🍎 Mr. Whittaker Receives WYFF Golden Apple Award
Big congratulations to Mr. Todd Whittaker, 7th/8th grade math teacher, for being selected as a WYFF News 4 Golden Apple Award Winner!
Mr. Whittaker was nominated by Jonathan Gao’s family, who joined us for today’s exciting surprise presentation by WYFF anchor Sydney Shadrix. This well-deserved recognition celebrates his dedication to inspiring our students every day. We are so proud of you, Mr. Whittaker!
SIC Meets THIS Thursday! ALL WELCOME!
Join us on Thursday, December 5th for our SIC monthly meeting. Come and learn about our school’s accomplishments and future plans directly from Dr. Patterson, the PTA, and our teacher and community representatives. Don’t miss out on your seat at the table—your input really matters!
Middle School 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!
8th Grade trip: preliminary information was sent via Backpack/email before the break. More details will be sent in the coming week.
Use this FORM to submit activity pictures and baby pictures.
Middle School Jingle Jam: This Friday!
Our middle schoolers are ready to mingle and jingle! On Friday, December 6th, the PTA will host a fun Silent Disco from 2:30–4:30 PM in the gym. Tickets are just $5 and can be purchased in advance here or with cash at the door.
The ticket price includes a Silent Disco experience, plus a snack and a drink from our hot chocolate bar! Students are encouraged to dress in their most festive attire for the day—hats and holiday headwear are welcome, but all clothing must meet dress code requirements.
Important Details:
Pickup will be at 4:30 PM in the back carline.
Early dismissals from the event will require a parent to come inside with proper ID (carline tag or driver’s license).
Students will not be allowed to leave the gym or exit the building before 4:30 without a parent.
Parents, we need your help to make this event amazing! Here is a sign up link with opportunities to volunteer or donate items. Let’s give our middle schoolers a winter celebration to remember!
Teacher Favorites
Looking for the perfect way to brighten your teacher’s Winter Break? We’ve got you covered! Check out the “Favorite Things” lists to see what makes your teacher smile. Whether you're planning a little surprise or just curious, this list is here to help. **Gifting is totally optional, but it’s a fun way to spread some holiday cheer!
Final Sterling Garden Workday for 2024
Calling all Sterling/CTC families! Earn those volunteer hours and help us "tuck in" our precious garden plants for the winter.
We'll be hosting this final garden work day for 2024 on Saturday, Dec. 7th from 9am-11am. Primary goal will be spreading mulch throughout the garden. Bring your hard rakes and pitchforks, if able.
Click on the SIGNUP LINK to RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there. Grow griffins!
Teacher Appreciation Winter Snack Bar Sign Up
The PTA will be celebrating the winter holidays with our teachers and staff by hosting a Hot Chocolate and Snack Bar on Thursday, December 12th. We’d love your help in making this event extra special by donating snacks! Please sign up here.
Non-perishable items: Please deliver by Wednesday, December 11th.
Perishable items: Deliver to the office by Thursday, December 12th, 8:00 AM.
Thank you for helping us show our appreciation to our amazing teachers and staff!
Winter Wishes for Faculty and Staff
Our first-ever Winter Wishes PTA Gift Card Drive is underway, and there’s still time to participate! If you haven’t already, check out the colorful snowmen in the atrium/entry hallway. Each snowman suggests a gift card idea to help us show our appreciation for our amazing faculty and staff this December. Choose one (or more!) and return the gift card to the front office by December 9th. Let’s make this holiday season extra special for our staff!
Congratulations to Our Fall 2024 PTA Grant Recipients!
Your generous support of the Sterling School PTA makes these grants possible! Twice a year, teachers submit grant requests for projects that enhance student learning, and the PTA is proud to fund creative and impactful ideas in both the fall and spring. We’re excited to announce this fall’s grant recipients and their inspiring projects:
Harrington/Spitler – Supplies for Empty Bowl
David Bernardy – Headphones for Homeroom
Dr. Castro – Board Games
Ashleigh Ledford – flat.io Subscription
Carrie Santinelli – Nonfiction Books for Classroom Library
Jen Matthews – Author Visit
Jessica Duncan – Small Food Tasting
Katelyn Barnett – Flocabulary
Liz VanDommelen – Spanish 2 Holiday Tin Ornaments Project
Katy Martin – Music Stands
Stacey Merritt – 6 Clue Board Games
Tara Adams – Kindergarten Interactive Read-Aloud Texts
Brittany Broughton – Supplies for Math Toolkit
Sarah Richardson – Patricia Polacco's Books
Ashley Moreira – Camera for Griffin News
Felicia Cannon – Food for Food Tasting
Deborah Foulkes – iPad + Movie Maker Software
Thank you to our incredible teachers for their creativity and dedication. We can’t wait to see the positive impact of these projects on our students!
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 Closes THIS FRIDAY!
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 Closes THIS FRIDAY!
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 in Ms. Merritt's room. Register using this LINK.
🦃 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!
💙 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