Phone: 863-534-0500. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? He has not endorsed any other School Board candidates, his office said. A volunteer committee of citizens identified these seven candidates as their top recommendations. CCDFs podcast recently featured an interview with James Dunn, who serves as campaign manager for Clark, Nolte and Sessions. PCPS and Mr. Heid have always been open to responding to media and community requests for information and comment. Polk County Public Schools strives to reduce its energy footprint. Why do so this time? Allegation: Mrs. Sharp was improperly hired by Mr. Heid and does not meet eligibility requirements for the role of Senior Director of Digital Learning and Innovation. The School Board then set about to start the processof hiring an expert to help them with selecting the new Polk Schools leader. Contributors to the Democratic-endorsed candidates include Price and her predecessor, Kathie Sutherland, and current and former leaders of the Polk Education Association, the teachers union. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy currently an area superintendent for nearby Orange County Public Schools. From the communitys perspective, when a student graduates, what does that piece of paper really mean? Puoi cambiare le tue preferenze in qualunque momento nella sezione Le tue impostazioni per la privacy. I love this community and appreciate the great works thats happened in Polk County over the last several years; really excited to partner with the board to provide a great education to our students for the future, McIntyre said. Updated: 6:20 PM EDT March 29, 2021 BARTOW, Fla. It comes down to six. background-color: #fdd007; Practically speaking, the nonpartisan status simply means that candidates cannot campaign based on party affiliation such as on signs or mailers and are not listed by party on ballots. Leaders of CCDF did not respond to requests for comment. Miller is a Lakeland resident seeking a second term in District 7. Theres no room for second place. One finalist went to college in Polk County. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Secondly, the story and podcast allege that Lindsay Sharp was hired improperly by Mr. Heid and that she fails to meet eligibility requirements for the role of PCPS Senior Director of Digital Learning and Innovation. [14], The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:[15], The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:[15][16], During the 2018-2019 school year, 52.1% of the district's students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 9.9% were English language learners, and 13.0% of students had an Individual Education Plan (IEP).[19]. The community has spoken very loudly and clearly: There is a sincere commitment to see Polk continue to flourish and do well. Polk County Public Schools narrows superintendent search to 6 candidates: Who are they? Bartow, FL 33831 text-align: center; We are releasing this statement as a matter of principle because, at its core, this appears to be a most distasteful and egregious attempt to influence upcoming school board elections by sharing intentionally misleading information. The Polk County Republican Party is not merely endorsing candidates. Information on identifying and reporting bullying. The school board went above and beyond the norm when hiring Mr. Heid. } You don't see House members running on slates, she said. Any other requests that the Board chooses to take action on shall be placed on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. Many of the finalists said Polk County is an impressive place to land not only for the educational values the district already has, but also for the community. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. Alison Crumbley, the school board's vice chair, said she's open to discussing a policy change. And I was disappointed at the fact that many of the Republican organizations would not allow me to speak to them because I'm a registered Democrat, because I think that they will find that they agree with a lot of the things that we say. Ethics, Principles & Core Values Learn about the school district code of ethics and more. How to run for office |

 padding-left: 10px !important; Fields noted that she won in 2018 though the Polk Republican Party endorsed her opponent, Jennifer Sabin. Sex education: Polk County School Board unanimously approves changes to curriculum, More on CCDF: Conservative group wants to inspect Polk election system. From a parents perspective, do kids get quality educational opportunities? Neither report revealed anything of concern. Jones, a Lake Wales resident, is making her first run for office in District 6 after Lynn Wilson decided not to seek re-election. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. A longtime Florida educator and University of South Florida graduate has been chosen to lead the Polk County School District. A conservative group, County Citizens Defending Freedom, led a challenge over school library books it considered obscene, prompting the district to create panels to review the titles. Elections in 2023 | But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. This was something finalist Nakia Towns said she found value in. Im incredibly proud of the work we did in District 300, he said. Its not being taught directly, but it's being taught indirectly, Martin said. Heid began his career as a teacher in Sarasota. It should not be confused with caving. He did not respond to further interview requests. Check out your childs grades, attendance, and more! Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. We always have an eye on the future. People have the right to support the candidate that best aligns with what they feel is best for them, she said by text message when asked about partisanship. .bptable.gray th { background:#4c4c4c;color:#fff; }, Elections are held on a staggered basis in the November general election.[9]. Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. Sharpless is running for an open seat against Sara Jones. LAKELAND The Polk County Public Schools citizens advisory committee on Thursday evening whittled 52 candidates who applied for school superintendent totheir topseven. Its salary ranges from $215,000 to $275,000,. She points to studies that have shown children often experience mental health problems stemming from overusing their smartphones and social media. In addition he has been a teacher and an admissions-financial aid counselor at Canisius College. 	background-color: #6db24f; If you're already a subscriber, thank you! A proposition does not include items wherever found on the agenda upon which the Board votes in its quasi-judicial capacity.  Clark, a retired teacher, has received a donation from CCDF Chairman Steve Maxwell. A step-by-step guide for becoming licensed to drive. And so, yeah, that might discourage people. A general election was scheduled for November 8, 2022. Board members on Tuesday voted unanimously to select Fred Heid, the superintendent at the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois, as the district's next leader. Against that backdrop, the Polk County Republican Party endorsed four candidates for the School Board in March: Terry Clark, Pamela Luce, Jill Sessions and Justin Sharpless. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. He holds a bachelorsdegree insecondary education and a masters in educational leadershipfrom the University of South Florida, and is working on adoctoratein leadership in education administrationat Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. table#officeholder-table th, td {font-size: 10px; } James Dunns participation in the podcast leads us to believe that he is seeking to mislead and sway voters before the upcoming school board elections. He has completed coursework for a doctorate in educational administration from Capella University and is working on a doctorate in leadership in educational administration from Aurora University. CCDF, formed last year and based in Polk County with chapters in other counties, has 501c4 nonprofit status, meaning it can advocate on political issues but not campaign for specific candidates. .partytd.Democratic { Apply today! New Superintendent Vows to Keep the School District Moving Forward. Finally, Mrs. Sharp met or exceeded all the qualifications for the position. Before Heid stressed the importance of leadership within our schools, he thanked his wife in the room for her support. Any allegation that he is anything less than a highly principled and capable leader has been shown to be without merit by our background investigation. Mr. Heid was never a named party in the filing we reviewed. | His mother also lives with the family. Martin mentioned the challenged books, saying local Republicans are unhappy with the school districts response. Steps for getting your child started at Polk County Public Schools. I represent all constituents. The push for change doesnt stop until every target area reaches 100%. Martin referred to reports in April that the Florida Department of Education had rejected dozens of math books for use in the state schools because of prohibited topics, including mentions of race. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger. We all have to come to a consensus on things.  I think one of the things that's unfortunate is that we're even having to get into partisanship, Fields said. Download it here. 

After Luce withdrew . Sharpless, a professor at Warner University, has reported a contribution from Kevin Respress, a CCDF board member. She asserted that Republicans and CCDF are running a coordinated campaign for the conservative candidates. Months after the Republicans endorsed candidates, the Democratic Party of Polk County in mid-June issued endorsements for Fortney, Jones and Quary. Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 1998 establishing that school board elections would be nonpartisan. text-align: center; } color: white; Polk County School Board unanimously approves changes to curriculum, Conservative group wants to inspect Polk election system, Campaign manager for 3 conservative Polk School Board candidates served prison time in Texas, Texts falsely claimPolk School Board member is under criminal inquiry, Polk County School Board elections see political parties take larger roles. 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. We all want our kids to be reading on grade level. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. Race and math shouldn't have anything to do with each other.. During the Polk County Board of Education's scheduled meeting on Feb. 13 at Stearns Education Center, The Stuart and Margaret L. Forbes Foundation and the Ann L. Turner [] The school board was not restricted to these seven candidates and could remove or add any of the applicants who applied for the position. Those elections are nonpartisan, with candidates not identified as Democrats or Republicans. 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