Griffins Connect
Week of November 12th #Together #WholeChild
š¦ A Thankful Word from Dr. P.
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on those things that are most important to us: our family, our friends, our faith, and the many blessings that surround each and every one of us. I am particularly thankful for our Sterling School community. Whether you volunteer your time, provide tangible items and supplies, or reinforce at home what is taught at school, on behalf of the faculty, staff, and administration at Sterling School, we thank you! Our families are not taken for granted. Each day, we are blessed through simple interactions in the car line, encouraging notes and emails, and your strong presence at school events. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve you and your family. I pray that every Sterling School family has an enjoyable and memorable Thanksgiving. #Together #WholeChild
*The Griffins Connect eNewsletter will resume the week of November 26th.
š What's Ahead...
November 13-17: Starbook Book Fair (info below)
November 13: GCS School Choice Lottery Window Opens (Closes December 1); info above
November 13: GCS Magnet Academy Application Window Opens (Closes December 1); info below
November 14: Thanksgiving Families for Lunch: K5 (10:20), 1st (10:30), 4th (11:15), 6th (12:10)
November 15: Thanksgiving Families for Lunch: K4 (12:00), 3rd (11:15), 7th (12:10)
November 16: Thanksgiving Families for Lunch: 2nd (10:25), 5th (11:05), 8th (12:10)
November 22-24: Thanksgiving Student Holiday
š Choose Sterling School! 24-25 School Choice Lottery Window Opens Tomorrow!
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 our Sterling Program students 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!
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 (CIA) Lottery Window for the 2024-25 school year begins Monday, November 13, 2023, and remains open until Friday, December 1, 2023. All parents wishing to submit a CIA choice request should submit at their first choice school during this window. This does not apply to magnet schools.
Contact for CIA Requests: Planning and Demographics office, 355-7266 or 355-7263.
ā š Starbooks Book Fair
The Starbooks Book Fair is coming to the Media Center this Monday, November 13th through Friday, November 17th. Online Shopping is available now through November 20th.
Mrs. Matthews will once again be providing books for students who would love to purchase a book, but cannot afford one. She will hold a "raffle" and announce the daily winners for students to visit the fair and choose a book. These students are so excited that they have "won" the drawing for a book. This is what makes our book fair a success - getting books into the hands of students who love reading. Please consider making a donation to the school's eWallet to help fund these books!
Volunteers are also appreciated and receive 20% off purchases for helping!
š Clemson vs USC Relay for Life Challenge
š„Ŗ Upcoming Lunch n' Learn: Perfectionism
Event Details:
- Target Audience: 3rd-5th Grade CTC Program
- Date/Time: Wednesday, December 6th; 12:00-12:30pm
- Location: Virtual
- RSVP: CLICK HERE!
- Questions? Email Mrs. Bennett
During this workshop, we will explore practical strategies and share valuable insights on how to recognize and support students dealing with perfectionism. The workshop aims to create a space for parents to connect, learn, and exchange ideas on how we can collectively contribute to the well-being and academic success of our students. #Together #WholeChild
Purchase Your Yearbook Today!
Don't forget to order your child's yearbook! The process is super easy! Visit the Jostens site to order.
- Elementary: CLICK HERE!
- Middle School: CLICK HERE!
š GCS Magnet Academy Application Window Opens Tomorrow!
The GCS Magnet Academy Application window for the 2024-2025 school year opens November 13th. (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. CLICK HERE to view the Magnet Academy Application Website.
24-25 GCS Virtual Program Registration
All Greenville County students have the opportunity to apply for the full-time Virtual Program. The application for the 2024-2025 GCS Virtual Program opened on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023, and will continue through 5:00 PM on Friday, December 1st, 2023. To apply, students must be enrolled in Greenville County Schools, and parents must have a BackPack account. To view all registration information, CLICK HERE!
š From the Sterling/CTC PTA š
ā Middle School Jingle Jam Tickets on Sale Now!
Dress as your favorite holiday and join your friends for a Silent Disco and Reindeer Games on Friday, December 1st from 2:45-4:30 pm.
Tickets are $5 and include admission, hot chocolate bar, and treats! Tickets available for purchase online until Thursday, November 30th or by paying cash at the door. This event is for middle school students only!
The 23-24 Reflections Art Program is Underway!
Reflections is an arts recognition and achievement program sponsored by the National PTA. Students are encouraged to SUBMIT original works of art by December 1st in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography or Visual Arts.
All Sterling/CTC students can participate!
Participation is organized by division:
- Primary: PreK-Grade 2
- Intermediate: Grade 3-5
- Middle School: Grade 6-8
Student works are critiqued against others in the same division. This allows recognition and judging of artworks by appropriate developmental age and skill levels.
Students may submit multiple entries but a new submission must be made for each entry. Be sure to use a parent email, not district issued student email. State winners will be notified through email and students may not be able to receive emails from outside sources, including PTA. Entries can only be submitted electronically. The rules and guidelines can be found in the link to the Rules & Guidelines.
Please contact Reflections co-chairs, TJ Jaconetti or Jagy with any questions.
From Our Friends @ the Phillis Wheatley Community Center!
Sterling School SIC Corner
Every month, the Sterling School School Improvement Council will provide families with a recap of our monthly meeting (video below). In addition, you will find the approved minutes from the previous month's meeting: CLICK HERE!
Ultimately, our goal is to provide open communication of the important work that is happening from the group and to increase engagement and involvement across our school community. As a reminder, members of our school community are invited to attend our monthly meetings. We meet on the first Thursday of every month from 8:30-9:30am. We hope you'll join us! #Together #WholeChild
Upcoming Community Art Events
Check out the following community arts events:
- From the Classroom to the Gallery Art Teacher Show: Mrs. Harrington will represent our school with her beautiful painting in the GCS Art Teacher Showcase at Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville! Visit the gallery at 200 N. Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601 on Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm or Sunday 1pm to 5pm.
2023-24 MS Collaborative Art Show: The Greenville County Collaborative Middle School Art Show is currently on display at the GCS District Office, 301 E. Camperdown Way, Grenville, SC 29601. Together with Mrs. Harrington and Mrs. Spitler, our talented students invite you to enjoy their showpieces!
8th Grade Lunch & Learn Follow-Up
Last Wednesday, 8th grade parents gathered for a very special lunch and learn with Furman Admission's Director, Melissa Cline. Ms. Cline shared a variety of information with families who are preparing for the transition to high school and how that can overlap with the college admissions process. (A word of THANKS to Miss Treloar for leading this effort!)
Ms. Cline shared if she could choose one thing to tell parents, it would be to support their student through each transition. In addition, here is the article Ms. Cline referenced in her presentation, "How Many AP Classes are Enough?", which mentions "Taking and doing well in more than 5 AP classes doesnāt significantly improve a studentās chances of getting good first-year college grades and four-year degree completion."
We hope to continue hosting this opportunity with increased participation! If you have any feedback or suggestions please reach out to Miss Treloar!
Bubble Run Celebration Assembly - Mario Kart Madness!
We had bubbles, foam, pizza parties, and multiple visits to the game truck! We finished celebrating our Bubble Run Fundraiser success with a fun-filled school wide assembly! Our Griffins enjoyed an action packed Super Mario Kart Race between their favorite administrators, teachers, and special student participants! We also announced our Grand Prize Winners, held a raffle for a student in every homeroom to receive a special goodie bag, and awarded Mr. Whittakerās homeroom the first ever Bubble Run Trophy for their top place finish!
We are thrilled to share the Grand Prize Winners: First Place, Kaiden Patel (Meta Quest VR System); Second Place, Ella Beard (Nintendo Switch); and Third Place, Addison Oehler (Beats Headphones). Congratulations and thank you for your hard work!
We are so grateful to our amazing leadership team and teachers for making this such a great assembly! Thank you again to everyone who helped with our Griffin Bubble Run Fundraiser. We appreciate your generosity and support!
Swamp Rabbit's Stomper Follow-Up
Stomper had such a great time here at Sterling during our Stomper Stomps Out Bullying Show that he has invited us to a very special Swamp Rabbits Hockey Game. On Sunday, November 12th the Swamp Rabbits will take on the Everglades during a STEM DAY event. Childrenās tickets can be purchased for $10 and Adult tickets for $16 using this discounted ticket link and using the promo code āSTERLING.ā Please reach out to adepuy@swamprabbits.com or gnicholson@swamprabbits.com if you have issues purchasing tickets.
Daylight Savings: The Importance of Sleep
As part of our school's #WholeChild mission, our school works to advocate and support the importance of a physically healthy child. This weekend, families across America will turn their clocks back one hour. This shift can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep for the recommended 8 or more hours each night, leading to fatigue, distraction and stress. Check out these science-backed tips for a good night's sleep as the seasons change.
- Preschoolers (ages 3ā5): 10ā13 hours (including naps)
- School age children (ages 6ā12): 9ā12 hours
- Teenagers (ages 13ā18): 8ā10 hours
Insufficient sleep can impact studentsā concentration and ability to retain information. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and supports success in school.
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