North Vista in Florence welcomes students to upgraded facility this school year

FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — A Florence elementary school will welcome its students back from a new home this school year after school officials at North Vista said they upgraded the facility and decreased in size.

The new North Vista is located right next to its old location on Irby street. The 8,800 square foot facility features a colorful playground, 35 classrooms, a computer room and a lot of collaborative space for learning.

Principal Sharon Dixon said the new school was based on Superintendent Dr. Richard O’Malley’s concern for Williams Middle School’s growing numbers. She said he wanted to eliminate all the mobile units.

She said she believes every child deserves to be in a school building, and she is thankful.

“We’re just grateful for the opportunities that are going to come our way, and grateful that our children are going to experience them,” she said. “Our students will have new and updated schools with new and updated computers and technology.

Staff members are excited about the new additions.

Speech Pathologist Dr. Tawana Nash has been with the elementary school for five years. She said everyone is excited and the excitement is contagious.

“I love the learning common area. We have several upstairs and we have a few downstairs, that’s what is really different from the last building,” she said.

Dixon said her favorite feature in the new building is the reading areas.

“I love the motivational reading centers, because it goes right along with what we say each and every day: The more you read, the more you know, the more you know, the farther you will go,” Dixon said.

Williams Middle School has transitioned to its old location right next door. News13 will join North Vista for their first day of school.

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Tomika Jackson joined News13 in April 2024 as a multimedia journalist. She started her journalism career in 2000 with previous stops at WALB TV10, CBS47 & WTOC11 in Savannah, Georgia. Tomika is a Georgia native and Valdosta State University graduate. Follow Tomika on X, formerly Twitter , and Instagram . You can read more of her work here .

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