Florence 1 Schools

🎉Congratulations to our South Florence Bruins, 4A STATE CHAMPIONS!🥳 FINAL South Florence 42 💙💛 Westside 41 #studentsfirst #dptb

At the December 12th Board of Trustees Meeting, the 2025-2026 district calendar was approved. Key dates in this calendar include: ● First Day of School for Students: July 28 ● Last Day of School for Students: May 28 ● October Intersession: October 6-10 ● February Intersession: February 16-20 ● Spring Break: April 3 - 10 ● Winter Break: December 17-January 2 Find the full calendar at www.f1s.org/calendars

Tonight is the night! Our South Florence Bruins are taking over Oliver C Dawson Stadium, bringing a #BlueandGold wave to the home of the Bulldogs. The 4A State Championship faceoff with the Westside Rams starts at 7:30pm. Bring a hat, some gloves and your outside voice because our boys are bringing the 🔥in their run for the title! Purchase your tickets now at https://bit.ly/3ZTPZK8 #12thman #BruWins #StudentsFirst #F1SAthleticExcellence #LowerStateChamp Reminders: 🔷 Clear Bag Policy is enforced 🟡 Gates will open for spectators no earlier than 1 hour before game time 🔷Lower State schools are the “Home” Team 🟡Home spectators will enter through Gate 1

At last night’s Board of Trustees meeting, Warren Coker was introduced as the Hidden Hero for December! Coach Coker was instrumental in establishing Unified Sports at West Florence and expanding the program to Wilson and South Florence. Principal Matt Dowdell said that Coach Coker is very deserving of the award and recognition. “Coach Coker has a heart of gold,” Dowdell said. “He has a heart of compassion and he truly loves students.” Watch this video to learn more about Coach Coker and the amazing things he is doing to support our students. #F1SHiddenHeroes #StudentsFirst #BuildingCommunity #UnifiedChampionSchools #UnifiedSports

🎄In the coziness of Savannah Grove Elementary’s cafeteria, laughter and joy filled the air as students gathered to decorate holiday cookies. 🍪 With icing tubes in hand and sprinkles scattered like confetti, their creativity turned simple cookies into edible works of art, reflecting characters such as the Grinch and Snowmen. ⛄️ Amid the giggles and singing with one another, the room was alive with a sense of community and festive cheer. Each cookie, uniquely decorated, carried the warmth of togetherness and the spirit of the season. ❄️ It was a reminder that the sweetest moments aren't just in the treats we share but in the bonds we strengthen and the joy we spread. #StudentsFirst #servinguphappyandhealthy #Chartwells School Dining Services K12

Swords up, Sneed Squires! Need to do a little extra reading before the Winter Break? Your renovated media center is a great place to find that perfect book! New logos have been installed, along with new bookshelves and a variety of #GoldAndGreen seating options to accommodate students at the #Fortress. What's your favorite part of the renovation? #StudentsFirst #Florence1Renovations #SneedSquires

We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce as a proud S.T.A.Y.S. Employer! Through this initiative, we’re committed to connecting skilled veterans and their spouses with exciting opportunities within our district. 🇺🇸 Their training, experience, and dedication make them exceptional candidates for our open positions, and we are honored to support their transition from military service 🇺🇸 to civilian careers. Welcome home, STAY awhile! f1s.org/militaryfamilies #StudentsFirst #HonoringOurVeterans #CreateYourF1SStory #STAYSEmployer

Want a sneak peek into the tremendous efforts that go into preparing students for an Algebra I End of Course (EOC) exam? 📄 Teachers, like Ms. Sullivan at West Florence High School and Mr. Laborte at Wilson High School, are not only reviewing essential concepts like linear, quadratic, and exponential formulas but also ensuring students master testing strategies, like testing all possible answers to ensure accuracy, and key terminology, such as “descends”📉 or “constant rate”. Creative teaching methods, such as using songs like 🎵 The Quadratic Formula Song 🎶 and engaging quiz games like Kahoot, make the review process effective and fun. 💻 Moreover, the collaboration between educators, exemplified by Math Coordinator Taylor Christopher co-teaching with Mr. Laborte’s class at Wilson High School, adds an extra layer of support for students. Providing extra essential supplies like paper, pencils, and snacks, along with motivational support ensures students are both mentally and physically ready for the exam. #StudentsFirst

Learning comes in many forms! In 7th grade Geography at Williams Middle School, students in Mr. Boone and Mr. Bolton’s classes have been learning through traditional instruction as well as interactive gallery walks and virtual reality. During a recent gallery walk, Mr. Boone’s students investigated different aspects of South America. In pairs, student visited maps around the classroom and answered questions such as 1) What mountain range runs through the length of South America and 2) What is the impact of the Andes Mountains. Mr. Boone said that the gallery walk serves a variety of purposes: students learn to work together, they can get a little bit of energy out by moving around, and they are using critical thinking skills to identify borders, waterways and natural features of each country on the maps. Mr. Bolton’s students were also working on identifying features of countries, using ClassVR goggles to virtually visit locations around the world such as Buenos Aires and Glacier National Park. While visiting each location, Mr. Bolton had students identify whether they saw human features, such as houses and roads, or physical features such as mountains and rivers. Mr. Bolton said that with virtual reality, students are more immersed in the locations that they “visit” and think more critically about what they are seeing because they are surrounded by the landscape. He also said students are more engaged when using VR versus looking at still images. #HandsOnLearning #VirtualRealityInTheClassroom #StudentsFirst

🌟 End of Course exams are here, and it’s time for our high school students to ensure they are fueling their brains for success! 🧠💡 A healthy, nutritious meal is the key to staying sharp and ready to crush those EOCs. 🍎 Today’s lunch menu at West Florence High School has all the favorites: sweet and sour chicken, Italian chicken parmesan sandwiches, pizza, jalapeño cheeseburgers, plus plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. 🥗🍉 And the best part? It’s all FREE! Don’t miss out—your brain (and your grades) will thank you! Let’s finish strong! 🎓✨ #StudentsFirst #BrainFuel #EOCSeason #FuelForSuccess