Florence 1 Schools Receives Award from Government Finance Officers Association

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Finance Reporting to Florence 1 Schools (F1S).  The finance division of Florence 1 Schools received the award for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.  This marks the first time in the history of Florence 1 Schools that this award has been received for production of such a comprehensive financial document.

“I’m incredibly proud of this achievement and what it represents for Florence 1 Schools,” said Laura Showe, Chief Financial Officer for Florence 1 Schools. “The finance staff met very tight deadlines, ensuring that every detail of their financial transactions was thoroughly documented and compliant,” she added.

When asked about the process for meeting the demands of reporting guidelines, Showe said collaboration across multiple finance areas in Florence 1 was essential, and clear communication was key to successfully meeting deadlines and sharing detailed information to support all financial transactions.

“Our success in achieving recognition for comprehensive financial reporting is a direct result of teamwork and meticulous attention to detail. The Finance team stayed current with all financial reporting requirements, implementing necessary improvements and changes to meet these standards.  This involved creating new reports, enhancing community communication, and including more data in the annual financial audit,” said Showe.

Showe further stated that the Florence 1 Marketing team was instrumental in the development of the document, highlighting the many achievements of Florence 1 Schools which included images and a narrative about the achievements.

According to the GFOA, the Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

The GFOA announced that the report had been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read Florence 1’s financial report. 

Read the Comprehensive Financial Report