Superintendent reports reunification walkthrough, recruitment fair and district partnerships
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Laura Hixson told the board about a Jan. 2 reunification walkthrough at the Pentecostal Holiness Conference Center (Robinson Memorial), upcoming teacher recruitment and internship opportunities, and district partnerships and programs including READ 180 and a USC Darla Moore School of Business partnership.
Superintendent Dr. Laura Hixson briefed the Florence County School District 3 Board of Trustees on safety preparedness, staffing initiatives and district partnerships during the Jan. 20, 2025 meeting.
Hixson said district administrators and staff completed a reunification walkthrough on Jan. 2 at the Pentecostal Holiness Conference Center—referred to historically in the district as Robinson Memorial—to practice moving evacuated students to a remote pickup site. The walkthrough included bus drop-off logistics, designated spaces for students and parents, and verification procedures for releasing students to authorized adults. Hixson said staff provided positive feedback after the exercise.
On staffing and recruitment, the superintendent noted an annual teacher recruitment fair scheduled for a Saturday in February and described an 18-month internship program with Clemson University that leads to certification and a master’s degree; the program provides a salary and, as presented, “a $40,000 living wage.” Hixson also reported several professional-development efforts: pilots of Edgenuity at the high-school level, READ 180 training, IRLA (Independent Reading Level Assessment) PD, and training cohorts participating in LETRS.
Hixson highlighted district partnerships and student opportunities: a Power Forward program with the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business that includes field trips and a culminating event, and an upcoming student visit to Coca-Cola Consolidated in Charlotte with transportation supported by the partner.
She closed by thanking board members for School Board Appreciation Month and sharing that staff and schools had prepared videos and remarks in the board’s honor.
Board members asked whether reunification drills would be practiced in the future; Hixson said drills had been discussed but none were scheduled at that time.