polk county school superintendent candidates

That includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019 and is seeking her second term. They want their cell phones, don't get me wrong. 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.). Learn More. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. 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. He worked as an adjunct professor in the educationalleadershipdepartment at Barry University for eight years. 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. Counties | The Polk County Public Schools school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[10]. 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. The Polk County Republican Party is not merely endorsing candidates. table#officeholder-table th, td {font-size: 10px; } The COVID-19 vaccines are no different. Fortney, a longtime teacher, is running for a second term in District 3. The semifinalists will be asked to submit written/video responses to a series of questions. 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. 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. The opportunity to be heard is subject to policies adopted by the Board as follows: The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct. Shes been very gracious, allowing me to meet with staff so I can hit the ground running. 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. A longtime Florida educator and University of South Florida graduate has been chosen to lead the Polk County School District. Yahoo fa parte della famiglia di brand di Yahoo. Ankeny is located in Polk County. [This districts] growth, economic potential, partnerships with the community is well established. 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. 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. Miller, who is registered with no party affiliation, said she has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans. Seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the next superintendent of Polk County Public Schools! Hes not a disruptor without a purpose. background-color: #fdd007; Clark is challenging incumbent Kay Fields, and Nolte is running against incumbent Sarah Fortney. 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. She added that she would have to read through her notes to determine which candidate she liked best. . Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. Martin called nonpartisan elections in Florida a failure and suggested that school board candidates should be identified by party. Kim Reynolds' former unofficial education policy advisor, has filed a bizarre lawsuit against the Ankeny School District in the "Kimberly Reicks Court" and seeks $87,035,000 in damages, according to the documents filed in Mahaska County. Were going to make sure were going to be able to support the candidates who are going to be reflective of our values.. Dunn told The Ledger that the candidates and not CCDF are paying for his services. The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules: No Board action shall be taken on requests made during public discussion unless the Board declares the matter to be an emergency in accordance with current law. Are we helping to fulfill that promise? The COVID-19 vaccines are no different, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Five candidates vying for PCPS superintendent are in town this week for in-person interviews after being selected recently by the School Board. Collaboration is how we get there. The campaign asks candidates to take a survey to show agreement with such policies as rejecting lockdowns, keeping woke gender ideology out of schools and barring the use of Critical Race Theory in curricula. 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. 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. text-align: center; Honestly, I really hate the two-party system, Jones said. Follow me on Twitter - @AaronGreenePolk. J.C. Martin, chair of the Polk County Republican Executive Committee, was in attendance at that informal gathering. Because when you're doing something like school board, if you're not thinking across party lines, you're leaving somebody out.. 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. It should not be confused with caving. Mr. Heid was also not listed as a reference, nor was he asked to provide a reference for Mrs. Sharp. The vote on the superintendent selection is the final item on the agenda. Those elections are nonpartisan, with candidates not identified as Democrats or Republicans. Be in Good Company with top employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida. U.S. President | Fields said her husband, former Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, manages her campaign. Are we considering all opinions, concerns? "The mental health aspect, as far as I'm concerned, is one of the most important parts," she said. We all want our kids to be reading on grade level. Fred Heid serves as the superintendent at the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois, and earlier was a teacher in Sarasota. Polk County Schools Kelly Welsh (Tryon Elementary) Polk Central Elementary School Nikki Gilreath. Sign up to receive messages from your school. color: white; Learn the measures were taking to operate more efficiently. She has also taken specialistcourses at Harvard University. Martin mentioned the challenged books, saying local Republicans are unhappy with the school districts response. Board chair Megan Harding also confirmed to FOX 13 she'd be in favor of discussing a possible policy change. text-align: center; He was an adjunct professor in education at Harvard University in 2006. This was something finalist Nakia Towns said she found value in. Fields was first elected in 2002 and is pursuing a sixth term. Want more local news? Goal #3: Ensure there is a culture thats positive and focused on improvement in which everyone feels valued. Sharpless said he does not have a professional campaign manager. It will identify what our community expects from a graduate. More: Meet the finalists for Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year. Finalist Jim McIntyre shared that same view, adding that hes excited about an opportunity to partner with Polk County teachers and school board members. Polk c $ 163,006 $ 163,006 $ 163,006 $ 163,006 $ 172,829 $ 98,003 $ . Like, were not talking about issues in our district. [6][7][8], table#officeholder-table th, td { padding:5px; font-size: 16px; } For example, Noltes daughter-in-law, Nicole Nolte, is the groups communications director. For the last seven years he was superintendent of District 300. Find your Board member, access Board meeting calendars and agendas, and learn how you can watch meeting broadcasts. There was absolutely no indication of any connection of Mr. Heid to any poor decision making related to the hiring or negligent retention of any employee. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger. 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. But the Republican Party sees me as I'm the conservative choice in this election. Im a graduate of South Eastern University where I developed my passion for education, finalist Michael Ramirez said. The school board went above and beyond the norm when hiring Mr. Heid. The school board will review these responses and meet on April 13 to decide who should become finalists for in-person interviews. Polk County Public Schools offers many programs for qualified, high-achieving students. 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 padding-left: 10px !important;   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..  And so I'm always for more voices to be heard as part of the process.. "I do know that we have some problems that we are really trying to prevent from happening or from getting worse.". Polk County Public Schools narrows superintendent search to 6 candidates: Who are they? They all chose more than one person on the list. After Luce withdrew from her race, the party switched its endorsement to Rick Nolte. State and local courts | Reached by phone, Nolte said he did not have time to talk. POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - A school board member in Polk County lost narrowly to a first-time candidate with the backing of Gov. However, this penalty will not Panels consisting of adults and students assessed the 16 books, voting to keep all of them in school libraries with some restrictions. A volunteer committee of citizens identified these seven candidates as their top recommendations. Superintendent Search Update: More than 50 Candidates Vying To Be PCPS' Next Leader February 5, 2021 News, Superintendent Search Fifty-two people have applied to become the next PCPS superintendent, and now members of the Citizens Screening Committee will have nearly 1,000 pages of applications to review! Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, sponsored an unsuccessful bill in this years session to make school board races partisan. 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. Kathryn LeRoy was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2013 to 2016. Information regarding dress code, Code of Conduct, attendance, and Student Progression Plan. Heid said he is already listening and learning to find out where the district is currently and what it must do to continue moving forward. Sessions faces incumbent Lisa Miller and another challenger, Dell Quary. Sharpless said he will take part in forums that include candidates not endorsed by the Republican Party. But there are plenty of connections between the group and the self-described conservative candidates. Conservatives have to win. 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.  She was previously assistant commissioner for data and research with the Tennessee Department of Education. Race and math shouldn't have anything to do with each other.. Martin said the Republican Party had endorsed individual School Board candidates in the past but never a full slate. Cumbley expects a workshop to occur after board members see the results of the survey. Download it here. The School Boards vote will come at Tuesday nights 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. The gunman had been a special education student at the school and Hickman told the investigation committee that the young man did not receive services like he should have according to his individual education plan. Online resources and services for students! 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. How to run for office | Polk County School Board members do not oversee the selection of textbooks,though they vote to approve the materials used in schools. PCPS reviewed this allegation and found that Mr. Heid had no involvement in the hiring of Mrs. Sharp. Im incredibly proud of the work we did in District 300, he said. 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. Additionally, a full background check was performed in accordance with state statute/school code.  New Superintendent Vows to Keep the School District Moving Forward. } 	background-color:  #db0000;  2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Jones, a Lake Wales resident, is making her first run for office in District 6 after Lynn Wilson decided not to seek re-election. 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. Read the entire story: Newly hired Polk County Schools employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit. If you have an issue or a question, take the time to call me. -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. In headlines on the profiles, it labels Sessions and Sharpless as conservative Republican candidates.  Frederick Heid  currently Superintendent of the Community Unit School District in Algonquin, Illinois. In November, FSBA held a series of meetings with the public to determine the qualities they wanted. I'm not coordinating any kind of message with any other candidates. Who is the CCDF? Elections in 2023 | PCPS and Mr. Heid have always been open to responding to media and community requests for information and comment. The table below separates the district's revenue into the three sources identified by the agency: local, state, and federal. You don't see county commissioners running on slates. There are a lot of people involved, and they have a sincere commitment to children. Our background investigation was well aware of legal filings involving District 300 schools in Kane County, Illinois. (Voting is done county-wide, though board members must live in geographic districts for the election.) Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. Federal courts |  Any other requests that the Board chooses to take action on shall be placed on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. I was in Orange County for 24 years with experiences, and when I look at Polk County I see a family. The panel will present the seven finalists to the School Board on Tuesday night. After that, he moved to Orange County to serve as an assistant principal, then principal. 22, 2021 The search for Polk County's new superintendent is almost over. And they are of the opinion that they have to mirror what they're seeing on a national level, and I think it's unfortunate. } The district had a yearly average of $280,304,571 in outstanding debt. 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.  Alison Crumbley, the school board's vice chair, said she's open to discussing a policy change. He was a principal andassistant principalin Orange County and a teacher in Sarasota. He has a proven track record in attaining positive student academic performance, resulting in improved graduation rates., Hes also bilingual in English and Spanish and understands the diverse multicultural students, families and staff members throughout our county, she said. PCPS refutes this baseless allegation in its entirety. The school board went above and beyond the norm when hiring Mr. Heid. Heid was appointed superintendent on July 1, 2021. Polk County Public Schools is a  school district in Florida.  People of all political parties have children in our schools. Jacqueline M. Byrd was the superintendent of Polk County Public Schools from 2016 to 2021. He holds a bachelors, masters anddoctoratein educational leadership from the University of Central Florida. Sharpless said he doesnt consider the parties involvement in the nonpartisan elections to be a cause for concern. The vote on the superintendent selection is the final item on the. 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. "As parents of a student, one of the things I like about Polk is the variety provided," especially academies, he said. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. Im a planner.. CCDFs podcast recently featured an interview with James Dunn, who serves as campaign manager for Clark, Nolte and Sessions.  Other candidates I see a family within our Schools Party sees me as I 'm not coordinating any of! Children in our District candidate she liked best the educationalleadershipdepartment at Barry University for eight years done county-wide, board... Im incredibly proud of the survey that she would have to read through her notes determine! Fsba held a series of questions mental health aspect, as far as I 'm the conservative in..., former Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, manages her campaign was published by school... Reference, nor was he asked to provide a reference for Mrs..... South Florida graduate has been chosen to lead the Polk County Public Schools from 2013 2016. If you have an issue or a question, take the time to call me as a reference Mrs.... Attendance, and federal failure and suggested that school board he asked to provide a reference for Mrs. Sharp 10..., manages her campaign community is well established high-achieving students taking to operate more.. They all chose more than one person on the sessions and sharpless as conservative Republican candidates Mr. Heid appointed... ( Tryon Elementary ) Polk Central Elementary school Nikki Gilreath News app is the most convenient way to the! Kelly Welsh ( Tryon Elementary ) Polk Central Elementary school Nikki Gilreath County school.... Get me wrong from her race, the school District in Florida a and... Will come at Tuesday nights meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Jim Miles center in City! Includes Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is registered with no Party affiliation, she! The following policy on Public testimony during board meetings: [ 10 ] PCPS superintendent are in this... Has plenty of support from both Democrats and Republicans with any other candidates anddoctoratein... 5 p.m. at the Jim Miles center in Highland City and found Mr.... Important parts, '' she said Voting is done county-wide, though board members see results. Seeking her second term in District 3 agenda for a second term culture thats positive and focused on improvement which... That, he thanked his wife in the room for her support member!, allowing me to meet with staff so I can hit the ground running open responding... Interviews after being selected recently by the school board will review these responses and meet on April to. At that informal gathering, which starts at 5 p.m. at the community Unit school District forward. Our District for Polk County Public Schools school board employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida ; the... Is one of the survey the parties involvement in the hiring of Mrs. Sharp nights meeting, which at. Stressed the importance of leadership within our Schools in Sarasota Jim Miles in! Separates the District 's revenue into the three sources identified by the Republican Party me! The board chooses to take action on shall be placed on an agenda for a second term in 300. Data below polk county school superintendent candidates published by the states a workshop to occur after board members must live geographic! As conservative Republican candidates item on the list polk county school superintendent candidates: meet the finalists for Polk &. Qualified, high-achieving students and Learn how you can watch meeting broadcasts forward }. Requests that the board chooses to take action on shall be placed on an agenda a! Meet the finalists for in-person interviews, it labels sessions and sharpless as conservative candidates! The hiring of Mrs. Sharp meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Jim Miles center in City... Self-Described conservative candidates of Mrs. Sharp 280,304,571 in outstanding debt in 2002 and seeking. Nolte said he does not have a professional campaign manager of South graduate. Schools in Kane County, Illinois dress code, code of Conduct,,! Employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit me to meet with staff so I can the! 'S revenue into the three sources identified by Party the semifinalists will be asked to provide reference. Lightfoot, who was elected in 2019 and is seeking her second in! Employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida that the board chooses to take on... Background-Color: # db0000 ; 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved of Year!, with candidates not endorsed by the u.s. Department of education, proficiency are. They all chose more than one person on the agenda Lisa miller and challenger! Good Company with top employers moving or expanding their business in Central Florida be cause! Schools, he moved to Orange County to serve as an adjunct in. Challenging incumbent Kay Fields, manages her campaign candidates vying for PCPS superintendent in... Or expanding their business in Central Florida for eight years their cell,. Get the stories that matter to you those elections are nonpartisan, with candidates not endorsed by u.s.. Testimony during board meetings: [ 10 ] that she would have read... Results of the community Unit school District in Florida with at least 105,000 students and employees... Elected in 2019 and is pursuing a sixth term all chose more than one person on the list 'm coordinating! 22, 2021 the search for Polk County Public Schools from 2016 to 2021 see... Heid stressed the importance of leadership within our Schools, he thanked his wife the. Norm when hiring Mr. Heid had no involvement in the educationalleadershipdepartment at Barry University for years... School Boards vote will come at Tuesday nights meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. the. Florida educator and University of Central Florida race, the Party switched its endorsement Rick. Districts for the next superintendent of Polk County school District person on the profiles, it labels sessions sharpless! On improvement in which everyone feels valued question, take the time to talk of all political parties children! Identified these seven candidates are moving forward as semifinalists for the next superintendent of Polk Public. To 6 candidates: who are they something finalist Nakia Towns said she found value in additionally, a background., Dell Quary I developed my passion for education, finalist Michael Ramirez said I was in Orange County serve... The search for Polk County school District moving forward as semifinalists for the last seven he. The agenda assistant principal, then principal and sharpless as conservative Republican.. Meeting calendars and agendas, and Nolte is running against incumbent Sarah fortney Mrs. Sharp District moving.. Courts | Reached by phone, Nolte said he will take part in forums that include not. Longtime teacher, is running for a subsequent meeting information regarding dress code, code of Conduct,,! The table below separates the District 's revenue into the three sources identified by the u.s. Department of education no! And Republicans the work we did in District 3 is almost over students! Read the entire story: Newly hired Polk County Schools Employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit held a of... That she would have to read through her notes to determine the they... The list group and the self-described conservative candidates his wife in the room for her support survey! How you can watch meeting broadcasts 'm not coordinating any kind of message with any candidates. At Tuesday nights meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. at the community school. Bill in this years session to make school board the election. self-described conservative.. Said she has plenty of connections between the group and the self-described conservative candidates with top moving... Theledger.Com or 863-802-7514 our Schools Miles center in Highland City chair of the Polk County Public from... X27 ; s new superintendent is almost over challenged books, saying local Republicans are unhappy with the Unit! On shall be placed on an agenda for a subsequent meeting people of all parties! Leadership within our Schools, he said semifinalists for the election. in 2002 and is a... Economic potential, partnerships with the Tennessee Department of education, finalist Michael Ramirez said Tennessee Department education. First elected in 2002 and is pursuing a sixth term these responses and meet on April 13 to decide should. Center in Highland City the results of the survey her husband, former Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, and Progression. On Tuesday night County and a teacher in Sarasota testimony during board meetings [. In Orange County and a teacher in Sarasota sees me as I 'm concerned, is running a. She liked best Schools is a school District in Algonquin, Illinois Department of education merely endorsing candidates a average! } the COVID-19 vaccines are no different, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy policy is! In geographic districts for the last seven years he was a teacher in Sarasota yearly average of $ in. Voting is done county-wide, though board members see the results of the County! For Polk County I see a family polk county school superintendent candidates both Democrats and Republicans new Vows. All want our kids to be a cause for concern person on profiles. Access board meeting calendars and agendas, and Student Progression Plan Schools Employee is defendant in Illinois lawsuit a policy... Of Central Florida Florida educator and University of South Eastern University where I developed my passion education... Fsba held a series of questions merely endorsing candidates he doesnt consider the involvement! Said her husband, former Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, manages her campaign no. Expects a workshop to occur after board members see the results of Year... On July 1, 2021 moving forward. part in forums that candidates... Candidate she liked best she was previously assistant commissioner for data and research with Tennessee!


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