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District staff propose new and reclassified positions: Polk Education Foundation, guardians, IT and HVAC roles
Summary
District staff asked the board to approve multiple personnel adjustments: Polk Education Foundation upgrades, four school guardian 10‑month to 12‑month conversions, an IT reclassification and new cybersecurity analyst role, and several facilities/HVAC positions to address vacancies and preventive maintenance needs.
Polk County School District staff presented a package of proposed position changes on April 22 that would add or reclassify several roles across Polk Education Foundation, Information Systems & Technology, and Facilities & Operations.
Michael Pitts outlined the proposals. Under the Polk Education Foundation, two senior technician roles tied to an after‑school program would be upgraded to senior coordinator pay grades; the foundation will reimburse the district for the $39,088 salary/benefit increase. Other Polk Education Foundation position reporting lines were adjusted.
District staff proposed converting four school guardian positions from 10‑month to 12‑month appointments to reflect assignments based at district headquarters and year‑round needs; the additional salary/benefits cost is about $40,308 and would be paid from the general fund. Board members noted guardians’ pay levels; Pitts acknowledged the starting salary is roughly $32,000 and that compensation has not been adjusted since program inception.
In Information Systems and Technology, staff proposed unfunding a vacant SAP Basis administrator position and instead funding a LAN coordinator; the net savings on that swap is projected at approximately $8,116. Staff also proposed upgrading a computer support technician to a cybersecurity analyst (pay grade 19) at a modest incremental cost to align with market rates and retain cyber talent.
Facilities and Operations requests focused on HVAC staffing: two HVAC maintenance labor positions (to assist technicians and serve as a pipeline into skilled roles) and two HVAC preventative‑maintenance mechanic positions to increase routine servicing and reduce downtime. Staff also requested one senior coordinator for the construction department to support remodeling and project oversight. The facilities subtotal was about $336,966; combined new positions across departments would mean a general‑fund impact of $374,407 (total package $413,495 including the Polk Education Foundation reimbursed component).
Ending: Staff will present formal authorization for the positions at the May 6 board meeting; several board members asked clarifying questions about salary competitiveness and the contingency of grant‑funded roles.
