public Schools first priority. Paul Nutcher can be reached at pnutcher@gannett.com. This page contains links to important documents, including the Code of Conduct, Student Progression Plan, School Board polices, and more. Polk County Public Schools employs school counselors who provide students with the support they need at each stage of their development. 1006.147 (known as the Jeffrey Johnson Stand Up for All Students Act) to address both bullying and harassment that does not rise to the level of or is comprised of discriminatory conduct. Retaliation against any person who reports, is thought to have reported, files a complaint, or otherwise participates in an investigation or inquiry under this policy is prohibited. 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. 1915 South Floral Ave. | Bartow, FL 33830 | 863-534-0500. Using the FPEP formula - often refered to as a "dollars per student" formula - Tedder offered the following example: "If the School Board gets approved to spend $3,500 per student and the number of students is 135,000 they would need to generate $437,500,000," he said. Whether a particular action or incident constitutes a violation of the policy requires a determination based on all the facts and surrounding circumstances and shall include: a recommendation of remedial steps necessary to stop the bullying and/or harassing behavior; and. Bullying Curriculum for Students - developed by the District - This curriculum includes education on recognition, prevention, and intervention at all grade levels. Polk County Public Schools English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) department supports the academic success and acculturation of English language learners. Rehabilitation Act. 88 0 obj
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Im not going toplay with this, shesaid. The School Board then votes on the general fund millage rate, he said. Staff Portal Staff Portal Sign Out Contact Info Employee Benefits COVID-19 Leave Time Certification Certification Info Renewal Payment Form Add-On Payment Form Transcripts Upload In-County Travel Payroll Info Paychecks Pay Frequency Election W-2 Forms Fed Tax Filing Status Work Calendar Salary Equipment Use Temporary Duty Teacher Transfer Janie Howard Wilson Elementary; Polk Avenue Elementary School; Edward W. Bok Academy North; Edward W. Bok Academy South; Lake Wales High School; District; Library & Curriculum; Choose Lake Wales! Through the Benefitplace platform, you can log in anytime to see your chosen benefits, dependents and beneficiaries. 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. 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. Valuable information and resources for families who are already homeschooling their children or those interested in home education. Such retaliation shall be considered a serious violation of Board policy and independent of whether a complaint is substantiated. If you want to be notified of updates to our website, please subscribe here! He asked his colleagues and administrators present at the session to let the district's lobbyist know about the financial presentation. Follow us on Social Media for the latest news and updates. Find everything to ensure your child is on track to graduate on time. The District will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment of any type. Mar 2013 - Jul 20163 years 5 months. %PDF-1.5
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State funding covers just 60% of the district's mandated transportation services. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger. Log In Sign in with Staff Sign in with Students Florida Department of Children and Families Abuse Hotline 1-800-962-2873 Students: Forgot Password? Our Services may display content that does not belong to Emerald Data Solutions or its affiliates. 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. Please use your Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) credentials to access the Staff Portal Admin System. 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. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. Charter school monies pass through the district coffers and that is expected to be $128 million for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. I just put my absence in as my own sick leave..
"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. 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. The intended audience is 6th -12th grade students and parents. 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.