Maintaining its five-year goal of putting Student’s First, Florence 1 Schools is recognized as a leader in providing innovative and creative ways to implement the best educational opportunities for its students. These leading practices have served to create models for other South Carolina school districts as demonstrated by new and piloted programs that have emulated F1S programs.
For example, Florence 1 Schools was among the first to implement the modified, year-round calendar, a model that is currently one of the fastest growing in our state. Florence 1 Schools was first to implement a paid parental leave program that includes biological, foster and adoptive parents. Under this policy, a full-time employee who gives birth is entitled to six weeks for paid parental leave after the child is born. An employee who does not give birth but is a co-parent, is eligible for two weeks for paid parental leave. Shortly thereafter, Governor Henry McMaster signed the law where South Carolina becomes the first state in the southeast to guarantee public school employees statewide paid leave for up to six weeks when they welcome a new child.
Florence 1 Schools has one of the state’s best financial ratings, stewardly maintaining twice as much money in the bank as required by law, an ongoing building program, as well as a diverse and growing student population. The achievements and unprecedented progress that have been experienced over the last several years were accomplished because Florence 1 Schools has made investments in its students and staff.
Most recently Florence 1 Schools passed its $191.1million dollar budget. Included in the $15.2 million dollar increase from last year’s budget is 9.4 million dollars in costs-related to increased security measures, increases for personnel and improved academic programs. Starting pay for both classroom assistants and bus drivers will be raised during the 2023-2024, bringing those positions up to $15 an hour and $15.26 an hour respectively. Special needs classroom assistants will be paid slightly higher with a starting rate of $15.60 an hour. All staff, outside of classroom assistants, school data managers and assistant principals who will receive increases specific to their positions, will receive $2,500 plus a step increase. The district will also continue to fund the local supplement for teachers, even though it is no longer a statewide requirement. During the upcoming school year, full-time armed security guards will be placed at each of the district’s thirteen elementary schools at a cost of $435,336. The 2023-2024 budget allows for improvements in mental health and wellness programs, academic programs, and upgrades to technology and district facilities.
Florence 1 Schools is rated third in the state’s graduation rate; among the top 20 largest districts in the state Florence 1 Schools is rated second. During the 2023-2024 school year graduates earned $25,786,071 in scholarships. Among these graduates were a Merit Finalist, a West Point appointee, 50 International Baccalaureate graduates, recipients of 344 Hope Scholarships, 263 Life Scholarships, and 53 Palmetto Fellowships. In addition, there were over 600 honor graduates, 15 military cord graduates, ten SC achievement honors, and sixteen students received associate of arts degrees from local institutions of higher learning.
In an effort to forge its own pathway and to combat the teacher shortage that is affecting not only Florence 1 Schools, but also districts across the country, Florence 1 Schools has applied for and received its own certification program, and has hired an Executive Director of Teaching and Learning making it the third district in the state to have a program designed to attract and retain quality teachers.
Florence 1 Schools has developed over 60 area partnerships. These meaningful partnerships include collaboration with two entities to benefit a local elementary school. The Medical University of South Carolina will provide art therapy services and an agreement with Hope-Health will provide a school-based health program at a local elementary school. The school will have access to a physician’s assistant, dental services, vision care and school-based therapy.
Moreover, a partnership with McLeod Health as well as other potential partners, has been initiated to create the School of Innovation for Healthcare that will educate students in the health sciences and thereby create healthcare employment opportunities for participating student along several different pathways.
In other innovative measures, Florence 1 schools held a grand community opening of the Farm at Florence 1 Schools which will serve as an epicenter for all things related to agriculture, sustainability, nutrition, (inclusive of a farm to table curriculum) and environmental studies in the greater Florence community. Florence 1 schools is also in the midst of year five of the five-year maintenance plan which is scheduled to be completed by February of next year. With over $4.7 million spent on maintenance and facilities this year, tremendous strides have been made in improvement of all facilities in Florence 1 Schools.
Nine schools in Florence 1 received a rating of Excellent or Good on their 2022 school report cards. Carver, Lucy T. Davis, and West Florence all improved by two categories to achieve an Excellent; Carver, Delmae, and Lucy T. Davis all received Excellent despite having added 5th grade; Moore, Sneed, and Southside all improved by two categories, achieving Good, Average and Average, respectively. No schools in Florence 1 were rated Unsatisfactory.
Carver Elementary, Delmae Heights Elementary, Dewey L. Carver Elementary, John W. Moore Middle, McLaurin Elementary, and Royall Elementary all received recognition at the National Blue-Ribbon Schools of Excellence Conference. The James F. Reames Center is one of 23 SC Schools recently named one of America’s Healthiest Schools and John W. Moore Middle has been named a 2023 South Carolina Palmetto’s Finest School.
The 2022-2023 school year ushered in a myriad of awards garnered by students in their respective disciplines. One of the high school engineering teams won a $25,000 global competition. Other stellar student accomplishments have included 29 perfect scorers on the standardized SC Ready and SC PASS test; 48 junior scholars—students with exceptional academic talent, selected based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT; a record number of 20 all-state band and orchestra students; an ambassador for the National Society for high school scholars; State Grade winner in the national Zaner-Bloser Handwriting contest. National choral winners; Skills USA Engineering Technology Design Winners; SC Braille Challenge Winners; SC Beta Club award-recipients.
Athletically, Florence 1 Schools made state and regional headlines with a thrilling 2022 State 4-AAAA Football championship victory by the South Florence High School Bruins. Other feats included a 4A strength championship, a state weight lifting championship, a female wrestling championship, all-state wrestlers, all-state female basketball players; two state and three region 6-AAAA coaches of the year. A West Florence soccer coach was inducted into the SC High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Additionally, a total of 27 all-state athletes were recognized for their athletic prowess in disciplines from golf to football
Among the Florence 1 Schools professionals are also authors who have published in national publications, educators who recently received terminal degrees; special grant recipients, the Palmetto State Arts Education Arts Administrator of the Year; honoree of the National Association of Special Education Teachers; South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher; SC Agriculture Educator of the Year, and a number of National Board-Certified teachers, seven of which renewed their credential.
