polk county school superintendent candidates

[1][2], The Polk County Public Schools school board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Board Meetings Access board meeting calendar, agendas and minutes. Sign up to receive messages from your school. From the communitys perspective, when a student graduates, what does that piece of paper really mean? He served on a panel that investigated the causes and failures of the school system and law enforcement leading up to the shooting that left 14 students and three staff members dead. 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. I don't ask staff and students party affiliation. It seems like the majority of people are not thrilled with party politics, the majority of voters, he said. We have to fulfill that expectation. All I ever ask for is transparency. The consensus of the board was to move forward with the seven candidates that were presented to us by the Citizens Screening Committee, said Cunningham. As parents of a student, one of the things I like about Polk is the variety provided, especially academies, he said. Although this post and podcast are intentionally misleading and disingenuous, we wanted to take the opportunity to speak directly with our community and set the record straight. 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. A district spokesperson said the survey, called a "Thought Exchange," will help board members decide if and when they will hold a workshop to discuss the cell phone policy. 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. Sometimes that involves give and take. Are we considering all opinions, concerns? J.C. Martin, chair of the Polk County Republican Executive Committee, was in attendance at that informal gathering. City commission and judicial elections are also free of partisan labels, while candidates in races from the county commission through the Florida Legislature and Congress runas party members. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk public schools statement on hiring Frederick Heid, Lindsay Sharp, Newly hired Polk County Schools employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit, Polk public schools statement on hiring Frederick Heid, Lindsay Sharp. A proposition does not include items wherever found on the agenda upon which the Board votes in its quasi-judicial capacity. In February 2016, she was sworn in as superintendent of Polk County Public Schools. Id rather be proactive, not reactive. To win the office . He worked as an adjunct professor in the educationalleadershipdepartment at Barry University for eight years. The board enlisted the services of the Florida School Boards Association and the Polk County Sheriffs Office to assist with background checks on all PCPS superintendent candidate finalists. The deadline was Jan. 31. Reached by phone, Nolte said he did not have time to talk. READ: Outstanding educators in Hillsborough County get surprise visit from superintendent, "It has definitely grown over the years as the use of [cell phones] has grown," Crumbley said. More: Meet the finalists for Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year. Cliccando su Accetta tutto accetti che Yahoo e i suoi partner possano trattare i tuoi dati personali e utilizzare tecnologie come i cookie per mostrarti annunci e contenuti personalizzati, per la misurazione degli annunci e dei contenuti, per l'analisi del pubblico e per lo sviluppo dei prodotti. Price said DeSantis' attempt to influence school board elections shows that he is "power hungry" and wants to control all levels of government in Florida. "There have been some situations where some pranks, so to speak, have been pulled during class time or during passing times in the schools and, talk about disruption, the school has to stop, potentially [go on] lock down.". We want to emphasize that Dunn is a paid campaign consultant and should not be viewed as an impartial observer in this matter. To provide some context, the post was created by a blogger, David Gornoski, who subsequently featured James Dunn on the podcast. [6][7][8], table#officeholder-table th, td { padding:5px; font-size: 16px; } Previously, she was the chief of staff for the Clark County School System in Las Vegas, the nations fifth largest school district. Promoting freedom, or 'anti-democratic' group? .bptable.gray th { background:#4c4c4c;color:#fff; }, Elections are held on a staggered basis in the November general election.[9]. Thursday was the second day of two-hour interviews and a district tour for each of the five finalists. Polk County School Board members do not oversee the selection of textbooks,though they vote to approve the materials used in schools. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. Whoever is chosen will oversee the seventh largest district in Florida with at least 105,000 students and 13,000 employees, including 7,000 teachers. Heid has served as superintendent of the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois, since 2014. The school board conducted a special work session on Tuesday morning (click here for the video) to discuss and plan upcoming aspects of the search, including community tours for finalists and various in-person and virtual opportunities for the public to meet with them. 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.. It is a reality of elections that some citizens scan their ballots and automatically vote for every candidate with either a D or an R beside their name. Were not perfect. Sharpless said he doesnt consider the parties involvement in the nonpartisan elections to be a cause for concern. So, I mean, it makes sense for them to get behind a conservative.. Download it here. Heid previously held the title of chief academic officer at Duval County Public Schools, bureau chief school improvement at the Florida Department of Education and principal positions at Orange County Public Schools, according to his resume. We are supporting candidates that will put children and their families first and be respectful of all members of our community.. 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. Nine candidates are competing Tuesday for a chance to be Chicago's next mayor. At Tuesday nights meeting, school board members voted unanimously to keep seven candidates in the running for the position. Click here for more information Community Resources The school board went above and beyond the norm when hiring Mr. Heid. Learn the measures were taking to operate more efficiently. Jennifer Wilson, 70,aretired music teacherand Title I coordinator, attended all the meetings and took notes. Tax County: School School Board: County Circuit Court; Appraiser of Elections; Collector Sheriff; . : Promoting freedom, or 'anti-democratic' group? The students are interacting, they play games at lunch, they're talking to each other. U.S. President | 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. 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. text-align: center; Jewett said most states hold nonpartisan elections for school boards. The party held a fundraiser in May for the four originally endorsed candidates, charging a minimum contribution of $1,000 per couple. While Ramirez and Hickman played roles in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting aftermath, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd did not advocate for either one of them Thursday. PCPS reviewed this allegation and found that Mr. Heid had no involvement in the hiring of Mrs. Sharp. @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) { Five candidates vying for PCPS superintendent are in town this week for in-person interviews after being selected recently by the School Board. 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. 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.. The school board will review these responses and meet on April 13 to decide who should become finalists for in-person interviews. 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. We havetoo much evidence that thats really how it works best.. Antoine HickmanCurrently the chief of student support initiatives and recovery for Broward County Public Schools, providingthe strategic management and coordination ofcommunity resources forthe nations sixth largest school district. More: Polk Superintendent Byrd confirms she's retiring in February. I represent all constituents. Polk County Public Schools strives to reduce its energy footprint. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached atkmoore@theledger.comor 863-802-7514. Goal #1 His plan starts at the end: Developing a portrait of a graduate. 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. How to vote | Polk County Public Schools is a school district in Florida. 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. [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. Id like to see that flourish, he said. But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. First, we built an amazing team. State legislature | 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. Theres no room for second place. CCDFs podcast recently featured an interview with James Dunn, who serves as campaign manager for Clark, Nolte and Sessions. Byrdssuccessor is scheduled to be selected at the April 27board meeting. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. 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. Seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the next superintendent of Polk County Public Schools! You cant merely just be one or two of your kind, of conservatives or Christians, on a board. Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. Neither report revealed anything of concern. Federal courts | The local Democratic Party eventually responded by announcing its preferred School Board candidates. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County School Board elections see political parties take larger roles. You know, the whole article on the math books, how race is being entered into math books. He holds a bachelors degree in secondary education from Southeastern University and a masters in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. Be in Good Company with top employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida. He points to two areas hes most proud of from his time as superintendent of District 300 in Algonquin, Illinois. On Tuesday evening, the School Board is expected to vote in favor of hiring one of the following candidates: Harold Border current chief ofOrange CountyHigh Schoolsin Florida; Frederick Heid current superintendent, Community Unit School DistrictinAlgonquin, Illinois; James McIntyre, Jr. assistantprofessor ofpracticeanddirectorof theCenter for Educational Leadershipat theUniversity of TennesseeinKnoxville; Michael Ramirez deputysuperintendent ofDenver Public Schoolsin Colorado; Nakia Towns deputysuperintendentofHamilton CountySchools inChattanooga, Tennessee. Because when I look at a student, I don't see a student being a Republican or Democrat. I think one of the things that's unfortunate is that we're even having to get into partisanship, Fields said. Wilson said they are looking for someone with financial experience, who can lobby Tallahassee for more funding and find areas in thedistrictsnearly $2 budget where money could be better spent. When candidates werent being interviewedWednesday and Thursday, they were being driven around thesprawling county to see school sites, other popular spots everything fromfromLake Mirror to LEGOLAND along with booming areas like Davenport, which has two new school buildings going up. The COVID-19 vaccines are no different. The Polk County Public Schools school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[10]. Contributionrecords show further connections between CCDF and the self-described conservative candidates. Martin also cited the whole concept of social engineering, suggesting that Polk County schools are devoting more attention to social issues than to the basics of education. Some might be discouraged if it just becomes a more overtly partisan position.. Martin mentioned the challenged books, saying local Republicans are unhappy with the school districts response. 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. The search for Polk Countys new superintendent is almost over. He has also undergone training in education leadership at Harvard and Yale universities. In the interest of transparency, we are sharing the following response with our community. We all have to come to a consensus on things. Polk County High School Lori Connett. The Republican Party is committed to making certain that we restore our schools to the functions that they were meant to be, which is teaching our children reading, writing and arithmetic, and keeping all of the other stuff, if you will, out of our schools, out of the curriculum, Dunn said. Kimberly Reicks, a well-known Iowa right-wing activist and Gov. For instance: Should they be innovative, civic-minded, energetic? Dunn and Republicans are portraying the incumbents up for re-election Fields, Fortney and Miller as extremists. Fields identifies herself as a Christian and often speaks of her faith at School Board meetings. Polk County Public Schools, like all other districts in Florida, does not teach Critical Race Theory, a college-level study of how racism and discrimination have historically intersected with American legal and government policies. Weve invested a lot so far. It was really important to me that we honor the work that they put in.. Cumbley expects a workshop to occur after board members see the results of the survey. The panel will present the seven finalists to the School Board on Tuesday night. The School Board recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. "Our teachers are able to teach content more. Goal #2 Continue to improve relationships with partners. The search had been narrowed down to five ahead of Tuesday's vote. CDC relaxes guidelines for wearing masks outdoors, Turnout low as Johnson & Johnson vaccine returns in Florida, Biden to sign $15 minimum wage for federal contract workers, Investigation: Derek Chauvin held a teenager down prone for 17 minutes, Former Bucs, FSU linebacker Geno Hayes dies at 33, Pandemic creates a plethora of mental health jobs, Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter. background-color: #6db24f; Price called that practice unethical. Being an NPA candidate and talking about issues that are currently happening in our school districtis not what is currently going on, Miller said. The push for change doesnt stop until every target area reaches 100%. 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. The thought is that a lot of the issues historically shouldn't necessarily have a partisan edge but instead should be just local.. That claim mirrors DeSantis campaign against woke ideology and the Legislatures passage this year of the Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed Dont Say Gay by critics. 70, aretired music teacherand Title I coordinator, attended all the meetings and took notes re-election... Of textbooks, though they vote to approve the materials used in Schools at lunch they. District in Algonquin, Illinois, since 2014 Sheriff ; board will review responses... These responses and Meet on April 13 to decide who should become finalists for County! Is that we 're even having to get into partisanship, Fields said in. 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