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Griffins Connect
Week of November 26th #Together #WholeChild
Recent Happenings Around Sterling School
5th Grade explores fractions & ratios with Tiny Foods
4th Grade visits local business to learn about math & entrepreneurship
6th Grade travels back to the Middle Ages
📆 What's Ahead...
November 27: Optional Tour for Prospective Sterling Program; 3:00pm (no registration required)
November 28: Optional Tour for Prospective Sterling Program; 8:30am (no registration required)
November 30: Deadline to Purchase Ticket for Middle School Jingle Jam (CLICK HERE!)
December 1: GCS School Choice Lottery Window Closes (info below)
December 1: GCS Magnet Academy Application Window Closes (info below)
December 1: Middle School Jingle Jam; 2:45-4:30pm
December 1: Deadline for Reflections Art Program Submission - CLICK HERE! (info below)
December 6: Lunch n' Learn: Perfectionism; 12:00-12:30pm - RSVP HERE (info below)
December 7: Fall/Yearbook Pictures Make-Up Date
- Order online @ www.strawbridge.net; click "order pictures" & enter code: FM436458
🥪 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
📅 Choose Sterling School! 24-25 School Choice Lottery Window Closes December 1st!
For interested families, we will offer tours on the following dates/times: Monday (11/27) @ 3:00pm & Tuesday 11/28 @ 8:30am. No need to register; just show up! We hope to meet you soon!
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.
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!
Project Joy / Help a Sterling School Family
As we look ahead to the month of December, the holidays are an exciting time filled with family, creating memories, and unexpected surprises. In order to ensure all students at Sterling School have a magical holiday, some of our families are in need of help. These families have been submitted to Project Joy, a partner of United Way. Looking over the list on the Project Joy website, we currently have 21 families without an individual/business sponsor.
If you are willing to help, CLICK HERE to find more information about Project Joy!
- You will need to create an account in order to view the list.
- Our families are coded with the letter K and a number (example: K12). Families from other schools are coded with different letters. We still have about 20 of our families on our choice board.
- After the family code, such as K12, the children in that family are listed with their sizes and preferences. Included on the form are the following:
- Age, gender
- Favorite color
- Shoe size
- Pants size
- Shirt size
- Several wish list items, toys, games, etc.
- Project Joy staff recommend several personal items (e.g., shampoo, toothbrush, hairbrush, etc.)
- If someone selects a family, they need to deliver the coded, individually-wrapped gifts to United Way on Tuesday, Nov. 28 from 10:00-4:00 or Wednesday, Nov 29 from noon to 6:00. (The gifts should be marked K12 Child 1, K12 child 2, etc.)
**Project Joy recommends spending about $100 per child.**
Feel free to pass this information along to anyone you know who would be willing to help our families. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Berry at tberry@greenville.k12.sc.us or Angie Feltman at afeltman@greenville.k12.sc.us.
MySchoolBucks Update & Info
FYI: Beginning November 13th, parents will see a MySchoolBucks Fall 2023 Program Fee of $2.50 on their next transaction. This is a convenience fee that MSB will charge on the first payment transaction made during November and December 2023 time frame. According to MSB, this fee is to help offset rising costs so the 4.25% per transaction fee is not affected.
🍂 From the Sterling/CTC PTA 🍂
⛄ 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 @ Phillis Wheatley Community Center!
📅 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!
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.