This Week in Florence 1 Schools

Pictured left to right: Florence County Veterans Affairs Associate John Galloway; F1S Administrative Assistant Heather Borman; SC Military Affairs Coordinator, Department of Veterans Affairs Jason Fowler; Community Outlet Coordinator, Military Education Coalition Dr. Sara Jane Arnette; Commissioner for Military Compact Dr. Tremekia Priester; F1S Director of Secondary Education Gregory Hall; F1S Board of Trustees Vice Chair Trisha Caulder; and F1S Superintendent Dr. Richard O'Malley.

Florence 1 Schools has been named a Purple Star District by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), signifying the district’s commitment to helping military-connected families and children as they transition to a new school and community.

Assistant Superintendent Greg Hall said that Florence 1 is pleased to be receiving this designation, especially on Veterans Day.

“Receiving the Purple Star Designation is a tremendous honor for Florence 1 Schools,” Hall said. “This recognition underscores our commitment to honoring and supporting the unique needs of our military-connected students and their families."

Learn more at f1s.org/militaryfamilies

Florence 1 Schools will present The Blue Zone kick-off, a community event at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 19th at the Farm at Florence 1 Schools. The Farm is located at 2101 N. Williston Road. The kickoff will mark the beginning of a "Blue Zones Project," an initiative aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle changes and improving overall well-being within the greater Florence community.

The initiative draws inspiration from regions around the world known as "Blue Zones" where people tend to live exceptionally long lives; essentially, it's a launch event to introduce the program and encourage residents to participate in adopting healthier habits like better diet, regular exercise, and stress management.

The South Florence High School basketball team helped the Senior Citizens Association to prepare Thanksgiving boxes for seniors in Florence county. The preparation of the boxes required moving many canned goods from pallets into the Leather Senior Center.

"They were awesome, polite, and hard-working, and we appreciated the help" said Joyce Black Grants and Community Specialist for the Florence County Senior Citizens Association. "We will look to their assistance in two years as this this annual task is rotated among the high school basketball teams giving each an opportunity to participate."

Wilson High School instructional coach Sarhonda Wilkes has just completed the requirements for receipt of the Educational Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Instruction Design and Technology from Liberty University.

The 2023-2024 Wilson High School Teacher of the Year received a Bachelors in Management and Leadership from Franklin University; she also holds Masters degrees in Management and Leadership and Special Education from Liberty University.

Her dissertation is titled: Recommendations for Solving the Problem of Low End-of-Course Algebra One Exam Scores at Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina. Dr. Wilkes said, "During my research, I discovered that teachers want to have professional development tailored to their curriculum, so I believe that by providing teachers with the training and professional development they need to be successful in the classroom with our students, we then have trained teachers who can meet student needs with a more innovative approach to the curriculum. It all begins with the teacher and effective classroom instruction."

Dr. Wilkes will participate in the formal commencement exercises at Liberty University in May, 2025.

Wilson High School basketball standout Tristan Thompson (pictured center) signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the collegiate level for the Chanticleers at Coastal Carolina University. He is flanked by his parents Millicent and Chase Leonard.

Annually observed on the Wednesday during American Education Week, National Education Support Professionals Day honors the contributions of school support employees. These support professionals provide invaluable services and are essential partners in a child's education. Click the link to enlarge the photograph at right : 2024-2025 F1S Support Staff of the Year.

Education Support Professionals Day honors a long list of professionals who keep schools running smoothly. They include all secretaries, classroom aides, cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, bus drivers, and the others who support educators, school leadership, and the students, too. These professionals do their part in making public schools exceptional for every child so they can be safe, learn, grow and achieve.

Selection for the South Carolina High School All State Choir is the highest honor a talented high school choral musician can earn following a rigorous singing and sight-reading audition. These selected students join the very best high school musicians from across the state to perform under the batons of internationally celebrated conductors in February.

A trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings back her mother’s past back to the island she last visited decades ago. For nearly 25 years, people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make MAMMA MIA! the ultimate feel-good show.

Learn more about this week's induction educators from North Vista Elementary here.

The Bruins of South Florence will host Brookland-Cayce, Friday, November 15th; The Knights of West Florence have a bye week, but will resume with playoff action November 22nd at home to take on North Myrtle Beach or Lucy Beckham (Mount Pleasant).

IB - The application period for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB/MYP) for Williams Middle School (grades 6 - 8) and Wilson High School (grades 9 - 10) is now open. This application is for the 2025-2026 school year. Apply at f1s.org/IB. For more information call Brian Howell: bhowell@fsd1.org

STEM - The West Florence 2025 - 2026 STEM Magnet Application will open on Friday, January 10, 2025, and it will close on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 4 pm. STEM Magnet info night will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 6:30 pm in the West Florence Auditorium during Knight of STEM. For more information visit westflorence.f1s.org/STEM or contact Rahsaan Perry: rperry@fsd1.org.

At the Fine Arts Academy at Southside Middle School, students can specialize in band, chorus, dance, digital/media arts, orchestra, piano, theater and visual art. Applications will open on Sunday, November 17, 2024, and close January 10, 2025. Visit the Southside website for more details: https://southside.f1s.org