PCPS Department of ESE Instruction

09/04/2026

Congratulations 🎉

It’s a Focused on Excellence Friday!

Congratulations to our next winner: Darshee Hepburn, a clerk specialist with PCPS’ Exceptional Student Education (ESE) department.

“I love my job, because it allows me to use the knowledge I have gained from working in ESE to help anyone who has questions about our services,” she said. “I’m also proud to work with an incredibly supportive team of people who continually guide me, and help me grow inside and outside the office."

This was the sixth year of our Focused on Excellence campaign, which recognizes the hard work and contributions of PCPS employees. Once again, employees were asked to nominate their colleagues from various departments for a chance to receive some great prizes, and be featured on our communication channels.

Darshee received an EXCELLENT package of gifts made possible by our sponsors: A.D. Morgan, Camp Margaritaville Auburndale, Central Florida Development Council, Chick-fil-A Bartow, The Club at Eaglebrooke, ConnectED Polk, Dixie Southern Industrial, Inc., Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, IDX Brands, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union, Orlando Health, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Sign Gypsies, and T-Mobile.

Thank you Darshee for being such a dedicated member of the ESE team!

PCPS Department of ESE Instruction

09/02/2026

✨ So, what exactly is ESE Transition?

ESE Transition is all about helping students build the skills, confidence, and independence they need as they prepare for life after high school.

Our students learn through real-life, hands-on experiences focused on employment, independent living, community participation, communication, and personal growth. We’re also incredibly thankful for our local business and community partners who help provide meaningful opportunities for students to practice those skills in real-world settings! 💙

There’s so much that happens within the ESE Transition department, and we can’t wait to use this page to give you a closer look!

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

📚✨ESE Learning Labs are kicking off September 15!

Join us for our first session, “Charting Our Course,” as we dig into practical ways to align instruction and supports with grade-level expectations to strengthen student growth and success.

📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
📍 Spessard Holland Elementary – Media Center

These monthly Learning Labs are designed to be practical, collaborative, and immediately useful for supporting our ESE educators and the students we serve.

⚠️ Space is limited! Participants must register through NetConnect to secure a spot.

Come ready to learn, connect, empower, and excel as we kick off our 2026–2027 ESE Learning Lab series! 💙

08/26/2026

📣 TeachTown Virtual Summit Opportunity!

TeachTown is hosting a Virtual Summit for educators on September 24, featuring 7 live sessions focused on supporting learners from PreK through age 12+, navigating TeachTown solutions, hearing directly from users, and exploring resources including Polaris with enCORE!

This is a great opportunity for educators using TeachTown to build their knowledge, learn new strategies, and hear how others are putting the platform into practice.

📅 September 24
💻 Virtual Event
📲 Scan the QR code on the flyer to register!

08/26/2026

✨ Celebrating an Incredible Achievement! ✨

We are so proud to recognize Julianna Placido for her outstanding participation and achievement in the National APH Abacus Bee! 🧮🏆

The National Abacus Bee gives students who are blind or visually impaired the opportunity to showcase their mathematical skills, accuracy, confidence, and determination using the abacus and Julianna represented Polk County Public Schools beautifully.

Her hard work, perseverance, and commitment to excellence are truly worth celebrating. Please join us in congratulating Julianna on this amazing accomplishment! 💙

08/23/2026

📣 Families of students receiving ESE services, educators, advocates, and community members, your voice matters!

Join the Polk E.S.E. Advisory Council for its 2026–2027 meetings. These FREE events are open to the public and provide opportunities to connect, ask questions, share ideas, and learn about important topics.

🗓️ The first meeting will be held August 27, 2026, at Karen M. Siegel from 5:30–7:30 PM.

Please review the flyer for the complete meeting schedule and contact information.

08/22/2026

🎨 A Heart for Art! ❤️

Mrs. Jennings, our Assistant Director of Instruction, had a wonderful time representing the ESE Department today at Heart for Art, a beautiful celebration of the creativity and talent of Polk County students in grades K–12!

This is always such a special event, and seeing our students’ artwork proudly displayed is a wonderful reminder of the many ways they shine. ✨

The exhibit is currently open to the public, and admission is FREE! If you have the opportunity, stop by and enjoy the incredible work of our Polk County students.

❤️🎨 Celebrating creativity, student voice, and the artists behind every masterpiece!

08/21/2026

Today, our ESE instructional and compliance Department had the opportunity to welcome and support over 100 of our newest educators at New Teacher Orientation! 💙✨

We loved connecting with teachers, sharing resources, answering questions, and helping them feel a little more prepared as they begin their journey supporting students with exceptionalities.

We’re excited for the year ahead and grateful to be part of building strong, confident educators who are ready to make a difference.

Every student. Every day. 💙