website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless 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. 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. 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. 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. practices and standards defined by Section 508 of the U.S. Please Note: Each step must be completed in less than 20 minutes. There are lessons for all grade levels, plus materials for parents as well. Reports may be made anonymously, but formal disciplinary action may not be based solely on the basis of an anonymous report. About 300 teachersinPolk County,bothpublic and private, have contracted COVID-19 betweenSept.6 and April3,according to records with the FloridaDepartment of Health. View state and district assessments by grade level, including tips on preparing for exams. 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. 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 issue came up. Rehabilitation Act. Employees of Polk County Schools who are unable to access this folder, please email Laura Barnett. 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. Forgot My Password. You can search, save, and share with ease. "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 training and instruction shall include recognizing behaviors that lead to bullying and harassment and taking appropriate preventative action based on those observations. 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. Reporting an act of bullying or harassment that is not made in good faith is considered retaliation. 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! 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.". They can share this with their significant other if they want that person to handle benefit-related matters. She shouldn't be worried about her pay.. Victims of these offenses should also have the incident basis (sex, race, or disability) noted in their student record. This page contains links to important documents, including the Code of Conduct, Student Progression Plan, School Board polices, and more. 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. Step - 1: Welcome I have forgotten my password or my password has expired. 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. I just put my absence in as my own sick leave.. 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. 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. Log In Username: Password: Forgot password? "Cyberbullying" means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which includes, but is not limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photelectronic system, or photooptical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. As for Wools, she was in the emergency room on Thursday with worsening symptoms COVID pneumonia. Teachers, CommonSense Media has developed lessons for Digital Citizenship and Literacy. Find your Board member, access Board meeting calendars and agendas, and learn how you can watch meeting broadcasts. In 10 years, the Polk County millage rate peaked at 5.42 in 2012 and sank to 3.998 in 2019. Polk County HUB ; Staff List; Annual Accountability; . Paul Nutcher can be reached at pnutcher@gannett.com. Accelerated Academic Programs Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. Funded 995th out of the top 1,000 largest school districts. Information on identifying and reporting bullying. Learn the measures were taking to operate more efficiently. Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you may access. 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. Our Services may display content that does not belong to Emerald Data Solutions or its affiliates. LAKELAND Polk County Public Schoolsand the Polk Education Association teachers union arein final talks toextenduntil June 4the 10 days of COVID sickleave. 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. The meetings are held in the Board Room at the Stearns Education Center. Click here for more information Community Resources 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. Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. But she warned that the health plan might not be free to employees for long. She commended new Polk County Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid, who began in June. Log in using the same username and password you created during the self-registration process. This policy is adopted pursuant to the requirements of F.S. Follow us on Social Media for the latest news and updates. The issue came upthis week in Polk afterWendell Watson Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Susan Woolsasked The Ledger about it. 3 Steps To Hiring Quality Employees Step 1: Create A Vacancy. "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.". If, during an investigation of reported acts of bullying and/or harassment, the principal or his/her designee believes that the reported misconduct may have created a hostile learning environment and may have constituted unlawful discriminatory harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, or gender identity), race, color, national origin, religion, or disability (including HIV, AIDS, or sickle cell trait), pregnancy, marital status, age (except as authorized by law), religion, military status, ancestry, or genetic information which are classes protected by State and/or Federal law (collectively "protected classes"), the principal or his/her designee will report the act of bullying and/or harassment to one (1) of the Compliance Officers so that it may be investigated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Policy 5517 - Anti-Harassment. Retroactive to July 1,2021,all affected hourly rates will be increased to a new minimum-base entry-level rate of $11anhour. Polks spending on administrative costs is the third lowest in Florida. Sexual cyberharassment may be a form of sexual harassment. Discipline and referral data will be recorded in Student Discipline/Referral Action Report and Automated Student Information System. Members are required to set up their own account and designate their own username and password. Log In Using Your polk-fl.net Account. Steps for getting your child started at Polk County Public Schools. 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. It is exhausting, but I do feel I will beat it. Related:Polk schools budget is estimated at $2.2B,but its not as much as it could be, Minimum wage:See Florida and federal minimum wages over the last 20 years. 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. 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. Egregious acts of harassment by certified educators may result in a sanction against an educator's State-issued certificate. The Polk County School District operates 135 schools; 84 elementary schools, 24 middle schools and 17 high schools. This year, the minimum wage went up to $11 an hour. Through the Benefitplace platform, you can log in anytime to see your chosen benefits, dependents and beneficiaries. 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. A step-by-step guide to help students and their parents navigate the process of becoming licensed to drive. Access is anonymous. Mar 2013 - Jul 20163 years 5 months. Pitts said the decade-long losses in revenues because of millage rollbacks amounted to nearly $271 million. The general fund on lastyearsbills had a millage rate of 4.019, andfor the local capital improvement, which was 1.5. Links to additional information for the community. 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. respond to bullying in schools. endstream endobj 69 0 obj <>/Metadata 2 0 R/Pages 66 0 R/StructTreeRoot 6 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 70 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 648 792]/Parent 66 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 71 0 obj <>stream The District shall provide for appropriate recognition and positive reinforcement for good conduct, self-discipline, good citizenship, and academic success. 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. Nikki Jones Assistant Principal nikki.jones@polk-fl.net . 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. Using that information, it bases the state's financial contribution to school districts on the number of full-time students the district teaches. Charter school monies pass through the district coffers and that is expected to be $128 million for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The Superintendent will also provide such notification to all District contractors. Polk County Public Schools English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) department supports the academic success and acculturation of English language learners. I need to reset my password. Information on ESE services, projects, and programs, and resources for families. 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. 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. hb``b``*c```w01G30i.F E(|_ PyLsY\&mv e4 The Staff Portal is where you can update your address & phone number, view remuneration statements, tax information, and more! 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. ; Bullying Information on identifying and reporting bullying. Thank you for visiting the official website of the Polk County Department of Education. Many of the teacher vacancies and other services are covered by contracts with outside vendors such as INVO, providing behavioral support. 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. The Staff Portal has been redesigned to be easier to use on a large variety of devices. Our district consists of 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and a virtual learning academy for grades K-12. The principal shall report the occurrence of an incident of suspected bullying as defined by District policy to the parent/guardian of all students known to be involved in the incident on the same day an investigation of the incident has been initiated. 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. Polk County also has unique challenges having both a rural and urban population as well as being an inland county, Pitts said. According to the level of infraction, the victim's parents will be notified by telephone and/or in writing of actions being taken to protect the child; the frequency of notification will depend on the seriousness of the bullying or harassment incident. . User Name. 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. Access is anonymous. 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. 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. . ".a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary school or secondary school, as determined by the State in consultation, with 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. 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. 6A-10.081). The Superintendent may authorize additional instructional programs or activities not previously listed within this policy on a case-by-case basis. 0 103 0 obj <>stream For questions related to your benefits or for assistance with Benefitplace, please contact the PCPS Risk Management and Benefits department. (See the Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida F.A.C. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Students are expected to conform to reasonable standards of socially acceptable behavior; respect the person, property, and rights of others; obey constituted authority; and respond to those who hold that authority. 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. 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. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger. In a separate section, the District shall include each alleged incident of bullying or harassment that does not meet the criteria of a prohibited act under this policy with recommendations regarding such incidents. Polk County Public Schools Let's get started! Please select an option from the list and click Start. 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. "Bullying" means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one (1) or more students or employees. The principal/assistant principal or District will make a determination if an act of bullying or harassment falls within the scope of District authority. We worked over the last two years as our union to try to be more collaborativewith the district, Yocum said. 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. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia is free for educators. This includes two high schools, one college and career academy, two middle schools, and six elementary schools. 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. hbbd```b``Z "+rLHo`7X|XdS$;; "$uI @u&A"@;Fg` I The investigation of a reported act of bullying or harassment is deemed to be a school-related activity and begins with a report of such an act. So,ahome valuedat $200,000 afteranyexemptions would pay$1,165.80. "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. TDOE has a preview site located here. I know what symptoms to watch forand Im paying close attention. 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. Camerons Collection can also be accessed through ClassLink, the Gale GVLR site, or each schools Destiny homepage. All complaints about bullying and/or harassment that may violate this policy shall be promptly investigated by the principal or assistant principal, who is trained in investigative procedures. District Office:1915 South Floral Ave., Bartow, FL 33830, 2022 Polk County Public Schools | Equity & Compliance | About | Sitemap. 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. 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. Is the 10 days no longer a thing? The bulk of the current general fund budget goes toward salaries and . He asked his colleagues and administrators present at the session to let the district's lobbyist know about the financial presentation. The piece that was missing was Mr. Heid. 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 Find out dates for spring and winter break, early release days, and more. 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. You can search, save, and share with ease. Consequences and appropriate remedial action for students who commit acts of bullying or harassment or found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment may range from positive behavioral interventions up to and including suspension or expulsion, as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. 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.