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PCPS Back to School Guide 2022-2023 School Year

Important Back-to-School Updates for 2022-2023

As we get ready to go back into the classroom, we’ve got some important news and information to share. PCPS has been working hard to get everything ready for classes to resume. We look forward to seeing everyone on Aug. 10!

 

GUÍA DE REGRESO A LA ESCUELA
GID POU RETOUNEN LEKÒL
School Safety Library & Media Materials Opt-Out Process Covid Policies School Attendance School Performance Summary Important Departments/Contacts

SCHOOL SAFETY

Our primary mission is to provide a high-quality education to every child, but this is only possible when our campuses are safe and secure. PCPS works closely with our local law enforcement partners to ensure the well-being of our students and staff.

Over the years, we’ve made numerous improvements to our security procedures. Here are just a few:

  • All schools have security cameras throughout their campuses.
  • All schools are secured daily to prevent trespassers.
  • Schools have front door security systems to restrict access to the campus.
  • Schools have one or more armed and extensively trained school resource officers (traditional law enforcement officers), or school safety guardians (district employees trained by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office).
  • All school have lockdown alert systems.
  • School and district staff complete a variety of scenario-based training (e.g., tornado, fire, evacuation, lockdown, or act of violence) every year.
  • School staff and students conduct safety drills every year to ensure they know what to do in the event of an emergency.
  • Students and staff are required to wear their ID badges daily.

While we have great systems and training in place, we must always look for opportunities to improve. One new security measure will be implemented this year for students attending secondary schools.

Beginning this fall, our middle and high schools will regularly conduct random searches of students for weapons and other dangerous items prohibited by our Code of Conduct.

We must deploy every reasonable option to ensure our campuses are safe, and random screenings are a common deterrent used by other school districts.

Over the summer, we worked closely with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to train our administrative staff, and to ensure that all schools have the necessary resources to support this initiative.

Here are some key points about the screenings:

  • ALL screenings are done randomly.
  • Schools will vary the screening location on campus, the time when the screening takes place and the frequency of a screening. For instance, a school might select every fifth student who enters the main building upon arrival in the morning.
  • School and district staff will conduct the screenings.
  • Law enforcement will NOT conduct the screenings, but they will be present should dangerous or illegal items be found.
  • Screening involves the use of a metal detector wand.
  • Bags and purses are also subject to screening.
  • Schools will send out an automated telephone call to let families know when a random screening was conducted on campus.
  • Students cannot refuse to be screened; refusal may result in disciplinary action.

We are also taking another important step to stop students from making threats of violence against classmates, teachers, staff or schools in general.

We will be using stricter penalties to deter students from making careless threats that create unnecessary fear and anxiety, as well as waste the time of our school staff and law enforcement officers.

Any student who makes such threats – whether verbal, written or posted on social media — will face stricter disciplinary action. Threats will immediately lead to suspension, and students could also face expulsion from school and placement in an alternative education program.

PCPS will continue to work closely with law enforcement to investigate every incident thoroughly, which can lead to criminal charges.

We must take every threat seriously — it doesn’t matter if a student is joking or simply making an outburst. Please speak with your children and reinforce that this type of behavior is unacceptable, and carries serious consequences.

LIBRARY & MEDIA MATERIALS OPT-OUT PROCESS

Polk County Public Schools has developed a new online tool that allows parents and guardians to control what books and media materials their children can access in their school’s library.

As you may know, school districts in Florida and nationwide have received challenges questioning whether some library books’ content is inappropriate for students.

Earlier this year, PCPS was asked to review 16 books. The district developed a process to thoroughly evaluate each book.

Two book review committees were created to make recommendations about whether the books should be retained and, if so, what grade level was appropriate. Committee members represented educators, community stakeholders, mental health experts, parents and even high school students.

The committee members read each book and held meetings to discuss them. In the end, the committees recommended that all books be retained with some slight changes to their grade-level/school-level placement.

PCPS is committed to empowering parents and guardians to make the decision about whether their children can access these or any other books in their school library.

The Library & Media Materials Opt-Out Process was created over the summer and gives parents and guardians a convenient way to see a list of all materials available through their child’s school library, and they can “opt out” of any books that they find objectionable.

For opt-out instructions, please watch our video tutorial outlining this new tool.

The opt-out feature ensures that your child does not have access to any materials that you find objectionable. Please note the following:

  • Parents and guardians will have two opportunities each year to complete the opt-out process. One opportunity takes place in August, and the other takes place in December.
  • If this process is not completed by the specified date, the system will default to allowing your child to have access to all media materials at their school.
  • If a student changes schools or is newly enrolled into the school district, their parents and guardians will have 10 business day (14 calendar days) to make their opt-out selections.
  • Parents and guardians should contact their school’s media staff or school administrators for any additional assistance.
  • Only custodial parents can complete the opt-out. If a parent has custodial rights and cannot see the book list, they will need to contact the school’s terminal operator for assistance linking their account.