This Week

In an effort to make this year’s Teacher Recruitment Fair on Saturday, February 8th at West Florence High School a success, Florence 1 Schools is introducing a Referral Bonus Program which will benefit both the one who refers a teacher and the teacher who will sign the 2025-2026 teaching contract with Florence 1 Schools.

Program Specifics
Refer and/or bring a certified teacher to the 2025 Teacher Recruitment Fair.
If the teacher signs a Florence 1 Schools 2025-2026 contract at the event, the referring teacher and the signing teacher each earn $1,000.

There Is No Limit
The more certified teachers one refers, the more bonuses earned. In addition, every referred teacher will also receive a $1,000 bonus once he or she joins the Florence 1 family for the 2025-2026 school year.

Eligibility Criteria

• The candidate must be a certified teacher.
• The candidate must sign a Florence 1 Schools 2025-2026 teaching contract at the Recruitment Fair on Saturday, February 8, 2025.
• The candidate must begin employment with F1S for the 2025-2026 school year.
• If a candidate’s name is submitted by more than one person, the first person who referred that candidate (and meets all criteria) will earn the $1,000.
• The referring Florence 1 employee must also be a certified teacher.
• This Referral form must be completed in order for bonuses to be received prior to the time of the Teacher Recruitment Fair on February 8th.

For more information please contact Ashley Watson, Florence 1 Schools Executive Director of Marketing and Talent: awatson@f1s.org.

Performance - Lovely Day (Robert T. Gibson/Bill Withers, Skip Scarborough); Performers - South Florence High Choraliers; West Florence High Knight Edition; Wilson High Tiger Production. Directors - Andrew Dibble, South Florence; Nikki Raines, West Florence; L. Megerlyn Davis, Wilson; Dr. Erick J. Figueras, Director of Arts & Innovative Programs; David Taylor, Videographer. The performance took place at the first-ever Florence 1 Schools All-City Show Choir Program this week.

Florence 1 Schools is pleased to announce the new art therapy and self-care initiative for teachers and staff. The session is scheduled for Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Florence County Museum.

"This is an amazing opportunity to practice self-care with a certified art therapist in a wonderful off-site environment," said Florence 1 Schools Coordinator of Clinical Services Krystle Graham. "The class size for this workshop is limited to 24 slots, but there will be multiple opportunities to participate throughout the school year," added Graham.

The program is sponsored in partnership with MUSC Arts in Healing and the Florence County Museum. Please register if you plan to attend: Art Therapy for Teachers and Staff of Florence 1 Schools.

South Carolina students continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience as they recover from pandemic-related disruptions, according to NAEP, (National Assessment of Educational Progress) also known as the Nation's Report Card. If interested, check out more details about fourth and eighth grade math and reading scores, and economically disadvantaged results: SC Students Outperform National Trends.

To help curb the spread of illness-causing germs in school, Lysol Minilabs Science Kits are for educators to teach healthy habits and germ education in the classroom.

For more information, visit Lysol Minilabs Science Kits.

Selection to the South Carolina Music Educator Association's High School All-State Chorus represents the highest honor a high school singer can attain in this state. Selections follow highly competitive statewide auditions that assess students’ abilities to sing beautifully and sight read music at a near university level.

For the third year in a row, a record number of Florence One students were selected for this prestigious ensemble. Further, the South Florence Choral program now holds the district record for most students selected for All State from any music ensemble in a single school year. Selected students will perform under the batons of nationally celebrated conductors at Winthrop University in February. Congratulations to choral director Mr. Andrew Dibble and Ms. Christiana Roe, SF collaborative pianist for their exceptional work with the All-State Choral Students: (front row, left to right) Grace Jordan, Sadie Patterson, Emma Wentzel, Dakota McDonald, Hailey McManus, Ella Cole Lewis, Samantha Cockfield; (second row, left to right) Kadryn Davis, Mattie Priester, Kayliegh Lloyd, Ashlyn Cady, Robert Stone, Eliza Young.

• February 7 - Teacher Workday
• February 7 - Parent Conferences (8:00 a.m. - 12 noon)
• February 10 - Interim Reports Issued for the Third Quarter
• February 17-21 - Presidents Day/Intersession Week

The City of Florence will hold winter camps during the week of the Florence 1 Schools Intersession, February 17-21 from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily for elementary students in grades one through six ages, 6-12. The camps will be held at City of Florence Park locations. For more information, visit:

City of Florence Winter Camps 2025.

During the Florence 1 Schools Intersession, February 17-21, the Florence 1 Schools Extended Day Academy will host an Intersession Camp from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily at Carver Elementary School (for students in K-6th grade) and at the Woods Road Child Development Center (for three and four year old students). The cost is $80 per child for the week and includes breakfast and lunch. For more information call 843-758-6046. Applications and payments will be accepted Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon and on Wednesday and Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information call 843-758-6046.

Empowerment University will sponsor a camp during the February Intersession (February 17-21). The camp will take place at 304 Kemper Street in Timmonsville. It is open to students in grades 1-12, and the hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact Titus Echols (techols@fsd1.org). To learn more, click the link: Empowerment University Winter Intersession Camp.

Carver STEM Magnet School - Students who have a high interest and aptitude in science and who have the ability and willingness to commit to a challenging academic program are encouraged to apply to attend Carver Elementary STEAM Magnet School. Contact the school at 843-664-8156 or visit the website: http://carver.f1s.org/steam. Application deadline is February 14, 2025.

The West Florence 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. Applications will close on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Through the dual language program at Delmae Elementary, students are immersed in the Spanish language while following the same South Carolina standards and guidelines as all other students, giving students an opportunity to become bilingual citizens in our global community. If you are interested in enrolling your child in the 5K Spanish Language Immersion Program at Delmae for the 2025-2026 school year, please complete this form: https://bit.ly/4fUjqjY.

The Montessori Program at McLaurin Elementary - McLaurin is now accepting application for its Montessori Program for the 2025-2026 school year. Montessori education is education for life by addressing the needs of the whole human being – spiritually, emotionally, socially, and intellectually. Apply for the Montessori program for the 2025-2026 school year: https://bit.ly/4jbiaeP

This application will close on February 14, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

To register for the Florence 1 Schools recruitment fair, go to:

https://bit.ly/F1STeacherRegistrationForm.

Explore activities and things to do (Downtown and In the Pee Dee) as provided by the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau.......