🦃 A Thankful Word from Dr. P
Thanksgiving is a season to pause and reflect on what matters most in our lives: the love of family, the support of friends, the foundation of faith, and the countless blessings that surround us each day. At this time of gratitude, I find myself especially thankful for the incredible Sterling School community.
Whether you lend your time as a volunteer, contribute resources and supplies, or support learning at home, your partnership is deeply valued. On behalf of our faculty, staff, and administration, thank you for all you do to make Sterling School a special place.
Your kindness shines through in everyday moments—whether it’s a warm smile in the car line, an encouraging note or email, or your enthusiastic presence at school events. These simple yet powerful gestures remind us how fortunate we are to serve such dedicated families.
As we step into this season of gratitude, I wish each of you a joyful and meaningful Thanksgiving filled with cherished memories. Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of nurturing and supporting your children.
With gratitude,
Dr. P
*The Griffins Connect eNewsletter will return the week of December 1st.
Introducing Anna Ferretti
My name is Anna Ferretti, and I will serve as the new Front Office Clerk. I am excited to join the Sterling/CTC school family!
I have a B.A in English from Clemson University and a Masters in City Planning from Georgia Tech. While I spent the bulk of my career in commercial real estate development as a Project Manager, I have been a stay at home mom the last few years. I have enjoyed raising our children and volunteering my time and talent with children.
My family relocated to Greenville four years ago from Dunwoody, GA. We absolutely love Greenville. I am originally from Fort Mill, SC and am so happy to be back in SC! I enjoy spending time with my husband and two children. I love to read, cook, bake, hike, volunteer through our church, Downtown Presbyterian, and travel. I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Mrs. Ledford Receives $500 Grant
Congratulations to Ashleigh Ledford, Sterling School’s band and music teacher, on being selected as a 2024-25 Teacher Grant recipient from the Greenville Federal Credit Union Foundation!
Ms. Ledford received a $500 grant to support her music program, thanks to the generous support of Greenville Federal Credit Union. Sarah Bell, a representative from Greenville Federal Credit Union, visited to present the check, showing their commitment to supporting teachers and students in Greenville County.
Thank you to the Greenville Federal Credit Union Foundation for empowering educators like Ms. Ledford to inspire creativity and musical talent in our students. We can’t wait to see the amazing impact this grant will have!
Dr. Bernardy Named Kate Huff History Scholar
Dr. Bernardy, along with fellow Furman University alum Ashley Blackwelder, was honored by the American History Book Club & Forum. As part of this achievement, both educators received awards and grants to fund special projects and field trips for their students.
We’re so proud of Dr. Bernardy’s dedication to bringing history to life in the classroom!
📷 Make-Up Fall/Yearbook Pictures: November 21st
Make-up Fall/Yearbook pictures will be taken on Thursday, November 21st. If you are ordering Fall Make-up pictures online or your student needs their picture retaken, you must email Ms. Starkes at nstarkes@greenville.k12.sc.us by November 15th so that we can be sure your student comes down to have their picture made. Only these students will have their pictures taken. To view pricing, CLICK HERE!
Buy online to get personalization and/or a digital download for free in select packages. Go to www.strawbridge.net. Click “Order Pictures” and enter the following code: FM452274.
Thanksgiving lunch for family members requires ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE.
- Tuesday, November 19th: 1st grade (10:30) 5th grade (11:05) 6th grade (12:22)
- Wednesday, November 20th: 3rd grade (10:35) 2nd grade (11:00) 5K (11:30) 7th grade (12:22)
- Thursday, November 21st: 4th grade (11:30) 4K (12:00) 8th grade (12:22)
Grades Eating Thanksgiving Lunch: 1st, 5th and 6th
All other grades will be served bag lunches (items subject to change):
Elementary: Deli sandwich or Yogurt/Cheese stick
Middle School: Deli sandwich
(Grilled cheese will only be offered to vegetarians and not as a second option)
Baby carrots - ranch
Fruit
Milk
Grades Eating Thanksgiving Lunch: 3rd, 2nd, 5K and 7th
All other grades will be served bag lunches (items subject to change):
Elementary: Hamburger or Yogurt/Cheese stick
Middle School: Hamburger
(Grilled cheese will only be offered to Vegetarians and not as a second option)
Celery - ranch
Fruit
Milk
Grades Eating Thanksgiving Lunch: 4th, 4K and 8th
All other grades will be served bag lunches (items subject to change):
Elementary: Deli sandwich or Yogurt/Cheese stick
Middle School: Deli sandwich
(Grilled cheese will only be offered to Vegetarians and not as a second option)
Baby carrots - ranch
Fruit
Milk
Middle School Minute
M.S. Parents, in support of our YEARBOOK team, please consider sharing some information and a picture to highlight the activities your student participates in outside of school. It is possible that not all pictures can be used, but we would like to highlight as much as we can.
8th grade parents: Please submit a baby/toddler picture of your student to be included in the yearbook. This is a fun tradition!
Use this FORM to submit activity pictures and baby pictures.
Also, keep an eye out for an email this week regarding 8th grade trip and end of year events.
Spirit Week Book Fair
It’s Spirit Week Book Fair time at M. Judson Booksellers—happening this week! From November 18-22, 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM, come out to support both an amazing local bookstore and our school. Every purchase, from books to cafe treats and even gift items, benefits our very own Sterling Media Center. Just mention "Sterling School" at checkout! There is also an online option, online prices are the same as in-store, but shipping fees will apply: CLICK HERE!
Located downtown at 130 S. Main St., right next to The Westin Poinsett, M. Judson is ready to welcome our Sterling families. This special spirit week fundraiser takes the place of our usual school book fair, so let’s make it a week to remember. See you there—let’s shop for Sterling!
Winter Wishes for Faculty and Staff
Our first-ever Winter Wishes PTA Gift Card Drive begins next week! When you join us for Thanksgiving lunch, look for the colorful snowmen displayed in the atrium/entry hallway. Each snowman suggests a gift card idea to help us recognize our wonderful faculty and staff this December. Choose one (or more!) and return the gift card to the front office by December 9th. Let’s come together to spread some holiday cheer!
Need Helping Hands for Thanksgiving Lunches This Week
We need your help to make this week’s Thanksgiving Lunches a success! These special days (11/19, 11/20, and 11/21) have lots of moving parts, and we need plenty of helping hands for tasks like staffing the sign-in tables and delivering lunches to classrooms for students not eating in the lunchroom.
You can even enjoy lunch with your child(ren) and sign up for a shift before or after their lunch! Check out the slots in the sign up to claim your spot. *Keep scrolling—there are slots for all three days, and it might go to a second page depending on your browser!
Thank you for helping us make these days extra special! Sign up HERE
Accepting Imperfection: 24-25 PTA Reflections
The 2024–2025 National PTA Reflections program is here, and this year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection." This powerful theme invites students to explore and express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas through the arts. Whether your student is passionate about dance choreography, film production, music composition, photography, literature, or visual art, this is their chance to showcase their creativity and share their unique perspective.
"Accepting Imperfection" will inspire students across the nation and in U.S. schools abroad to embrace the beauty found in imperfections and create original works that reflect their personal journeys and experiences. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of something special. We can't wait to see what our students create!
Submission Deadline: December 15, 2024
Submit your entry using the link below: Reflections Entry
Choose Sterling School! 25-26 School Choice Lottery Window Opens Nov. 21st
Did you know... Sterling School is Greenville County's only total choice school? This means every single family who attends Sterling School is here by choice. While students of our Charles Townes Center Program are here by invitation, many people do not realize that students of our Sterling Program are also here by choice. So, if you've enjoyed your experience at our school, share the good news (and this digital newsletter) and invite them to join our family! Prospective families interested in joining the Sterling School community are invited to register for a tour HERE.
Why Attend Sterling School?
- We are a National Blue Ribbon School (Blue Ribbon Announcement)
- We have a longstanding reputation as a Top Performing School (Pep Rally Celebration)
- Unique Learning Experiences! (Such as Painting a Collaborative Mural)
- We Believe in Educating the WHOLE CHILD! (and are Award-Winning)
- We have a strong community partnerships (National PTA School of Excellence)
- And MUCH, MUCH more!
Greenville County Schools Change in Assignment School Choice Lottery Window for the 2025-26 school year will be Thursday, November 21, 2024 through Friday, December 6, 2024. All parents wishing to submit a CIA choice request should submit at their first choice school during this window. 2025-26 Change in Assignment Choice Lottery request forms will be distributed via courier on November 15. Magnet applications should be submitted via Backpack. Contact for CIA Requests: Planning and Demographics office, 355-7266 or 355-7263.
📅 GCS Magnet Academy Application Window Opens This Week!
The GCS Magnet Academy Application window for the 2025-2026 school year opens November 21st. (This announcement may be of particular interest to our 5th Grade Sterling and 8th Grade CTC Program families.)
Magnet applications will be available via GCS Parent Backpack during the application round. It is important to apply in the first application round, as available space in magnet academies will fill up quickly and qualifiers from the first round are offered slots before any student from the following rounds. Remember that the components of these applications include attendance, grades, discipline, and a student statement.
Applicants should write a clear, well-written statement that conveys knowledge of the magnet focus of the academy for which they are applying and their reasons for choosing the academy. More information can be found HERE!
The Empty Bowls project has been dedicated to fighting against hunger since 2005. It connects art, community, and service along with education about the worldwide hunger crisis. Empty Bowls Dinner Events allow guests to buy dinner and choose a bowl to keep as a reminder that there are always Empty Bowls in the world.
This year in ART Class the Art Honor Society, MS Art Students, Beta Club, the primary guidance group (under the leadership of Dr. T.), and students in Grade 2-5 will be getting involved in an EMPTY BOWLS service project to show their P.R.I.D.E. (Positivity, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy). After a lesson on hunger in our world, students will produce and donate their ceramic bowl for the "Empty Bowls Dinner Night." to be held on February 7th. Proceeds of the dinner will be donated to a local food bank as a way to show Empathy for those less fortunate who struggle with hunger.
More details on how to attend the dinner will be provided in January. In the meantime please plan to join us for this worthwhile event!
HAM Radio Club
Middle school students, have you ever heard of HAM Radios? They are an amateur radio that allows you to communicate with others near by, across town, or across the world without the internet or cell service. They are often used in emergencies when other forms of communication are not available. In the HAM Radio club you will learn the physics behind how radios work, how to use a radio properly, and how to earn your license. This club will meet on Wednesdays, from 2:30 - 3:30 beginning on November 13th. Register using this LINK.
Dungeons and Dragons Role Playing Club
Dungeons and dragons is a fun roleplaying Game where you fight monsters, solve mysteries, look for treasure, create many different characters and personalities, and have the most fun possible! Grades 4-6 are invited to register HERE. This club will meet on Thursdays from 2:30 - 4:00. The first meeting will be Thursday, November 14th. There is a $5 materials fee.
Today, we join our nation in honoring the courage and sacrifice of all Veterans who have served to protect our freedoms. It was a profound privilege to gather with so many from our school community on Friday for our annual Veterans Day program. The collective respect and gratitude shared in that space were powerful reminders of the strength found in unity and the importance of honoring those who have served.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Dave Moore for sharing his inspiring words with us. We are also deeply grateful to our talented band, strings, and chorus students for their beautiful musical tribute that added so much to the program. A special thank you to our PTA, led by Jenny McCrary, whose generosity and care provided a warm and welcoming reception for our honored guests and their families.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, helping to create a day filled with reflection, gratitude, and unity.
💙 Support a Griffin & Become a Mentor!
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 2024-2025 school year, we will follow-up with training information and other pertinent details. For any questions, email Mrs. Lindsay Berry (school counselor).
Can You Serve As A Substitute?
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!
After School Program Now Hiring!
Looking for a part-time job? Sterling School's After School Program is hiring dedicated and enthusiastic workers! If you enjoy working with kids and have a few hours to spare in the afternoons, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
- Hours: 2-5PM or 2-6PM
- Interested? Contact Maxi Henry at mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us for more information.
Join our team and make a difference in the lives of our students!
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