Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. The opportunity to engage and champion our students to rejoin this amazing community and lead this school district as your next superintendent of schools., The school board will decide on Tuesday April 27th who will be Polk County Public Schools next superintendent. He points to two areas hes most proud of from his time as superintendent of District 300 in Algonquin, Illinois. School board elections. We are supporting candidates that will put children and their families first and be respectful of all members of our community.. A 3,000 acre mixed-use area connecting universities and established institutions with entrepreneurial entities such as startups and business accelerators. We have a template that Ive patented internally on how you win elections, Dunn said in the interview. His mother also lives with the family. 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. Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 1998 establishing that school board elections would be nonpartisan. Additionally, a full background check was performed in accordance with state statute/school code. Its not being taught directly, but it's being taught indirectly, Martin said. For purposes of the policy, a proposition is an item before the Board for a vote, and includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all items on the agenda noted as unfinished business, consent, and nonconsent. 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. FSBA, which, among other things, assists districts statewide in finding the right candidate,wonthe contract for about $35,000. And so I'm always for more voices to be heard as part of the process.. @BN9 @PolkSchoolsNews pic.twitter.com/z0zmfrIlxK. The COVID-19 vaccines are no different, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy currently an area superintendent for nearby Orange County Public Schools. Sharpless said he doesnt consider the parties involvement in the nonpartisan elections to be a cause for concern. 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. His name would not have been presented to the school board if there was any valid question related to his qualifications, integrity, or his care and concern for the safety, educational needs, and wellbeing of children under his care. In headlines on the profiles, it labels Sessions and Sharpless as conservative Republican candidates. LAKELAND The Polk County Public Schools citizens advisory committee on Thursday evening whittled 52 candidates who applied for school superintendent totheir topseven. I don't ask staff and students party affiliation. Follow me on Twitter - @AaronGreenePolk. It happened all over the state after a rare move by . 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. If not, please subscribe and help keep coverage of the most important local news coming. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. She has also been a vice president at Wells Fargo & Company and Bank of America. Shes been very gracious, allowing me to meet with staff so I can hit the ground running. #LeadershipMatters #NCSSA. The district one of the Top 30 largest in the U.S. announced more than 50 people submitted applications for the job. The four candidates have also received donations from leaders of the Winter Haven 9-12 Project, another conservative group. These background checks included searches for bankruptcies, liens/judgments, UCC filings, phone/email information, drivers License information, address, criminal records, sexual offenses, Florida accidents, and a professional license review. Polk County School Board elections:Campaign manager for 3 conservative Polk School Board candidates served prison time in Texas, Text message campaign:Texts falsely claimPolk School Board member is under criminal inquiry, Florida Gov. Their responses will be posted to the super search page. The Ledger asked the Florida Division of Elections whether that might be a violation of state election laws and had not received a determination by Wednesday afternoon. She said she and a group of people have been praying about this decision. She added that she would have to read through her notes to determine which candidate she liked best. There is nothing but opportunity here for us. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. But there are plenty of connections between the group and the self-described conservative candidates. Jackie has great support from the community, a feel for schools and appreciation. That dynamic is not unique to Polk County, said Aubrey Jewett, a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida. Tomorrow evening is the ceremony to celebrate the 10 finalists, as well as to announce our 2021-22 # . More than 50 people submitted applications for the job. PCPS and Mr. Heid have always been open to responding to media and community requests for information and comment. I look at problem-solving for the School District comprehensively. Sessions faces incumbent Lisa Miller and another challenger, Dell Quary. Some might be discouraged if it just becomes a more overtly partisan position.. Nine candidates are competing Tuesday for a chance to be Chicago's next mayor. 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.. Teachers: Polk teachers see a pay bump, but no raise for paraeducators or school staff, We believe we need a righteous leader someone who knows how to access the wisdom of God and will submit to that, Wilson said. Five Polk County Public Schools superintendent candidates in town for interviews, Polk schools' COVID-19 sick-time policy expires, leaving some employees in limbo, Kindergarten registration now open for Polk County schools, Polk teachers see a pay bump, but no raise for paraeducators or school staff, Editorial: All drugs come with risk. That puts everything else in itsproper place, even if it doesnt culturally appear to at first. It will identify what our community expects from a graduate. Superintendent of Schools Read biographical information about the Superintendent. View state and district assessments by grade level; includes tips on preparing for exams. Conservatives have to win. 2022-2023 Teachers of the Year. [This districts] growth, economic potential, partnerships with the community is well established. The Polk County Republican Party is using our children to advance an extreme, right-wing political agenda, Price said in a news release. Kimberly Reicks, a well-known Iowa right-wing activist and Gov. Jones, a Lake Wales resident, is making her first run for office in District 6 after Lynn Wilson decided not to seek re-election. Clicca su Gestisci impostazioni per maggiori informazioni e per gestire le tue scelte. Heid was appointed superintendent on July 1, 2021. 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 [] 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. Polk County Public Schools Sex education: Polk County School Board unanimously approves changes to curriculum, More on CCDF: Conservative group wants to inspect Polk election system. Byrd's previous career experience includes working as a teacher, principal, and district administrator. My resume is very well-rounded, the main reason Heid thinks he was selected to succeed Jacqueline Byrd, who is retiring. Previously, she was the chief of staff for the Clark County School System in Las Vegas, the nations fifth largest school district. 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. Heid has been working with Byrd in Polk County during the transition. The search has been on for almost a year since Superintendent Jacqueline M. Byrd announced her retirement last spring. Its about our ability to work collaboratively to better the School District., Although he believes in collaboration and transparency, they dont fully encompass all about me, he said. But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. Learn More. . You want individual candidates, and you want to know what their individual qualities are. [6][7][8], table#officeholder-table th, td { padding:5px; font-size: 16px; } Alison Crumbley, the school board's vice chair, said she's open to discussing a policy change. The party devotes space on its website to the four candidates it describes as conservative. For example, Noltes daughter-in-law, Nicole Nolte, is the groups communications director. Yahoo fa parte della famiglia di brand di Yahoo. Neither Mr. Heid nor PCPS was ever contacted regarding these allegations or asked for a response. Where are your tax dollars going?. Before Heid stressed the importance of leadership within our schools, he thanked his wife in the room for her support. 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. Box 391 During a private meeting with supporters at an Eagle Lake restaurant in April, the Republican governor blasted unnamed school board members he said were fighting against the values of parents., That has to end this year, DeSantis said. Ron DeSantis. 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. 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. A district spokesperson said the survey, called a "Thought Exchange," will help board members decide if and when they will hold a workshop to . Keep checking the super search page for the latest news and developments. 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. Crews still searching for cause of several derailed train cars in Bradenton, East Tampa community hears from teens on ways to curb gun violence, 10 Weather: Fog returns overnight, more warmth and sunshine to follow Thursday, Falcon 9 launches Crew-6 from Cape Canaveral. I think that leadership from the top is filtering down to local elections. 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. A primary election was scheduled for August 23, 2022. We want to emphasize that Dunn is a paid campaign consultant and should not be viewed as an impartial observer in this matter. Like, were not talking about issues in our district. Information for vendors and potential business partners, including purchasing and construction bids. This blog post and podcast appear to be politically motived and completely lacking in any kind of journalistic integrity. When a new superintendent is hired, the goal is to make it a smooth transition how would you help the educational community adjust to a new governing style with a new superintendent? asked Polk County school board member, Kim Fields. "Our teachers are able to teach content more. Judd chose four out of the top five candidates without comment. Hes learning what the district needs to emphasize to improve, such as graduation rates and reading and math proficiency scores, he said. The party held a fundraiser in May for the four originally endorsed candidates, charging a minimum contribution of $1,000 per couple. But the engagement of the students being together has significantly increased.". -Dr. Harold R. Border -Dr. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy -Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. -Michael J. Ramirez -Frederick R. Heid -Dr. T. Nakia Towns -Dr. Antoine L. Hickman On Tuesday evening, the Polk County School Board voted to accept these recommendations from the Citizens Screening Committee. @media only screen and (min-width: 600px) { text-align: center; The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to provide a high-quality education for all students. The Polk County Sheriff's Office did a complete and thorough background investigation for the Polk County School Board related to Mr. Heid, and I can assure you that he was fully vetted by our background investigation. J.C. Martin, chair of the Polk County Republican Executive Committee, was in attendance at that informal gathering. It takes time, it slows the process slightly, but you gain speed on the backside because implementation is smoother and all those questions are answered. The semifinalists will be asked to submit written/video responses to a series of questions. 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. | 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. Nakia Townscurrentlydeputy superintendent of Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The search had been narrowed down to five ahead of Tuesday's vote. "I do know that we have some problems that we are really trying to prevent from happening or from getting worse.". Cumbley expects a workshop to occur after board members see the results of the survey. Martin said the Republican Party had endorsed individual School Board candidates in the past but never a full slate. 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. The panel then approvedaddingtwo more people to the list: Michael Ramirez currently deputy superintendent of schoolsof Denver Public Schools. He worked as an adjunct professor in the educationalleadershipdepartment at Barry University for eight years. It seems like the majority of people are not thrilled with party politics, the majority of voters, he said. 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. Hes not a disruptor without a purpose. There are many issues with this post and podcast including: No attempt was made to verify the specifics of a lawsuit discussed in the post, or ascertain its current status. padding-right: 10px !important; 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. Miller said she was troubled by the Republican Partys promotion of an entire block of candidates. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. The school board will announce their decision on Tuesday April 27th. 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. They're students, and we represent all of them, no matter what their familys party affiliation is., She added: I think the whole situation in our country has really impacted us more than we realize on a local and state level. Learn about the history of Polk County Public Schools and the mission that is guiding it into the future. } Her board service has been under Superintendents Susan McCue, Bill Miller and Aaron Greene and under the leadership of Ann Whitmire and Geoff Tennant. Information on how to become an approved volunteer and other ways to support Polk County Public Schools. There's more socialization. More: Kindergarten registration now open for Polk County schools. Meet the finalists for Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year, Polk Superintendent Byrd confirms she's retiring in February, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. So, were going to be involved in school board races. After the interviews, the finalists visited schools to further their conversations with Polk County teachers. He has a hands-on servant leadership style and recognizes the importance of developing a culture of honesty and trust by timely communication with all internal and external stakeholders.. The local School Board has seen some of the same tumult at meetings as many others in Florida. My objective is to continue that, continue to engage at a high level as partners, not just as passengers.. It was really important to me that we honor the work that they put in.. color: white; He has served as Superintendent of the McDowell County Schools for 9 years. I trust him. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. 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. From a parents perspective, do kids get quality educational opportunities? Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. He has not endorsed any other School Board candidates, his office said. These online stories have been circulating on social media, and news media have asked PCPS for comment. Sheriff Grady Judd has also provided a statement to the chair of the school board, Sara Beth Wyatt, supporting Mr. Heid: It has come to my attention that a criticism has been made against the Polk School Board's background process related to the hiring of Superintendent Fred Heid. After Luce withdrew from her race, the party switched its endorsement to Rick Nolte. 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. The Polk Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that directly supports Polk County Public Schools. It should not be confused with caving. The CFDC seeks to provide updated, reliable information to all our stakeholders in Polk County. I was in Orange County for 24 years with experiences, and when I look at Polk County I see a family. (Voting is done county-wide, though board members must live in geographic districts for the election.) He also served as a principaland assistant principal in southwest Florida. He holds a bachelors degree in English from Boston College, a masters in education administration from Canisius Collegein Buffalo, New York, a masters in urban affairs from Boston University and adoctoratein public policy from the University of Massachusetts. 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. Most importantly for me, its about a family atmosphere, Borders said. Because when I look at a student, I don't see a student being a Republican or Democrat. 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.