FLORENCE, SC (WBTW)- The Florence One School Board met for a special called meeting on Monday where it approved to help Florence School District Four in Timmonsville with administrative services.
“We have entered into an agreement with the State Superintendent to provide services to Florence School District Four,” School Board Chairman, Barry Townsend, said after the meeting. “This is something that has been in the works now, for several weeks, and we have finally finalized that.”
Townsend said Florence School District One will provide numerous services including: curriculum instruction and professional development, special education, human resources, finance, and food service.
“We will be compensated for those services,” he said.
In a press release from Florence School District One, State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, said the cost savings will help Florence Four.
“The action taken this evening by Florence School District One shows that we can work across district lines for the betterment of our students and save money in the process,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “ I am excited about the high quality services and additional opportunities that will be coming to the students and families of Florence Four next school year and know that the cost savings will lead to better financial stability and use of resources.”
Townsend said District One will be compensated $345,874 which would save Florence District Four more than $200,000.
“I think this is an important step for the students of Florence County, and we are reaching across the line to provide these services. It will benefit all of the students in Florence County. We’ve got these lines, these district lines that exist on maps but they aren’t, these aren’t real walls, we’re really all one community.”
In a press release, Florence District One officials said a total cost savings of more $600,000 is anticipated from other shared services outside of the agreement with Florence One.
Townsend said the district’s contract with the state department will begin on July 2 and end at the end of the 2019 school year.
The Florence One board also named three new principles at its meeting on Wednesday.
Kimberly Mack was named the new principle of South Florence High School. Mack was the Director of the Florence Career Center for the 2017-2018 school year.
According to a press release sent by Florence School District One, Mack served as assistant principal at South Florence High School. She worked in the Darlington County School District as the Coordinator of Secondary Education from 2005 to 2007, and was the Evaluation/Recruitment Coordinator from 2001 until 2005. The press release said Mack was an English teacher at the Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology from 1999 until 2001.
The district announced Ronald Oates as the principal of Sneed Middle School.
District officials said Oates joined the Sneed Middle School staff in 2012 as an assistant principal, and previously served as lead assistant principal of Sneed Middle for the 2017-2018 school year. Oates started teaching in 2008 as a math teacher at Theodore Lester Elementary School.
The district also announced Josie Little as the new principal at Carver Elementary. Little has served as Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant Principal at Carver since 2012. According to a press release from the district, Little worked as a teacher, science department chairperson, and instructional coach at Sneed Middle.
The Florence One school board will hold its next meeting July 19.
