The Weekly Griffin
Week of April 21, 2019 - #BuildingABetterGriffin
The Times... They are a Changin'
I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break. As we turn our focus to the last 6 weeks, we must remain focused in maximizing our efforts this school year. In the coming weeks, we will share some information on how you can encourage the learning during the weeks of summer!
School administrators often refer to the spring months as "hiring season." While we do not anticipate many new hires this year, we do have a few changes we want to communicate. Now that our faculty and staff are aware, this information can become general knowledge to our families as well.
As you may already know, we have three teachers who have announced their decision not to return to Sterling School next year. Mrs. Catherine Saunders will be staying home to support her family. However, she's always welcome to sub anytime she wants! Mr. Horace Butler and Mrs. Jane Stelling will be retiring this year. We congratulate them on their commitment and dedication to our school and to the profession. Finally, due to next year's projected enrollment, we will lose one position in both 2nd and 5th grade but gain a position in 4th grade. Thankfully, with the anticipated vacancies, we were able to absorb the potential excess.
Effective next school year…
- Mrs. Sara Newell (5th CTC) will teach 7th/8th grade Social Studies
- Mrs. Stacey Merritt (3rd CTC) will teach 5th grade CTC
- Ms. Juliane Laskowski (4th Sterling) will teach 3rd grade CTC
- Ms. Ashlie Stewart (2nd Sterling) will teach 4th grade Sterling
- Ms. Amanda West (5th Sterling) will teach 4th grade Sterling
Many thanks to these five individuals! I am grateful for their willingness to step outside their “norm” to fill our internal vacancies. This speaks volumes to the dedication and commitment they have for our students and school community. As a school community, please join me in celebrating and supporting them in their transition. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
What's Ahead...
April 22 thru 26 - Relay for Life Spirit Week
April 22 - Spirit Week: Meme Monday
April 23 - Spirit Week: Totally 80s Tuesday & Middle School Lip Sync Battle
April 24 - Spirit Week: Awareness Wed & Bake Sale (All), Soda Sale (Middle School)
April 25 - Spirit Week: Team Spirit Day & Dodgeball, 3:00-4:15pm ($3 admission)
April 25 - PTA Family STEM Night; 6:00-7:30pm
April 26 - Spirit Week: Fairytale Friday
April 30 - State Dept Report Card Surveys Due (5th & 8th grade parents only)
May 1 thru 3 - DownTownes (Middle School)
May 3 - Last Day to order a Middle School Yearbook
May 4 - Hands on Greenville Day @ Sterling School
May 4 - Strings to Carowinds
*As a reminder... Please continue to be mindful of our drop-off and pick-up.
- Have students exit and load the full length of the awing.
- Keep this area "cell phone free!"
- Do not let students out at "roundabout" near Phillis Wheatley.
- Do not let students out in the faculty/staff parking lot along the Phillis Wheatley property.
- We discourage the use of the parking lot at Tanners. Please utilize our school's driveway.
- Do not text your child at dismissal and request that they walk to Tanner's without an adult.
This WEEK: Relay for Life Spirit Week - Join Us!
Seventh Grade Trout Project
Seventh grade students began studying the basic life cycle of a trout back in December. Table Rock State Park along with funding from Fluor partnered with Ms. Gordon/Ms. Gospodarek’s science class to establish a trout aquarium. While the trout grew and developed in the classroom aquarium, students ran daily water quality tests on the trout to ensure physical and chemical properties were maintained for an ideal living environment.
Seventh grade students visited Table Rock State Park to release the classroom trout and to participate in a hands on mountain stream water quality lab. Students measured the temperature and pH of the Carrick Creek stream. Students also collected cold-water organisms including macro invertebrates, salamanders, crayfish and other organisms. By looking at biotic and abiotic factors along the stream students could calculate the water quality of the stream and watershed. By studying stream ecosystems, students can gain a better understanding of how to protect and preserve these areas. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
First Lego League
First Lego League FLL for the 2019-2020 school year is open only to all rising students in grades 4-8. Space for this club is generally very limited. CLICK HERE for this year's application. The deadline to submit an application is May 3rd.
Young innovators practice imaginative thinking and teamwork. FIRST® LEGO® League focuses on solving real-world problems such as food safety, recycling, energy, and more using STEM concepts, plus a big dose of fun.
With the guidance of two or more coaches, teams (2-10 members, grades 4-8*) apply science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts to solve a real-world problem.
Teams design, build, and program a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot, then compete on a themed table-top playing field. Along their journey, students develop critical-thinking and team-building skills, build STEM self-confidence, and gain valuable perspective on the importance of failure in the learning process.
Attention Parents/Guardians of Rising 7th Grade Students
In accordance with SC State regulations, all students entering 7th grade are required to receive a TDAP vaccination. Parents/guardians must provide their child's school with one of the following prior to the first day of school (08/20/19). Students who do not have this record on file at their school will not be allowed to attend classes and we will not release their fall schedule.
Acceptable documentation includes:
· Certificate of Immunization listing TDAP
· Religious Exemption
· Medical Exemption
If your student has already received the TDAP vaccine, and you have not previously submitted documentation, please do so as soon as possible. You may fax records to 864-355-9477 or hand-deliver to the health room. Please contact Sterling's School Nurse @ 864-355-4687 if you have any questions.
Hands on G'ville is May 4th!
This year is the 25th anniversary of Hands On Greenville Day, the largest day of service in the Upstate, and our school will be a host site again this year! If you are not familiar with this event, Hands on Greenville Day is an annual organized service day that brings people from all over Greenville together at designated locations across the city to volunteer. This year's Hands on Greenville Day is Saturday, May 4th, from 8:00am-12:00pm.
The event is rain or shine and features both indoor and outdoor projects. Check out the volunteer positions available and sign up to help here: CLICK HERE!
Middle School Yearbook
Time is RUNNING OUT to purchase a CTC Middle School Yearbook. After May 3rd you will not be able to order one. A few will be available on a first come first served basis on the last day of school, but there will not be many of them! So if you want a yearbook, PLEASE go the the WEBSITE below and order one! (CLICK HERE!)
Join Carpool List for Next Year!
Are you interested in carpooling to or from school next year? Fill out the Google Form to add your family to the carpool list! At the end of each month, PTA will share the updated carpool spreadsheet with everyone who signs up, so you can connect with nearby families to make arrangements.
2019 Annual Report Card Survey
STEM + Families Invention Night! Limited Spots Remain!
Many thanks to our wonderful PTA for providing this event! Families of 3rd-5th graders are invited to join us for our STEM + Families Invention Night on Thursday, April 25th from 6:00 until 7:30pm in the cafeteria! The event is completely free! Don't miss this hands-on enrichment night that will spark a passion for STEM through invention and play for both students and their families! Siblings are welcome. We'll have light snacks and a drawing for door prizes. Come early to see the high school robotics team!
Note: SPACE IS LIMITED TO 50 FAMILIES! We have limited spots remaining, so sign up now! CLICK HERE! All parents who register for the event will need to check their email on Tuesday, April 23rd for important instructions and to confirm that you were one of the first 50 families to register! If you registered and are no longer able to attend, PLEASE let us know right away so another family can attend in your place.
19-20 After School Registration
Registration for our after school program is now open! CLICK HERE to download the registration form and other information. To ensure that your child is guaranteed a spot in next year's program, register before the end of the current school year. If you wait until the fall to register, you’ll be placed on a waiting list.
Please email Mrs. Henry with any questions. To learn more about the program, visit the After School website HERE!
Health Careers Night (for Middle School)
Health Careers Night will be held at Fluor Field on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 (click here for flyer). Tickets are now available. Students can claim a complimentary ticket for the game.
Instructions to claim the complimentary ticket:
- Click on Health Careers Night
- Type the Group Password - HCN to access the Health Careers Night group ticket portal
- Choose your section (116 - 118) & Click Buy
- Choose your seat by clicking the green circles for each person attending (including the complimentary ticket). Then hit "Continue."
- Type your Promo Code - HCN1 to receive 1 complimentary ticket and hit "Apply Promotions"
- To complete your order, hit "Continue"
2019 Officer Allen Jacobs G.R.E.A.T. Summer Camp
The Greenville Police Department (GPD) is excited to announce the FREE 2019 Officer Allen Jacobs Gang Resistance Education And Training Summer Camp (G.R.E.A.T.). The G.R.E.A.T. Summer Camp is facilitated by the Greenville Police Department to provide a structured one-week program for students entering the 5th or 6th grade in the fall of 2019. This wonderful program will give students the opportunity to choose alternate activities other than crime, violence, and gang affiliation.
The summer camp is open to students who will be entering the 5th or 6th grade in the fall of 2019. Students must be enrolled in Greenville County School District. Students will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. School discipline records and/or grades may be used to determine eligibility for the camp. Space is limited to 60 students. All participants must pre-register with the Greenville Police Department.
The 2019 G.R.E.A.T (Gang Resistance Education And Training) Summer Camp is open to all rising 5th and 6th grade students. Once again, Sterling School will host the camp during the week of June 17th through June 21st.
Online registration for students and volunteers is now available - CLICK HERE! Or download the full application here: CLICK HERE!
The deadline for registration is Friday, May 3rd.
GCS Hall of Fame Nominations
Gifted Educator Conference
Last Tuesday (April 2nd), the Charles Townes Center at the Sterling School hosted our school's first gifted educators' conference. In all, we had approximately 80 guests, representing over 10 school districts across our state. The feedback received from our attendees was overwhelmingly positive with 100% of survey respondents stating that they would recommend this conference to other gifted educators. "Well done! Bravo! Great Conference! - I thoroughly enjoyed all sessions - Excellent! Thank you for your wonderful hospitality" As we think and reflect over the day, we are grateful to support of our families. Without your continued support of our school, our students and school community could not be the wonderful place it is. Thank you!
District Art Show Winners
The following middle school students have placed in this year's District Art Show. Congratulations to all of them! If you would like to view their work, members of the community are invited to do so. CLICK HERE for more details. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Lily Brown - Art 8 - 1st Place Drawing
Isabella Lopez - Advanced Art 8 - 2nd Place Mixed Media
Addy Yarrow - Art 7 - 1st Place Painting
Cort McGowan - Advanced Art 7 - 2nd Place Printmaking
Violet Ellis - Advanced Art 7 - 1st Place - Mixed Media
Sabine Coen - Advanced Art 7 - 3rd Place - Mixed Media
Sarah McClennan - Art 6 - 2nd Place Painting
Oliva Lu - Art 6 - 1st Place Printmaking
Sohini Kulkarni - Art 6 - 2nd Place Printmaking
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