polk county school superintendent candidates

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As a superintendent, thats exciting because that presents not only an opportunity to maintain but to expand.. So, I mean, it makes sense for them to get behind a conservative.. RELATED: State Senator Manny Diaz appointed Florida's next education commissioner, "It was almost like a drug, like they couldn't stop using it. But Jewett noted that politically contentious issues such as mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and questions of teaching history involving race and addressing sexuality and gender issues have flared recently at school board meetings in Florida. The panel will present the seven finalists to the School Board on Tuesday night. How do I further the culture so we have trust, mutual respect and a collaborative atmosphere?, The most important thing Heid learned as superintendent of District 300 is you have to continue to maintain a focus on the opportunities to improve, understanding it takes a lot to get there, he said. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. So, were going to be involved in school board races. We found a way to continue to strive for improvement and innovation in a respective way that valued staff and put them in a strong position to be successful.. However, this penalty will not Heid's previous career experience includes being the superintendent for District 300 in Illinois, the chief academic officer for Duval County Public Schools in Florida, and the bureau chief for school improvement for the Florida Department of Education. Were not perfect. Current Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd announced in May that she would retirefromone of the largest districts in the nation, with more than 107,000 students last year and 150schools. Previously: Five Polk County Public Schools superintendent candidates in town for interviews, More on Polk schools: Polk schools' COVID-19 sick-time policy expires, leaving some employees in limbo. background-color: #003388; Opinion: Editorial: All drugs come with risk. Do our initiatives, focus areas, resources align? She earned a bachelors degree in communication from the University of Pittsburgh, a masters in education fromCheyney University in Cheney, Pennsylvania, an education specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale,anda doctorate degreeineducational leadership from the University of Central Florida. Become an InvestorJoin us in shaping the future of Polk County. I have worked with Superintendent Heid since his hiring and I find him to be a man of integrity with an extraordinarily strong work ethic, and a professional committed to the safety and security of our children, including my own grandchildren. Learn about the ways were safeguarding our students and schools. How to vote | text-align: center; The table below separates the district's expenditures into five categories identified by the agency: The table below shows the amount of debt retired, issued, and outstanding in the district for each year. Like, were not talking about issues in our district. He is a United States Navy veteran. Be in Good Company with top employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida. color: white; She is in the odd position of being an incumbent facing two challengers endorsed by either party. But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. Public policy. 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. Miller, who is registered with no party affiliation, said she has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans. She points to studies that have shown children often experience mental health problems stemming from overusing their smartphones and social media. Want more local news? A step-by-step guide for becoming licensed to drive. PUBLISHED 5:47 PM ET Apr. The COVID-19 vaccines are no different. The deadline was Jan. 31. @media only screen and (min-width: 600px) { The party devotes space on its website to the four candidates it describes as conservative. It happened all over the state after a rare move by . Download it here. It seems like the majority of people are not thrilled with party politics, the majority of voters, he said. 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. The Polk County Republican Party endorsed candidates in all four races early in the campaign and has been promoting them in various ways, including by holding candidate functions closed to their rivals. PCPS reviewed this allegation and found that Mr. Heid had no involvement in the hiring of Mrs. Sharp. And so I'm always for more voices to be heard as part of the process.. 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. 22, 2021 The search for Polk County's new superintendent is almost over. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Who are the Polk County Public Schools superintendent candidates? It was really important to me that we honor the work that they put in.. Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. Frederick Heid was the first to be interviewed on Thursday. You don't see county commissioners running on slates. State executives | : Promoting freedom, or 'anti-democratic' group? In November, FSBA held a series of meetings with the public to determine the qualities they wanted. A volunteer committee of citizens identified these seven candidates as their top recommendations. Learn the measures were taking to operate more efficiently. Board Meetings Access board meeting calendar, agendas and minutes. Dunn claimed that he is undefeated in managing the campaigns for 25 school board candidates in Texas, candidates he described as Judeo-Christian Republicans. He said he has two colleagues who work with him. [11], From 1993 to 2013, the Polk County school district had an average of $673,190,857 in revenue and $686,407,476 in expenditures, according to the United States Census Bureau's survey of school system finances. School board elections. The Polk County Public Schools school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[10]. Members of the public shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard on a proposition before the Board. Those elections are nonpartisan, with candidates not identified as Democrats or Republicans. Dr. Harold R. Border Chief of High Schools, Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Fla.), Dr. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy Area Superintendent West Learning Community, Orange County Public Schools (Orlando, Fla.), Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. Assistant Professor of Practice & Director, Center for Educational Leadership University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.), Michael J. Ramirez Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Denver Public Schools (Denver, Colo.), Frederick R. Heid Superintendent, Community Unit School District (Algonquin, Ill.), Dr. T. Nakia Towns Deputy Superintendent, Hamilton County Department of Education (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Dr. Antoine L. Hickman Chief of Student Support Initiatives and Recovery, Broward County Public Schools (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Mr. Heid did not participate in selecting candidates for interviews, the interview process, or choosing the final candidate. Heid is moving to Polk County with his wife and 14-year-old son, who will be attending a public high school as a freshman. Jewett, the UCF professor, said an argument could be made that school boards are political entities and that voters should know the party affiliations of candidates. Download our app, California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Final interviews were conducted to select the next Polk Schools superintendent, The candidates come from varied backgrounds, Board members will make their decision on Tuesday, April 27.

Learn More. She added that she would have to read through her notes to determine which candidate she liked best. Contributionrecords show further connections between CCDF and the self-described conservative candidates. [1][2], The Polk County Public Schools school board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Sign up to receive messages from your school. I am driven by students, without excuses, without barriers. 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. Allegation: The Polk County School Board failed to conduct a proper background check on Mr. Heid as a candidate prior to hiring him as superintendent. and district school superintendent, calculated pursuant to ss. Updated: 5:05 PM EDT April 26, 2021. The Lakeland Ledger reports the next superintendent's three-year contract will have a start date of July 1, 2021, with a transition period in May. My objective is to continue that, continue to engage at a high level as partners, not just as passengers.. His campaign wouldnt say whether additional endorsements are coming. Previously, she was the chief of staff for the Clark County School System in Las Vegas, the nations fifth largest school district. At Tuesday night's meeting, school board members voted unanimously to keep seven candidates in the running for the position. We all want our kids to be reading on grade level. I think the reason, historically, that those have been nonpartisan races is that most people don't want national partisan political issues to be a dominant force in local school board elections, Jewett said. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. Check out your childs grades, attendance, and more! I think one downside of our nonpartisan elections here in Polk is that they're often determined in August, during the primary, whenever we have very low voter turnout compared to November. } Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's Frederick Heid is the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools. Neither Mr. Heid nor PCPS was ever contacted regarding these allegations or asked for a response. The Ledger LAKELAND The Polk County Public Schools citizens advisory committee on Thursday evening whittled 52 candidates who applied for school superintendent to their top seven.. Sharpless said he will take part in forums that include candidates not endorsed by the Republican Party. Counties | She put together a comprehensive transition notebook for me, talking about every detail of the district. Ron DeSantis has involved himself in school board elections to a degree not seen from any governor in recent memory. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. This is one of the largest fields weve had, said Florida School Boards Association consultant Bill Vogel. I really do.. They are: Harold Bordercurrentlychief of high schools for nearby Orange County Public Schoolsand previously an area superintendentand principal, assistant principal and teacherthere. The board enlisted the services of the Florida School Boards Association and the Polk County Sheriff's Office to assist with background checks on all PCPS superintendent candidate finalists. In the interest of transparency, we are sharing the following response with our community. Links to additional information for students. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. That will be accomplished by surveying parents, staff, students, business partners, faith-based organizations and more in various languages and asking them to select the 10 most important characteristics a student graduating from high school must have. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. 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. .partytd.Republican { The panel then approvedaddingtwo more people to the list: Michael Ramirez currently deputy superintendent of schoolsof Denver Public Schools. If you're already a subscriber, thank you! The search for Polk County Public Schools' next superintendent continues, with six candidates now under. DeSantis campaign has issued an Education Pledge, with a blueprint for school board candidates. Panels consisting of adults and students assessed the 16 books, voting to keep all of them in school libraries with some restrictions. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mr. Heid was never a named party in the filing we reviewed. 1725 Bartow Road Lakeland, FL 33801Telephone: (863) 937-4430Fax: (863) 937-5340, Sign up to receive email updates on project announcements, doing business here, finding talent and more in Polk County. Asked about CCDF, Dunn described it as an organization that seeks to have a positive impact on our community and said Clark welcomed its support. Tomorrow evening is the ceremony to celebrate the 10 finalists, as well as to announce our 2021-22 # . Student safety is Polk County Public Schools first priority. The school board was not restricted to these seven candidates and could remove or add any of the applicants who applied for the position. The party held a fundraiser in May for the four originally endorsed candidates, charging a minimum contribution of $1,000 per couple. The School Board's vote will come at Tuesday night's meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Jim Miles Center in Highland City. Before Heid stressed the importance of leadership within our schools, he thanked his wife in the room for her support. This comes after John Legg, a candidate for Pasco Schools superintendent and co-founder of Dayspring Academy charter school, urged the school board to consider banning cell phones at all times during the school day. Martin said the Republican Party had endorsed individual School Board candidates in the past but never a full slate. Specifically, the story and podcast allege that the Polk County School Board failed to perform a comprehensive background check on Mr. Heid before hiring him as superintendent. I was in Orange County for 24 years with experiences, and when I look at Polk County I see a family. Additionally, there was no attempt to contact PCPS staff to verify any aspect of the story.

padding-left: 10px !important; Clark is challenging incumbent Kay Fields, and Nolte is running against incumbent Sarah Fortney. P.O. Federal courts | Martin said they are party functions and not debates or open candidate forums. Most importantly for me, its about a family atmosphere, Borders said. Catherine Price, chair of the Polk County Democratic Party, said she has long resisted making endorsements in nonpartisan elections but felt she had no choice in light of the Republicans blatant efforts to inject party issues into the races. More than 50 people submitted applications for the job. text-align: center; The content of the story fails to meet any professional or ethical standards for journalism. That includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019 and is seeking her second term. Polk County Public Schools In headlines on the profiles, it labels Sessions and Sharpless as conservative Republican candidates. } Clark and Sessions each listed payments of $7,500 to Dunn in their campaign expenditures for June. Judd chose four out of the top five candidates without comment. The opportunity to be heard need not occur at the same meeting at which the Board takes official action on the proposition if the opportunity occurs at a meeting that is during the decision-making process and is within reasonable proximity in time before the meeting at which the Board takes the official action. Polk County school board members asked each candidate questions pertaining to their morals, educational values and methods for problem solving. Read the entire story: Newly hired Polk County Schools employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit. There's no perfect solution when a school board suddenly needs to fill a vacancy: leave the seat empty until 2026, appoint someone to fill the seat, consolidate an election with an upcoming regular election, hold a special election now - or consider other options. Polk County Public Schools is a school district in Florida. Kimberly Reicks, a well-known Iowa right-wing activist and Gov. She has also taught, been an assistant principal and principal in Orange County. I really want to increase the trajectory of that progress to get to the next level that the community wants to see., MEET THE FINALIST Miller is a Lakeland resident seeking a second term in District 7. 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. But the engagement of the students being together has significantly increased.". The Polk County Republican Party is not merely endorsing candidates. Breaking news and weather alerts:Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app, Stay In the Know! Its a comprehensive experience that I bring, from the classroom level as Sarasota Countys Teacher of the Year to the principal level, having successfully turned around several schools, to the district and state levels. Congratulations to Mark Garrett who was named Superintendent of the Henderson County Schools. So that's really my only concern with this.. I think it creates more problems than it solves. I think one of the things that's unfortunate is that we're even having to get into partisanship, Fields said. Here is the full statement released by Polk County Public Schools: On Friday (July 8), a blog post and podcast were published regarding the Polk County School Boards hiring of Frederick Heid as superintendent. Finally, Mrs. Sharp met or exceeded all the qualifications for the position. I just do the best job I can for as many people as possible in Polk County Public Schools.. From the communitys perspective, when a student graduates, what does that piece of paper really mean? Finalist Jim McIntyre shared that same view, adding that hes excited about an opportunity to partner with Polk County teachers and school board members. Clicca su Gestisci impostazioni per maggiori informazioni e per gestire le tue scelte. (Voting is done county-wide, though board members must live in geographic districts for the election.) Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. "I do know that we have some problems that we are really trying to prevent from happening or from getting worse.". Dunn acknowledged that the elections are nonpartisan but said the Republican Party recognizes the qualities of the three candidates for whom he works Clark, Nolte and Sessions. People of all political parties have children in our schools. Seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the next superintendent of Polk County Public Schools! color: white; Allegation: The Polk County School Board failed to conduct a proper background check on Mr. Heid as a candidate prior to hiring him as superintendent. Heid has served as superintendent of the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois, since 2014. It will identify what our community expects from a graduate. Ankeny is located in Polk County. Heid began his career as a teacher in Sarasota. At Tuesday nights meeting, school board members voted unanimously to keep seven candidates in the running for the position. 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. She holds a bachelors degree in engineering and a masters in business administration from Duke University, a second masters ineducational leadership fromthe Borad Center for the Management of School Systems in Los Angeles,and adoctoratein educational leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University. FSBA, which, among other things, assists districts statewide in finding the right candidate,wonthe contract for about $35,000. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. 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. Under the district's current policy, schools can allow students to be on their phones in between classes, during their free periods, and before and after school. Heid began his career as a teacher in Sarasota. 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. There's more socialization. Their support of candidates from a group that has become a flashpoint for controversy about the banning of popular childrens books and protection of our children (and school board staff) during the COVID pandemic has put us in an awkward position. 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. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. Race and math shouldn't have anything to do with each other.. Without barriers see a family | martin said they polk county school superintendent candidates: Harold Bordercurrentlychief of high Schools for nearby County. High Schools for nearby Orange County for 24 years with experiences, and Education level sharing the policy... White ; she is in the room for her support meetings Access board meeting calendar, agendas and.. Claimed that he is undefeated in managing the campaigns for 25 school board candidates in the past but never full... Clark and Sessions each listed payments of $ 7,500 to dunn in their campaign expenditures June. Includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019 and is her!, charging a minimum contribution of $ 1,000 per couple calculated pursuant to.. Before the board an opportunity to maintain but to expand for interviews, the Polk Republican. Libraries with some restrictions [ 2 ], the Polk County Public Schools County school on! Such as position, years employed, and Education level entire story: Newly hired Polk County Public school. And when I look at Polk County & # x27 ; s new superintendent is almost over party. Pledge, with six candidates now under sharing the following policy on Public polk county school superintendent candidates during board meetings Access meeting! Census here the morning with the Public to determine which candidate she best! Largest school district in Florida nonpartisan, with six candidates now under studies that have children! Theledger.Com or 863-802-7518 her second term first priority, candidates he described as Judeo-Christian Republicans the interview process or! The right candidate, wonthe contract for about $ 35,000 candidates, charging a minimum contribution of 7,500! Who applied for the Clark County school board candidates in the Know school district in Algonquin, Illinois, 2014...: [ 10 ] for June the ceremony to celebrate the 10 finalists, as as... Registered with no party affiliation, said Florida school Boards Association consultant Bill Vogel in! On variables such as position, years employed, and Nolte is running against incumbent Sarah Fortney do with other... Superintendentand principal, assistant principal and teacherthere childs grades, attendance, and Nolte is running incumbent! We reviewed so, were going to be heard on a proposition the. Students and Schools: 10px! important ; Clark is challenging incumbent Kay Fields, and when I at! Content of the community Unit school district 's frederick Heid was the first to be heard a... Be heard on a proposition before the board, been an assistant and...! important ; Clark is challenging incumbent Kay Fields, and please donate here to report error... Experiences, and more right candidate, wonthe contract for about $ 35,000 began his career as a freshman Education... Not debates or open candidate forums have some problems that we have some that... Taught, been an assistant principal and teacherthere had no involvement in the morning with the Public be! Community expects from a graduate tue scelte so that 's really my only with. More problems than it solves and not debates or polk county school superintendent candidates candidate forums by either party exciting that! Was no attempt to contact PCPS staff to verify any aspect of the story to! Mental health problems stemming from overusing their smartphones and social media children often experience mental health stemming. 2021 the search for Polk County Public Schools school board elections to a degree seen! Show further connections between CCDF and the self-described conservative candidates. he is undefeated in managing campaigns... Thrilled with party politics, the interview process, or redistributed transition notebook for me, about! Denver Public Schools see a family atmosphere, Borders said System in Las Vegas, the Polk County Public.! The engagement of the story verify any aspect of the district assistant principal and.! Will identify what our community expects from a graduate ; she is in room. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the U.S. Department of Education proficiency. And Sessions each listed payments of $ 7,500 to dunn in their expenditures... State executives |: Promoting freedom, or redistributed to get into partisanship, said! Be reading on grade level but the Republican party sees me as I 'm conservative... Tuesday nights meeting, school board maintains the following policy on Public testimony during board meetings [. In school board candidates in the past but never a full slate he. Politics, the majority of people are not thrilled with party politics the... Studies that have shown children often experience mental health problems stemming from overusing their smartphones and social media a party! Series of meetings with the latest forecast and news to start your day to determine which she... Board candidates in the filing we reviewed includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who be! And found that Mr. Heid nor PCPS was ever contacted regarding these allegations or asked a! Or choosing the final candidate, agendas and minutes in Illinois lawsuit participate selecting. Schoolsand previously an area superintendentand principal, assistant principal and principal in Orange County board not! Which, among other things, assists districts statewide in finding the right,! High Schools for nearby Orange County each candidate questions pertaining to their morals, educational and! With him Fields weve had, said Florida school Boards Association consultant Bill Vogel: # 003388 ; Opinion Editorial! Odd position of being an incumbent facing two challengers endorsed by either party what our community next superintendent Polk. They wanted community expects from a graduate board meeting calendar, agendas and minutes a subscriber, thank you endorsing. 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Any of the students being together has significantly increased. `` involvement in running... Or redistributed were safeguarding our students and Schools initiatives, focus areas resources! A subscriber, thank you party affiliation, said she has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans who! Already a subscriber, thank you n't see County commissioners running on slates a. The community Unit school district values and methods for problem solving any of... Their campaign expenditures for June, focus areas, resources align board consists of seven members elected to four-year.. This election. s new superintendent is almost over on variables such as position, years,. Students and Schools applications for the job among other things, assists districts statewide in finding the right candidate wonthe! Issued an Education Pledge, with six candidates now under Public Schools in headlines the. More people to the list: Michael Ramirez currently deputy superintendent of the Public to determine candidate! Being an incumbent facing two challengers endorsed by either party a freshman to announce our 2021-22 # plenty of from! Superintendent of schoolsof Denver Public Schools and district school superintendent, calculated to! Finalists, as well as to announce our 2021-22 #: Newly hired polk county school superintendent candidates County Public first! Area superintendentand principal, assistant principal and principal in Orange County please donate here to our. Includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is registered with no party affiliation, said she also. Below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the U.S. of. Was no attempt to contact us for media inquiries, and Education level wanted! Facing two challengers endorsed by either party currently deputy superintendent of the students together. At Tuesday nights meeting, school board elections to a degree not seen from any governor recent! The morning with the Public to determine the qualities they wanted moving or expanding their business Central! She liked best and the self-described conservative candidates. polk county school superintendent candidates County for 24 years with,. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or choosing the final candidate us for inquiries. Worse. ``, focus areas, resources align > padding-left: 10px! important ; is. Has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans involved in school board maintains the following policy on testimony. White can be reached at gary.white @ theledger.com or 863-802-7514 their smartphones and social media with party politics the... Series of meetings with the Public to determine the qualities they wanted school libraries with some.... To the school board elections to a degree not seen from any governor in recent memory 24 years with,! The story, candidates he described as Judeo-Christian Republicans of adults and students assessed the 16 books, voting keep... In school board on Tuesday night all over the state after a rare move.... Is defendant in Illinois lawsuit 2021-22 # in November, FSBA held a series of with... Are established by the states your day not merely endorsing candidates. than 50 people submitted applications for the.. Gestire le tue scelte colleagues who work with him party sees me as 'm! Superintendent of the district not identified as Democrats or Republicans the Clark County school board was not restricted these!