Back to School

Headshot photo of Superintendent Fred Heid Dear PCPS parents and guardians,

Welcome to the 2023-24 school year!

I hope this message finds you in good health and happy spirits as we prepare for a new academic year filled with endless possibilities.

The first day of school for students will be Friday, Aug. 11.

We’ve spent the summer months getting ready for your children to return to a learning environment that is safe and nurturing.

Many of you have been eagerly awaiting the first day of school, and we share in your excitement. Our teachers and school staff have been working to ensure that your children receive the very best education and support help them grow into confident, well-rounded, and successful individuals.

As we start this new journey together, please know that we are counting on your partnership and collaboration more than ever. Your involvement is critical to shaping your child's academic path and social development. We encourage you to take an active role in their education by attending parent-teacher conferences, volunteering, and engaging in regular communication with your child's teachers and counselors.

Our schools have exciting activities and programs taking place throughout the year. These opportunities will enrich your child's school experience and help them develop vital skills that they'll need throughout life. We're confident that with your support and encouragement, we can bring out the very best in your child.

Working together, we can seize upon every chance to foster a passion for lifelong learning in our community’s youth.
Below are some important back-to-school updates that will help ease everyone into the new school year.

Sincerely,
Fred Heid
Superintendent
Polk County Public Schools

Extra Care Getting There

This year, we are kicking off a new public awareness campaign with the mission of keeping our kids safe as they travel to and from school.

Last year, there were several incidents of vehicles injuring students, including one student who lost his life. Many accidents are easily preventable if we all just avoid distractions and take extra care when traveling.

That’s why PCPS is urging everyone to practice Extra Care Getting There.

As part of the Extra Care Getting There campaign, all of our students will participate in special lessons filled with important tips to help them safely navigate our roadways, such as using crosswalks and staying off their phones.

However, all Polk County residents must do their part to improve safety.

We will be sharing additional safety tips throughout the year. Please remember to stay vigilant, especially as we begin a new school year. Never forget that there are more vehicles on Polk’s roadways than ever before!

Treat our school zones and surrounding areas like you would your own neighborhood. Drive slowly, be aware of your surroundings and stay focused on the road. Our lives depend on it.

School Safety

Last year, middle and high schools began conducting random searches of students for weapons and other dangerous items. This initiative was successful, and we have expanded the program by investing in new scanning technology.

In addition to handheld metal detector wands, we now also have walk-through devices. The process will be more efficient and increase the number of students who can be screened on campus. These walk-through devices will also be utilized at various sporting events.

We will continue to administer stricter penalties for students who make threats. We urge parents to help reinforce that this type of behavior is unacceptable and carries serious consequences. Threats will immediately lead to suspension, and students could also face expulsion from school and placement in an alternative education program. PCPS will work closely with law enforcement to investigate every incident thoroughly, which can lead to criminal charges.

We have many other security measures in place to keep our campuses safe. 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.

Transportation Call Center

Please remember that bus delays are common at the beginning of the school year, as students and drivers settle into their daily routines. PCPS and other school districts are also facing an ongoing shortage of drivers, which creates additional workload for our existing employees.

Our transportation call center will be available starting Monday, Aug. 7.

Parents who have bus-related questions and concerns may call 863-534-7300 from Monday, Aug. 7 until Friday, Aug. 18. The temporary call center will be staffed on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Please note: From 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. each day there will be a shift change. Calls will be answered but hold times could be longer than usual.)

Staff members will be able to provide help with all manner of transportation questions, including student bus numbers, stop times and locations, transportation eligibility, and bus delays. Families can also check Parent Portal (polkschoolsfl.com/quicklinks/parentportal) for student busing information.

Any delays longer than 30 minutes are posted to polkschoolsfl.com/studentsandparents/busdelays. Parents may also call 863-534-7300 throughout the school year to reach a dispatcher.

Attendance/Truancy

Chronic absenteeism remains one of our greatest challenges to academic achievement. Please help reinforce the importance of good attendance with your children. Research proves that students who regularly miss class easily fall behind in their studies.

If your child is experiencing chronic absenteeism, our Community Outreach Facilitators will reach out and conduct home visits. Their focus is to partner with families to develop strategies for getting students back into the classroom, or keeping them learning while they’re away.

COVID Procedures

It is important to remember that students and staff members should stay home if they have received a positive test for COVID.

Students and staff with who are positive for COVID can return to school when one of the following criteria are met:

Five days have passed since the day symptoms started, the person is fever-free for 24 hours and all other symptoms are improving -OR-
A person has a doctor’s note allowing them to return to school/work before five days have passed -OR-
A person has a negative COVID test and is asymptomatic.

Calculating Return to School Date:

To calculate your child’s return to school date, you will need the date your child’s symptoms started. If your student tested positive and has no symptoms, then you should use the date your child was tested.

The day your child’s symptoms start, or the date of your child tested positive, is Day zero. Then count five calendar days from Day zero. Your child may return to school on Day six.

Library and Classroom Books;

PCPS will open our library opt-out system from Aug. 7-18 for the fall semester.

This online tool, available through Parent Portal (polkschoolsfl.com/quicklinks/parentportal), allows families to control what books and media materials their children can access in their school and classroom libraries. Click here for a tutorial video with complete details.

PCPS families will be able to access the opt-out system beginning Monday, Aug. 7. The system will close on Friday, Aug. 18, and reopen again in January.

Please be advised that this is an annual process. Parents must make their opt-out selections each school year. Their selections do not automatically carry over from school year to school year

Hazel Health:

PCPS continues to work with Hazel Health, a telehealth provider for K-12 schools, to expand mental and physical health services for students. Hazel services are provided at no charge for all students at this time. With Hazel, students can immediately speak with a licensed medical professional or mental health clinician right from home or in school. For more information, visit polkschoolsfl.com/quicklinks/hazelhealth.