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Griffins Connect
Week of January 15th #Together #WholeChild
2024 Sterling School Spelling Bee
With the word “NULLIFICATION,” 5th grader Carys Annett, was named the winner of year’s Sterling School Spelling Bee. Well done, Carys! Additionally, we recognize our runner up and middle school winner, 6th grader Jackson Champion-Wescott, who also gave a valiant performance. Carys and Jackson competed against 33 other classroom winners in this year's competition. Congratulations to Carys, Jackson, and to all of our this year's winners! #Together #WholeChild
📆 What's Ahead...
Monday, January 15: MLK Jr. Holiday; No School
Tuesday, January 16: Black History T-Shirt Design Contest Submission Due
Thursday, January 18: 100th Day of School
Thursday, January 18: AMC8; 3:00-4:00pm (info below)
Monday, January 22: PTA Spirit Night @ Clare's Creamery; 4:00-8:00pm (info below)
Thursday, January 25: NCFC Parent Café; 5:30-7:30pm
Thursday, January 25: Pancakes with the Principals (for qualifying students); 8:00-9:00am
Wednesday, January 31: FAB (Family & Books) Drop-In; 7:10-8:30am or 2:00-3:30pm (info below)
AMC8: This Thursday!
Middle School families, if your student signed up to take the American Mathematics Competition 8, the AMC8, the test will be held after school this Thursday, January 18th. The test will begin promptly at 3:00 and will last for 40 minutes. Students will need to be picked up by no later than 4:00. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s math teacher, Mrs. Porterfield or Mr. Whittaker. Students will need a charged Chromebook for the exam.
2024 Greenville All County Band
Bravo to the 17 Charles Townes Center Griffin Band members for earning a chair in the 2024 Greenville All County Band! This band is comprises of the top instrumentalists in Greenville County. Congratulations to:
2024 Greenville All County Band: 1st Chair
Congratulations to the following students who earned 1st chair placements in the 2024 Greenville All County Band. Earning a first chair seat means the students received the highest score in their instrument division. Congratulations to:
1st Chair Clarinet: Nicholas Hu
1st Chair Tenor Saxophone: JP Hartman
1st Chair French Horn: Ashlyn Jones
2024 SCMEA All State Orchestra
Congratulations to the following students for successfuly auditioning into the South Carolina Music Educators Association’s (SCMEA) All-State Orchestra:
Amy Ding, 1st Violin
Caroline Yi, 2nd Violin
Aadi Agnihotri, Viola
Johnny Ropp, Viola Alternate
These talented musicians will represent Sterling School/Charles Townes Center at the 2024 All-State Orchestra Event at River Bluff High School in Columbia on February 23-25, 2024.
2024 Greenville All County Orchestra
Congratulations to the following students who will be participating in All County for Greenville in January:
Violins:
- Amy Ding
- Caroline Yi
- Dhanya Rajagopalan
- Ian Hamberis
- Gabriela Bernal
- Vaishu Bhadveli
- Anna Lee Davis
Violas:
- Emily Tavis
- Aadi Agnihotri
- Oliver Craig
- Jonathan Ropp
Cellos:
- Paul Manavalan
- Lily Arzt
- Mary Hazel Hinson
- Liam Felkel
Basses:
- Ganesh Mannepalli
- Aarush Bhatnagar
Great job musicians!! We are so proud of all of you!!
2024 Black History Month T-Shirt Contest
As we prepare for another amazing celebration of Black History in February, we are looking for artists to design our t-shirts with this year’s theme in mind, “African Americans and The Arts.” If you would like to design our t-shirt, please submit your design to Mrs. Harris by Tuesday, January 16th.
Additional details are forthcoming for this year's Black History Month celebration!
Sterling School Clubs: Information & Updates
CHESS CLUB is returning for the second semester. ALL 3-8th grade students who are interested in the spring session need to REGISTER....even if you participated in the fall.
Registration and payment (if you choose to do the paid lessons) are due on January 24th. The first meeting will be Friday, January 26th. Follow this LINK to register.
January is National Mentoring Month
Imagine a world where young people feel empowered, encouraged, and understood. Mentors can make that world a reality by helping young people find and follow their passions, excel in school, and thrive wherever they are. Did you know that January is National Mentoring Month? #WholeChild
Join Sterling School as a mentor! We are looking for committed adults who are willing to support and encourage ONE student in an ongoing one-on-on positive relationship. If you or someone you know from our school community are willing to volunteer 30 minutes of your time weekly, we need you!
If willing to serve as a mentor, please complete the interest survey found HERE! We will follow-up with training information and other pertinent details. For any questions, email Mrs. Lindsay Berry (school counselor).
4K Application Window for 2024-25 Year
In order for our Griffins to start their education on the right foot, we encourage participation in our high quality, full day 4K program! The deadline to apply is January 26th. If you know of anyone in our community who will be four years old on or before September 1, 2023, spread the word! #WholeChild
How to Apply:
There are two ways parents can complete the application for their child. They can visit the Parent section of this website and set up a Backpack account. Once it’s set up, open the Backpack account, look for “Enroll A Student,” and follow the instructions.
For families that do not have internet access, the application can be completed at each school. Parents are urged to bring all the required documents when they visit the school. Children do not have to live in the school attendance area to apply at that location.
The following documents are required for online or face-to-face registration:
- Photo ID from any state or country
- Two current “proof of residency” documents (all must contain property address). These can be a combination of:
- Current bills – i.e. electric, gas, water, cable
- Current mortgage statement or current signed lease agreement with landlord’s name and phone number
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- Signed Certificate of Immunization, Conditional Certificate of Immunization, or Religious Exemption Certificate (Religious Exemption Certificate provided by Health Department)
Please note: completing the application does not guarantee enrollment in Greenville County Schools 4K program. Parents will be notified of application status by March 1, 2024.
For more information, please email 4K@greenville.k12.sc.us.
❄️ From the Sterling/CTC PTA ❄️
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT
Sterling/CTC PTA is excited to host International Night on Friday, February 2nd from 5:00-7:00 PM. This is a FREE, fun-filled event for the whole family to celebrate the many and varied backgrounds of our students.
Travel the globe by visiting the World Showcase with over 20 regional and country displays and compete in the International Sports Arena with a variety of activities! Come ready to learn new things and taste new flavors with your fellow Griffin families. Food will also be available for purchase by cash/card from Anetia’s Catering.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in traditional cultural clothing or something colorful!
International Night Volunteers Needed!
We need your help to make this amazing event happen. Volunteering is easy and incredibly rewarding. See what’s available and sign-up now! International Night Volunteer Sign Up
Clare’s Creamery - Parkins Mill Neighborhood Shop
Join your friends for a delicious treat at Clare’s Creamery on Monday, January 22nd from 4-7:00 PM! Support a local business, while supporting our school! Located just a couple of minutes from Sterling, it’s an easy stop on your way home or to/from after school activities.
Furman Basketball Game
We are excited to once again partner with Furman University for their upcoming basketball game! Save the date - February 18th - when Furman takes on Chattanooga! You won’t want to miss our very own Sterling School Chorus perform the national anthem before the game!
More details and a link to purchase tickets coming soon!
2024 Sterling School Spelling Bee Finalists 🐝🐝🐝
On Friday, Sterling School held our elementary and middle school spelling bees. CONGRATULATIONS to Carys Annett (elementary) and Jackson Champion-Wescott (middle) for winning their respective bee. Carys and Jackson will go head-to-head later this week to determine our overall school winner. We are also very proud of this year's 20 elementary and 15 middle school classroom winners. Well done, everyone! Additionally, a word of thanks to Mrs. Matthews, media specialist, for her leadership of our school bee and to all of this year's callers, judges, and monitors for their support and involvement.
Carys Annett: Elementary Finalist
Carys (pictured right) is with her brother, Gabe, who was first runner up.
Jackson Champion-Wescott: Middle Finalist
👩🏽⚕️ Upcoming Hearing & Vision Screenings
Over the next month, mass hearing and vision screenings will be conducted in the following grade levels. You will be contacted if your student doesn’t pass the screening. If you would like to refuse this screening, please email Nurse Heather: hgarrison@greenville.k12.sc.us.
- Vision: K4, K5, 1st, 3rd, and 5th
- Hearing: K4, K5, 1st, 2nd and 3rd
Sterling School Clubs: Information & Updates
Chess Club does not resume until January 26th and there will be a NEW SIGN UP LINK posted on our school webpage later this week. Both Free Play and Lessons will be offered again during the 2nd semester. There will NOT be any chess club for the next couple of Fridays.
Girls on the Run: This has been a very successful club for our female students in the past and we would love to have a team this semester. Are you willing to help sponsor/co-sponsor this great opportunity? (You don't have to be a runner to help.)
Is there a club that your child is interested in starting? Are you willing to be a parent sponsor of the club? We would love to start more new clubs - we just need adult sponsors to supervise students. For more information or to discuss possibilities, please contact Deborah Foulkes dfoulkes@greenville.k12.sc.us
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!
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.