School Foundation Inc

THE SCHOOL FOUNDATION, INC. ("ASSOCIATION") IS A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION OF INDIVIDUALS OPERATED COLLECTIVELY TO SERVE THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS AND ADVANCE THE GENERAL WELFARE TO FLORENCE 1 SCHOOLS.THE SCHOOL FOUNDATION PROMOTES EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN FLORENCE, SC SCHOOL DISTRICT 1 THROUGH GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING AND THROUGH HIGH IMPACT INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO PREPARE ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS.THE ORGANIZATION ACHIEVES ITS GOALS BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOOLS, SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ADVOCACY OF QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION.THE ASSOCIATION WELCOMES EVERYONE IN FLORENCE 1 SCHOOLS WHICH IS A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, SEX, ETHNICITY, ABILITY OR RELIGION.

STARTSMARTFSD1'S STARTSMART OFFERS UNIQUE SERVICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO AGE FIVE THAT WILL HELP THE FLORENCE COMMUNITY ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN ENTER SCHOOL READY TO LEARN SO THAT THEY WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO GROW INTO PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS. THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY SINCE IT BEGAN IN 2012. OVER 1,000 FLORENCE-AREA CHILDREN CURRENTLY BENEFIT FROM THE MENU OF AVAILABLE SERVICES AND THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE LIFE OF EVERY CHILD BIRTH TO AGE 4.

START2READWE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LANGUAGE EXPOSURE TO LATE SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. CHILDREN WHO ARE READ TO EVERY DAY, BEGINNING AT BIRTH, ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL. START2READ IS A BOOK DISTRIBUTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP WORKING PARENTS BUILD A HIGH QUALITY HOME LIBRAY FOR THE CHILDREN AND LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING TIME EVERY DAY TO CONNECT WITH THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH BOOKS AND LANGUAGE.EACH MONTH, CERTIFIED EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS VISIT LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DISTRIBUTE BOOKS TO THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF 1, 2, AND 3 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. THE TEACHER SHARES THE BOOK, OFFERS TIPS FOR EFFECTIVELY READING IT ALOUD, AND DISTRIBUTES "READING TIPS." PARENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE SCHOOL READINESS QUIZ PROVIDED AT WWW.STARTSMARTFLO.ORG TO ASSESS THE MOTOR, COGNITIVE, LANGUAGE, AND SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN. ADDITIONAL BOOK DISTRIBUTION SITES INCLUDE PEDIATRICIAN OFFICES, CHILD CARE CENTERS, AND BARBERSHOPS.

THE FOUNDATION AWARDED $50,000 TO FLORENCE 1 SCHOOLS IN JUNE 2021 TO PAY FOR EQUIPMENT AND A ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE BLOOMBERG MARKET CONCEPTS COURSES AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS WEEK CASE STUDIES TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE LABS AT TWO OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS. THE BASIS LAB WILL INCLUDE FOUR BLOOMBERG TERMINALS THAT WILL BE HOUSED IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY OR COMPUTER LAB TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS.BRIGGS ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $5,000 FOR THEIR "LEADING THE WAY BACK FROM COVID!" GRANT THAT ADDRESSES THE LEARNING LOSS BRIGGS STUDENTS MAY EXPERIENCE DURING THIS TIME OF TURMOIL BY FOCUSING ON CULTURE AND ACADEMICS.CARVER ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $4,956.54 FOR THEIR "STEAM-TASTIC LEARNING AT CARVER" GRANT DESIGNATED TO INTEGRATE STEM IN ALL ASPECT OF THE CARVER CURRICULUM.DELMAE ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $5,000 FOR THEIR "FORMING MATH FOUNDATIONS" GRANT THAT WILL PROVIDE EARLY MATH INTERVENTION AS WELL AS STRATEGIES FOR STRUGGLING STUDENTS IN ALL GRADE LEVELS TO SUPPORT AND SOLIDIFY STUDENT LEARNING.DEWEY L. CARTER WAS AWARDED $5,000 FOR THEIR "TERRIFIC TUESDAY KITS AND "LET'S GO, OSMO" GRANTS. "TERRIFIC TUESDAY KITS" WILL PROVIDE WEEKLY ACTIVITIES, SUPPLIES, INSTRUCTIONS, AND REWARDS, ALLOWING THE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE THEIR LEARNING AND BASIS SKILL AT HOME WHILE INCREASING THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM. THEIR "LET'S GO, OSMO" GRANT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW ACCESS TO HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ALONG WITH TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO REINFORCE CORE SKILLS IN READING AND MATH IN OUR DIGITAL WORLD.GREENWOOD ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $4,900.59 FOR THEIR "GEARING UP FOR GUIDED READING (VIRTUALLY!)" GRANT THAT PROVIDES LEVELED TEXTS AND MATERIALS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR VIRTUAL PLATFORM TEACHERS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDED SMALL GROUP GUIDED READING INSTRUCTION WITH THEIR STUDENTS.LESTER ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $3,150 FOR THEIR "HYDROPONICS IN THE CLASSROOM" GRANT WHICH WILL CREATE A SCHOOL WIDE STEM PROJECT THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO ACQUIRE REAL-WORLD SCIENCE SKILLS, CAREER SKILLS AND BASIC LIFE SKILLS WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECT AREAS.MCLAURIN ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $4,222.44 FOR THEIR "READ ACROSS MCLAURIN - SCHOOL WIDE READ ALOUD" GRANT, A SCHOOL WIDE READ ALOUD PROJECT TARGETING LITERARY SKILLS SUCH AS ORAL COMPREHENSION, CHARACTER ANALYSIS, UNDERSTANDING PLOT AND STORYLINE, VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER LITERACY SKILLS.JOHN W. MOORE INTERMEDIATE WAS AWARDED $4,998.35 FOR THEIR "EXPOSURE, EXPLORATION, EXPERIENCE" GRANT INTENDED TO PROMOTE STUDENT INITIATED LEARNING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION BASED AND HANDS-ON LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.NORTH VISTA ELEMENTARY WAS AWARDED $4,992.28 FOR THEIR "LITERACY CANNOT WAIT: BUILDING HOME LIBRARIES" GRANT DESIGNED TO IMPROVE READING LEVELS AND BUILD HOME LIBRARIES.SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS AWARDED $4,908.28 FOR THEIR "FALCONS SOAR IN ALL THINGS" GRANT THAT PROVIDED INCENTIVES TO FACE-TO-FACE AND VIRTUAL STUDENTS FOR SHOWING GROWTH IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS ON STANDARDIZED AND DISTRICT TESTS.