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Griffins Connect
Week of October 8th #Together #WholeChild
First Quarter Reflections
As we come to the end of the first quarter, I want to take a moment to reflect on the year’s start. It has been an incredible beginning, filled with learning, growth, and celebration (i.e. National Blue Ribbon). The first quarter is always a time of adjustment, both for our students and for our dedicated educators. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to create engaging and supportive learning environments and our students have demonstrated their eagerness to learn and adapt to new circumstances. Together, we have shown that our community is strong when we work #Together.
As we move forward into the second quarter, I encourage you to continue fostering open lines of communication with your child's teachers and our school staff. Continue to be engaged and get involved, where possible. We are here to support your child's educational journey and well-being, and your involvement and feedback are invaluable. In the coming weeks, focus on maintaining a sense of balance between academic rigor and the importance of self-care. Encourage your child to embrace challenges and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small. Together, we will continue to learn, grow, and thrive.
This week, I hope you enjoy fall’s cooler temperatures and a short break from school as we anticipate a fantastic start to second quarter! If we may be of support to you or your child, please do not hesitate to let us know. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Learning together,
Dr. P.
📆 What's Ahead...
October 10-11: 2nd Grade Benchmark Testing (10/10, ELA; 10/11, Math)
October 11: End of 1st Quarter
October 12: Teacher Workday (No school for students)
October 13: Teacher Workday (No school for students)
October 16-18: 3rd-8th Benchmark Testing (10/16, ELA; 10/17, Math; 10/18, 4th & 6th Science)
October 17-20: 2nd Grade CogAT/Iowa Testing (info below)
October 19: 1st Quarter Report Cards
October 23-27: Bullying Prevention Awareness & Red Ribbon Spirit Week (info below)
October 24: 8th Grade PSAT Testing (info below)
October 27: PTA's Fall Festival; 4:30-7:00pm (info below)
✏️ Student Clubs & Info Updates
Chess Club will begin on Friday, October 20 from 2:30 – 3:30 and will run for 8 weeks.
There are 2 options for Chess Club:
- Free Play for students who know the game and just want time to play with friends.
- Paid lessons led by Think Move Chess. Cost is $120 for 8 lessons. Registration opens TODAY! Please use this LINK to register. If your child will be participating in the paid lessons:
- Send cash or a check made payable to Sterling School
- Label your child’s Name and Homeroom teacher on the baggie or envelope
- Turn in to Ms. Foulkes in the front office first thing in the morning any day this week
If you have any questions after accessing the enrollment form please contact Ms. Foulkes at dfoulkes@greenville.k12.sc.us
Sterling Family Directory Update
Families who opted in to the Sterling Family Directory will be receiving a link to a Google Sheet this week via email. The Sheet will be organized by grade level. Thank you for the great response to this effort.
🍂 From the Sterling/CTC PTA 🍂
Sterling School PTA's Fall Festival
Join us on Friday, October 27th from 4:30 to 7:00pm for our Fall Festival! This FREE celebration will feature many fun festivities, including inflatables, carnival games, music, crafts, face painting, and so much more! Wear your best costume, but please follow the school’s policy of no face masks or weapons.
Food and treats will be available for purchase by cash/card from Anetia’s Catering, Kona Ice, and Common Pops! We’ll have something for every appetite!
The Fall Festival needs lots of VOLUNTEERS to make it a success and we have a job for EVERYONE! Please SIGN UP today to donate items or your time!
We look forward to an evening of fun with our Griffin families!
Griffin Bubble Run Prizes
Prize redemption is in full swing! Last week it was Pizza for Lunch as we celebrated our top three homerooms: Mr. Whittaker (Middle School), Ms. Pickens (Upper Elementary) and Ms. Downs (Lower Elementary)!
This week and next, Rolling Video Games will be pulling into our school with their mobile gaming theater to award ELEVEN homerooms for their fundraising efforts! Students in winning middle school homerooms are invited to bring a bag lunch or enjoy one from the cafeteria to eat outside.
We will be sharing the date of our school wide assembly soon! Winners of the top 3 individual prizes will be announced that day and we will have a special raffle. Every student in the school will come home with a prize for helping make our Griffin Bubble Run a great success!
Spirit Wear Has Arrived!
Spirit Wear was distributed to homerooms and came home Friday or will come home this Monday! Please check your student’s backpack.
Veterans Day 2023 @ Sterling
On Friday, November 10th, Sterling School will honor those who have fought for the many freedoms we, as American citizens, have today. We will have two programs. Our K-3rd grade program will begin at 8:30am and the 4th-8th grade program will begin at 9:30am. We invite all veterans in our Sterling family to join us as honored guests.
- If a special guest is planning to attend, we ask that you RSVP by Fri., Nov. 3rd (CLICK HERE!). As a special treat, please send in or email a picture of your honored guest (preferably in uniform), the name and relationship to our Sterling/CTC student, and the name of the military branch in which he or she served. (You'll find this request within the Google Form as well.)
- Our PTA is planning a reception after each program for our veterans and their guests. Students of our veterans are invited to attend as well. If you would like to participate, please complete the same Google Form (CLICK HERE!).
- We invite all students to wear red, white, and blue on the day of our program, Fri., Nov. 10th.
We look forward to this exciting day, as we pay tribute to those who have served our country. Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to participate!
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants...
It was truly an honor to welcome these members of the former Beck High School back home on Saturday. Our commitment as a Sterling School community is built upon the level of excellence they established years ago. #Together #WholeChild
2nd Grade CogAT & Iowa Testing
8TH GRADE PSAT TESTING
8th Grade students will be taking the PSAT on October 24th. Please remember to have your child get plenty of rest the night before and to eat a healthy breakfast the morning of the 24th. Benefits of taking the PSAT in 8th grade include seeing your child’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of college readiness, practicing SAT skills in a low-stakes environment, and it’s free to all of our 8th grade students (which is great because college readiness tests can get expensive fast when taken multiple times to get the best scores). Questions about testing can be sent to Mr. Murphy or Ms. Treloar
Upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences
Our mission to support the #WholeChild is a big responsibility. Not only does this require an intentional effort to design and implement a challenging, student-centered curriculum that is tailored to each child's unique needs, it also requires a strong home/school partnership, and a call to development of a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset acknowledges that we are not there...yet. It's a mindset that acknowledges that we are a work in progress, but embraces that we will never truly reach the finish line. A mindset that does not see a grade of “A” as the goal but embraces and celebrates the growth that comes with challenge and productive struggle. I must admit, as a parent of four school-aged children, this way of thinking presents its challenges. As an educator, this requires that my students are challenged in a space that encourages growth, problem-solving, and resilience. In our culture, this is not always easy. To help our children achieve their full potential, we must fight the temptation to make things easy and to do the task quicker, easier, and without resistance.
Over the next couple of weeks, your child’s teacher will be communicating details of upcoming parent/teacher conferences. This year’s meetings are scheduled for all elementary students. As always, it is our expectation to have 100% participation for all students. During this time, teachers are encouraged to share strengths and weaknesses, to share the areas of success as well as the areas for growth. Parents, you are encouraged to do the same. Talk to your child’s teacher about ways you can partner to help your child grow. Through transparent conversations, goals should be discussed and established. Together, we are your child’s support team. It is our hope that these important meetings are not simply to “check a box” but spur every student to greater academic and social-emotional success.
Dr. P.
Tardies Add Up
6th Grade Welcomes SmartARTS Teaching Artist Kristin LaRoy!
6th grade ELA classes are excited to welcome SmartARTS teaching artist Kristin LaRoy over the next 2 weeks! Ms. LaRoy will be helping students use movement, dance, and crafting to bring to life their King Arthur stories.
This arts integration residency was provided at no cost to the school thanks to the SmartARTS TD Center for Arts Integration at the Metropolitan Arts Council, which receives funding from SEW Eurodrive, TD Bank, John I Smith Charities, Jolley Foundation, Prisma Health, Duke Power, and other individuals, corporations, and foundations. This project is supported by funding provided to the South Carolina Arts Commission from a partnership with the S.C. Department of Education from American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds.
Can You Serve As A Substitute?
At Sterling School, we have amazing substitute teachers. These dedicated individuals help ensure that our school operates smoothly when a classroom teacher is absent. However, our list of active subs is short.
If you are able to help serve as a substitute for Sterling School and Greenville County Schools, please follow this link to get started and be sure to let us know (email Dr. Patterson!). We will be happy to help facilitate the process or connect you with current substitutes who can answer any of your questions. You may choose to work at any school or you can select Sterling exclusively. Work only on the days that fit your schedule. We appreciate your consideration to help the school by serving as a substitute!
Support a Griffin & Become a Mentor!
The Sterling School has a partnership with Mentor Upstate, a nonprofit organization that seeks to support children with one-on-one positive relationships. We are looking for committed adults who are willing to support and encourage ONE student for the year. If you or someone you know from our school community are willing to volunteer 30 minutes of your time weekly, we need you!
If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please complete the interest survey found HERE! Near the start of the 2023-2024 school year, we will follow-up with training information and other pertinent details. For any questions, email Mrs. Lindsay Berry (school counselor).
We Need YOU! Volunteer Training
Thinking of chaperoning a field trip, becoming a room parents, or mentoring a student? Parents at Sterling School may now participate in volunteer training either in person or online.
Upon completion of the online training module, you will be asked to take a short quiz which will be submitted to Mr. Murphy for scoring. All volunteers must answer each question correctly. Failure to do so will result in potential volunteers being asked to review the training module again or attend a face-to-face training.
To apply to be a Level II volunteer, please CLICK HERE! Follow "Level II" process and select "Field Trip Chaperone" as one of your functions/roles (even if you never want to go on a field trip). This needs to be selected to pull the background check. You may select as many other roles or all that you may be interested in. This does not commit you to anything.
If you have questions about the process or anything related to volunteering at Sterling, or if you prefer a face-to-face training, contact Mr. Murphy via email or (864) 355-4480.
Sterling School
Email: jpatterson@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: www.greenville.k12.sc.us/sterling
Location: Sterling School, John McCarroll Way, Greenville, SC, United States
Phone: 864-355-4480
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theSterlingSchool
Twitter: @SterlingSchool
Principal - Sterling School & Charles Townes Center; Greenville County Schools, South Carolina.