[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6119783,"mediaKeyId","2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13","parentId",2710860,"title","Votes at a glance: Florence 1 board approves AI guidelines, bond resolution, textbooks, procurement and construction change order","audioSeconds",8120,"startMs",3088000,"endMs",11208000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13&start=3088&end=11208","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13/thumbnail_3088000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6119783/South-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Florence-1-board-approves-AI-guidelines-bond-resolution-textbooks-procurement-and-construction-change-order","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119783-68239f7f79b52a1f2a95ed3a16a8587a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066031&Signature=Sq42Q-pwMSUSpgj1WZJYgjOYOg8zkSJ4eIUKCvWoQ3zY7dVhLh1SnC-th1YZRERkbsfIR~gp9F1m3-ytQI9bxgPy9pW5L47IoQv61-2Y1WvzG8liA0j4MufoMnbn7lS6q-JAW03LcGI4W26b2jlxDALgLbVSBOmxfG3QSMskVRTKxR5zfad4Fy3q2KrfvO-dUW4aVID-dYonK8MtcazoddMgMTmROAM9qZQycy7PyBD7SEh4PBTFy9wFLTdOdwAQ~Cp8lEgiaLwy821u9axjT714TPZo7Gp5EAfWik4LpSY3IgqUwEY88TbHUyumGh6ArJWWVFtRUpncoyYh8yCMWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florence 1 Schools","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Florence 1 Board of Trustees on May 23 moved through multiple action items and votes. Below is a concise summary of motions and outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript.

Key outcomes (votes at a glance)

- Consent items (agenda approvals, financial statements, minutes and personnel sheets): Approved by voice vote. (Agenda items 1–3)

- Action item 4 — Artificial intelligence guidelines and AI platform services: Approved (see separate article for full coverage).

- Action item 5 — Policy JLCDA \"Use of lifesaving medication\": First reading; no final vote (scheduled for next meeting).

- Action items 6 & 7 — Board policies JFAB (admission of nonresident students) and JFABB (foreign exchange students): Second reading and adopted with modifications to age range (change from 16–19 to 15–18) and limits on exchange students (up to five sponsored students per high school and agency limits). Approved by voice vote.

- Action item 8 — 8% bond resolution (short-term bond authorization): Approved. The bond authorization document in the packet describes a $27,000,000 short-term authorization (a three-year term) consistent with the district's available debt capacity. The presentation cited the district auditor's calculations used to derive the $27 million figure.

- Action item 9 — Pointer Building (Healthcare School of Innovation) change order: Approved. The requested change order totaled $391,073 after credits, covering site work, additional HVAC, electrical, plumbing and code-related upgrades tied to renovating a 17-year-old building.

- Action item 10 — Grades 6–12 math textbook adoption: Approved. The board adopted recommended textbooks aligned with the South Carolina Department of Education's 2023 standards for secondary math courses (sixth grade through AP calculus); the state will cover textbook costs according to the presentation.

- Action item 11 — Chromebooks and school furniture procurement: Approved. The board authorized purchase of Chromebooks for grades 6–8 as part of the district's rolling replacement cycle and approved furniture purchases for specified secondary campuses; staff noted long lead times for delivery.

- Executive session outcomes: The board authorized the superintendent to negotiate the grant of a pedestrian and sewer easement to benefit an adjacent property owner provided it has \"no practical effect\" on school operations. The board also considered five student appeals: it modified the hearing officer's decision for student #1 with a phased return-to-learn plan (including virtual placement and community service), upheld hearing officer decisions for students #2–#4, and affirmed administration's decision for student #5.

Notes on vote tallies and procedure

Most roll-call results were taken by voice vote and recorded in the transcript as \"Those in favor, please say 'Aye'\"; the transcript does not provide individual roll-call tallies for each motion. When the transcript lacked numeric tallies the outcome is recorded here as \"approved\" or \"upheld\" per the meeting record.

Where the transcript records specific dollar figures or program limits, those figures are repeated above; where the transcript did not provide numeric details (for example, the exact vote counts), this summary notes that the numeric tally was not specified.

Ending

The board recessed into executive session for legal and student appeal matters and returned to open session to make the motions and votes summarized above.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Florence 1 School Board Meeting-March 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved consent items, AI guidelines, policy second readings for foreign exchange, an 8% short-term bond authorization, a construction change order, math textbook adoptions for grades 6–12, and Chromebook and furniture purchases; executive session authorized an easement and issued five student appeal decisions.","taxTitle","Florence 01, School Districts, South Carolina","taxId",14959,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6119787,"Residents press Florence 1 board on school bullying response and board member residency",393,1898000,2291000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13&start=1898&end=2291","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13/thumbnail_1898000.jpg","/articles/6119787/South-Carolina/Residents-press-Florence-1-board-on-school-bullying-response-and-board-member-residency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119787-a1f247a0680beea20a2fdc13b9d03070/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066031&Signature=I7aSANGa5bOxAjeusrkcbjuxNBRhiOiMGtkZP4hUaTAlTm7zYWjsHFvmiPhQTPi~4ZDxHFllCEvI8UxmPUONzgQttZCsQk~my~lawYQuSGDbVTf-cMEWKjmcaCJ1ddoXzk~EhPiP8pdeet353HRkPMkd8HuaZeob9aPTAgwAiwMiiStdryI08~aGpC0bLG20wW4fFDmOUx0ELPf-Ji1Q9MmmwalPnYBczxFqxtbDYJYVtz7Rt3zLD73pPAPW3w6ZKWPLg53V95abK~RQKXUDrlDqM~Jr7e5ifVTTgPlhy7uvo-GLreh-BtkehMdB-Fcf9XwaO18jObkqK3IT01vU-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents used public comment at the Florence 1 Board of Trustees meeting to press the district on responses to student bullying, demands for accountability and to question whether two trustees live outside the districts they represent.

Traquetta Graham, a parent who identified herself during public comment, told the board her daughter has been bullied at Moore Middle School since last year and said the superintendent's office did not follow up after she filed a written statement. \"I spoke with the assistant superintendent ... he did talk with me, but did not get back with me within the 2 weeks after that,\" Graham said, describing ongoing effects on her child's mental health.

Why it matters: Public commenters asked the board to change how it handles follow-up after complaints and to increase anti-bullying measures; trustees did not offer a public remediation plan during the comment period, but the superintendent's report later addressed related supports for immersion families.

Other public comments

- Barbara Martin Moses told the board she was concerned about board governance and called for a review of residency requirements, saying two board members \"do not live in the prospective district that they are serving under.\" Moses also urged enforcement of board policies concerning residence and questioned why criminal investigations related to misuse of funds had not produced recoveries. She said one board member had been arrested in Berkeley County and asked why that member had been allowed to return to serve on the board.

- Charles P. Fox urged the board to restore more direct responses to speakers, saying public participation forms imply a reply is optional and asserting that recent administrations responded to public comment more frequently than the current superintendent does.

Board response and context

The board did not take immediate action during the public comment period. Later in the meeting the superintendent and trustees continued with scheduled reports and action items. The transcript records the concerns but does not record an explicit board pledge to the specific remedies requested during public comment.

Clarifying note: The allegations about board member residency and arrest were made by a public speaker and attributed in this report as such; the transcript does not include an independent verification of those claims and the board did not make a formal statement on those allegations during the meeting.","During public participation residents urged stronger bullying response, criticized lack of replies from the superintendent’s office, and alleged two board members live outside the districts they represent.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6119791,"Florence 1 adopts AI guidelines and endorses districtwide AI platforms for instruction and operations",629,3169000,3798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13&start=3169&end=3798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2710860-0aa2472035ca2e9562cc6b410d095d13/thumbnail_3169000.jpg","/articles/6119791/South-Carolina/Florence-1-adopts-AI-guidelines-and-endorses-districtwide-AI-platforms-for-instruction-and-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119791-6827c729b9bfa5ef95738171fcc5e692/orig.mp4?Expires=1771066031&Signature=mGRX~6ymfTschRJjYWTLHbQdLde7YTlHbnVY48BwIniDgb52iHKI8Om9ZLgWeWH9VShUa-gbsU5v9GL46joU3ao~mWuwgTiNwZYYIvj9zeMWp3uXFCUhnosPsi7NwzY~gWpEALnlA0dp5KcfIvjKonjrhWJPzjBPavN7ixTDGN5SSaNONqLaxqZWSDW1iJfHWnWurOlJotA4q3MaZQVoUEAVUThDsvE-TMyhbHD22LS79VvLZMXI0Woi1zXE41Su8NvP8USAwHiE0638QxPwTekFmZXeexwRvv7wZeipbjDrNPB25XopUxdU8vk1N4vejoYktRQZv~vuu3nd~c9kLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Florence 1 Board of Trustees on a unanimous voice vote approved districtwide artificial intelligence guidelines and a set of AI platform services recommended by a staff Spark AI cohort.

The guidelines, presented by Superintendent Dr. O'Malley and members of the Spark AI team, lay out acceptable uses in classrooms, procedures for vetting and listing approved tools on the district website, expectations for teachers to green-light AI assignments, and planned AI literacy training for staff and students.

The board considered the item after a 30-minute presentation and demonstrations by staff. \"We will still have traditional assignments with no AI, but we'll have enhanced AI assignments where AI will be a learning partner,\" Dr. O'Malley said during the presentation, emphasizing both classroom and administrative uses.

Why it matters: The policy change frames AI as an instructional and operational tool rather than an outright classroom ban and creates a vendor-review group (the Spark AI cohort) to vet platforms for privacy, data handling and classroom appropriateness. The district intends to publish an approved-platform list and embed AI-use expectations into the student code of conduct in a later meeting.

Key details from the presentation

- Purpose and scope: The guidelines implement the board-approved policy JICE and are intended to define acceptable uses, prohibited uses (including impersonation, harassment, academic violations and unauthorized data collection), and review cycles. Dr. O'Malley said the district will review the guidelines at least annually and that principals will lead yearly local reviews with teachers.

- Approved tools and pilots: Presenters described several AI tools proposed for district use, including Google Gemini (for teacher/administrative support), Magic School AI for elementary engagement, Conmigo (Khan Academy's AI tutor), Adobe Creative Cloud AI features, Suno.AI for song generation and an audio-enhancement translation product intended for language-immersion classrooms.

- Classroom use cases and safeguards: Catherine Faustin, introducing Google Gemini to the board, said the tool \"can help instructional leaders generate presentations, take notes during meetings, summarize research\" and that students could use it to \"deepen understanding with customized practice materials.\" Amy Knight demonstrated Conmigo's stepwise tutoring, showing that the tool prompts students rather than simply supplying answers.

- Data and privacy: Dr. O'Malley said district staff are seeking platforms that do not collect or transmit personally identifiable information without safeguards and that unacceptable uses must be reported to administration immediately.

- Professional development and operations: The district plans AI literacy training for educators and students, and administrators intend to use AI for administrative efficiency, policy compliance checks and stakeholder communication.

Board discussion and vote

Board members praised the district's approach. One board member said the district's focus on integrating AI responsibly was \"refreshing\" and consistent with preparing students for future jobs. The motion to approve the guidelines and the recommended platform services was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the transcript records the result as \"Those in favor, please say I\" with no numerical roll-call provided.

What happens next

The administration will publish the approved-platform list on the district website (a page titled F1S artificial intelligence was shown in the presentation) and will return to the board next month with a proposed code-of-conduct amendment to incorporate AI use into student discipline policy. Principals will run yearly reviews of approved tools with teachers, and staff will continue piloting classroom implementations and a website chatbot prototype for parent/staff queries.

Ending note

Presenters asked the board for continued support of professional learning and technology procurement timelines; superintendent and staff emphasized the pilot nature of some tools and committed to revising the list and guidance as use and risks emerge.","The Florence 1 Board approved district AI guidelines and a list of AI platforms after a multipresenter briefing describing classroom uses, safeguards, literacy training and vendor vetting by a Spark AI cohort.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Florence 1 board approves AI guidelines, bond resolution, textbooks, procurement and construction change order

Residents press Florence 1 board on school bullying response and board member residency

Florence 1 adopts AI guidelines and endorses districtwide AI platforms for instruction and operations