Polk Schools Hiring New Teachers Soon

Here's something that didn't seem certain not long ago: The Polk County School District plans to start hiring teachers soon.

Prospective teachers should start checking the district's Web site today, said Ron Ciranna, assistant superintendent of human resources. The Web site is www.polk-fl.net.

"I would start checking on a daily basis after the Memorial Day weekend," Ciranna said in an e-mail.

Next school year, Polk County's largest employer, with about 6,500 teachers among its nearly 13,000 employees, plans to hire between 200 and 300 new teachers.

Last week, after months of financial uncertainty, the district filled 160 positions for displaced "priority one" teachers who have more than four years in the district. Once spots for the remaining 36 "priority one" teachers are found, the district will begin looking for jobs for 85 annual contract teachers.

Those teachers have three or fewer years in the system, received good reviews, but will be terminated because of low enrollments at their current schools.

All of those teachers are expected to be rehired, Ciranna has said.

New teachers will replace those who failed to meet the mission and vision of the school and the district, and those who do not receive their certification.