2018-19 Sterling Summer Connection
"Building A Better Griffin"
Welcome Back Week
- First Day to Work in Rooms (unless informed beforehand)
August 7th -
- 8:30-12:30 - Rising 3rd Grade CTC Day Camp @ RMSC
August 9th -
- 4:00-7:00 - Faculty/Staff Social @ Wild Wings (See below for more info)
- Faculty/Staff Returns
- 8:00am - Breakfast provided by PTA
- AM - Work in Rooms
- 9:00am - New Faculty/Staff Orientation
- 1:00 - Faculty Meeting
August 14th -
- 8:30 - Faculty Meeting
- AM - 1:1 PD w/Stephanie Williams (3rd-5th grade, 8:30-9:30; 6th-8th, 9:45-10:45)
- AM - Sterling program teachers @ East North Street Academy for Baruti Kafele; Session One - 10:00-12:00, Lunch - 12:00-1:00, Session Two - 1:00-3:00 (see more info below)
- AM - CTC program teachers - you are invited to participate in the Kafele workshop! He is a dynamic, inspiring speaker; however, if you need to ready your room for Meet the Teacher feel free to opt out. (see more info below)
- 4:30-5:00 - 3rd Grade CTC Orientation
- 5:00-7:00 - CTC Program Meet the Teacher
August 16th -
- AM/PM - Work in Room
- 5:00-7:00 - Sterling Program Meet the Teacher
- 9:00-11:00 - Meet the Teacher Make-Up Both Program
- 1:00 - Faculty Meeting: Last Minute Items
August 20th -
Students Return (First Day of School)
A Message From Dr. Patterson
I hope summer has brought plenty of shared memories, great moments with family and friends, and time for reflection. Writer and Harvard professor Robert Coles wrote, "We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create or dream." I hope this break has provided you with "empty hours" to create, dream, rest, and reflect on the work we do...our "why!"
While I have enjoyed the different pace of summer break, I am excited about the year ahead. Earlier this summer at Furman's PBL Consortium, a participating member from our faculty emailed me as she listened to the keynote speaker. The information she shared quickly resonated with many of the conversations and discussions we've had the previous year regarding our school's vision and focus.
The National Association of Independent Schools identifies 8 characteristics of schools who are successfully delivering a 21st century education:
- Are academically demanding
- Have infused technologies and a global perspective
- Have vibrant arts program
- Have transformational leadership that embraces change
- Employ adults who are actively engaged
- Have·classrooms that extend beyond school walls
- Promote participation, innovation, and a “growth mindset”
- Use project-based learning
As we continue to grow and strengthen all aspects of this list, I'm sure we can agree that this list captures the essence of our school. This year, as we embrace the theme of "Building a Better Griffin," we will continue to strengthen our school's two unique programs while providing all of our students with unique, personalized learning experiences.
While it's easy to get caught up in the standards, pacing guide, and our own plans for instruction, we must always remember that our work must always begin and end with relationships. Relationships are not only the foundation of a personalized learning experience, they are the heartbeat of our life's work. If we truly want to bring influence and make a genuine difference in tomorrow's world, we have to communicate care for our students as individuals first. As we think about all the necessary preparations we must complete before students arrive, let's also plan for how we will intentional provide space and time to connect to our students. Within this newsletter, you'll find a couple of "student-centered" considerations as you plan for the start-of-the-year.
Thank you, in advance, for a wonderful year. As your principal I want to do everything I can to partner and support the work you are doing. I'm excited about our work and consider it an honor to be at Sterling School. It's a great joy and blessing to GROW, LEARN, and FAIL with all of you! In the meantime, enjoy these final days of summer; we'll see you soon!
Learning Together,
Dr. P
"Welcome Back" Faculty/Staff Social
Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 9th @ 4:00pm-7:00pm. We will gather at Wild Wings in Downtown Greenville to enjoy a time of food, fun, and good times. This is a great opportunity to meet our newest faculty/staff and reconnect before the busyness of the school year begins!
If you plan to attend, please RSVP by noon on Wednesday, August 1st. Wild Wings will need a number of attendees in order to plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing everyone there!
Thursday, Aug 9, 2018, 04:00 PM
Wild Wing Cafe, West Washington Street, Greenville, SC, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Designing Classrooms with Students in Mind
A classroom’s physical environment is important. The display of authentic writing, noticing charts, and other student-created work are all part of what we value in creating a student-centered classroom environment. As we prepare our rooms, I would encourage intentional "white space" ...spaces not filled with manufactured posters but areas for shared, authentic, inquiry-based (wonders and noticings), thinking and reflection.
Here are some resources I'd like for you to consider. You may have seen these before...but are such good, good reminders. The first is a challenging blog post by classroom teacher Barry Saide. The second is a short video, entitled Teach From The Walls, that provides an "inquiry rich" strategy to engage students through the use of texts, images, charts, etc. that often created by the students and displayed on the classroom walls. So, as you continue to prepare the classroom, be sure to leave some "white space" on the walls so your students can leave their mark on the walls of their classroom.
Some additional articles/resources:
Utilizing STEM/STEAM Challenges to Create Shared Classroom Expectations
Collaboration is not filled with all “kumbaya” moments. It can be hard, misunderstood, and sometimes messy. But when collaboration is taught and appropriately structured, it can be a powerful tool to celebrate failure and mistakes. STEM/STEAM challenges are an ideal way to promote risk taking through collaboration. The chance provided through tasks to think innovatively through the design process provides students with countless opportunities to fail and apply new learning to meaningful tasks. Learning is a social phenomenon. Failing together provides the interdependent support and accountability to continue the learning. (Check out this blog post by Jackie Gerstein for more ideas.)
Last year... [Don't stop reading now :-)...] I shared this approach to cultivating classroom community. As I reflect on the types of learner we strive to encourage, I wanted to resend as you think of creating a positive learning environment for your students.
Utilizing STEM/STEAM challenges is also a great way to build your classroom expectations in a shared, collaborative way. For example, after students have "experienced" the importance of working together, you might ask, "Why were you successful in achieving your goal?" Their responses might be...we listened to one another, we worked together, we did not argue, etc. After charting the students' responses (possibly after several challenges throughout the week), create a shared set of classroom expectations. With the experiences provided, students now understand the "WHY" and importance of your classroom expectations. It's also helpful to have a positive shared experience to reference if students need a reminder of the "why" in the future.
A Few Reminders As You Work In Your Rooms
Our custodial staff is nearing the completion of their summer obligations. Though they've been working hard, you cannot access your room just yet. You will be able to access your classroom the week of August 6th.
Below are a few reminders/request when working in your rooms.
- No duct tape on any surface.
- No tape on Pro Board.
- Do not store anything on top of the cabinets.
- Do not hang anything from the ceilings.
- Please do not slide anything on the floors; a custodian will help you move furniture.
- Do not use glue gun on the wall.
- Remember to maintain two feet of clearance when displaying anything on the walls.
- Mini-fridges, coffee makers, space heaters, and microwaves are not allowed in classrooms, per state fire marshal.
- Do not hang anything in the interior windows that may obstruct view into the classroom.
- Do not put anything in front of emergency windows (maintain a 3 foot clearance).
Money from the State
Admin Rule GBU: Employee Dress Code
After receiving input from employees throughout the school district, the Administration has adopted Administrative Rule GBU to provide employees with specific guidance and parameters designed to promote an educational atmosphere that is conducive to learning and conveys professionalism. The dress code requirements contained in Administrative Rule GBU became effective June 11, 2018. See Administrative Rule GBU.
Also, make sure the dress code is followed during district level professional developments such as Summer Academy and other PD opportunities.
SafeSchools Safety Videos
The annual SafeSchools safety training videos are up. They are available for you to access via the district online portal. You have until September 15th to complete them. If you are new to the district, you may have to wait a few days after your initial date of hire to access. You are encouraged to complete these video assignments before your official return in August. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
https://greenville-sc.safeschools.com/login (use your employee I.D. to login)
Field Trips
Teacher Webpages
While Google Class is often used to communicate with our families on a more routine basis, we also need to ensure that our individual web pages are current. These pages provide information about us and our school that parents and family members want to know. You can keep this page simple: provide contact info, a little personal information about you, a picture of you, and perhaps links to resources that families may be encouraged to access. If you have a page, please be sure it's updated; if you're new, we will help you establish your page during the first week back.
Baruti Kafele Workshop
One of the most sought-after education speakers in America, Principal Kafele is impacting America’s schools! He has delivered over two thousand conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies over his 32 years of public speaking. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority for providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the “Attitude Gap.”
Clubs & Committees
Calendar @ A Glance
Curriculum & Planning
Quick Access to Curriculum Resources
- Google Curriculum Resource (access via portal), including Long Range Planning
- Sample Schedule w/Specific Wording (elementary only)
BEFORE schedules are finalized, please submit to administration (via Google Classroom) for approval.
Duty Wish List
Master Schedule
Community Partnership Directory
What better way to teach our students to think like historians, scientists, or mathematicians than to ask the experts? To further our students' learning, we've sought various experts with professional experiences to engage our students. Our district's Graduation Plus emphasis strives to ensure that all students are career and college ready. Exposing our students to various careers and professions within the context of meaningful, hands-on learning will strengthen our students' learning experience.
Therefore, we have created a database of partners and parents who have various expertise. You are encouraged you to utilize the database when seeking experts to support various curriculum units (i.e. PBL units, integration, STEAM, etc.).
CLICK HERE to access the database.
Introducing the Newest Members of the Sterling School Family!
Kristen Cooper - Middle School Science [7th/8th]
Total Years of Experience - I have been teaching middle school science for five years. I taught eighth grade two years and seventh grade three years.
College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned - I bleed garnet and black, GOOO Gamecocks! However, when a South Carolina team makes it to a championship, I am rooting for the state to win. I earned my bachelors in science at the University of Carolina. I also attended Howard University and earned a MBA in Finance.
Favorite Childhood Memories of School - My favorite childhood memory in school would have to be earning first chair viola in the youth orchestra.
What Have You Been Up to This Summer? - This summer I recorded background vocals for demo submissions, toured South Carolina farms learning about agriculture, and spent a week living on Lake Moultrie.
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am excited about joining the Sterling School family because it gives me an opportunity to continue to work with students who are excited about learning, enjoy school, and welcome a challenge. I am eager to continue to work with innovative, energetic, and team oriented educators who have welcomed me to the Sterling School family with open arms. This year will be a fantastic one!
Connie Gordon - Middle School Science (6/7)
Where's "Home?" - Venice, FL
Total Years of Experience - 18; National Board Certified in EA/Math since 2007
College Attended - University of South Florida (Go Bulls!)
Favorite Childhood Memory of School - Being selected as first chair cellist in 8th grade
Favorite Place to Get Away (& what makes it so great) - Portland, Oregon! Love the terrain and climate! My daughter lives there!
Family & Personal Information - Married for 30+ years; son who works at Anderson 1&2 Career & Technology Center; daughter works at Intel; 2 fun doodles that love to romp in the lakes when we camp
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am excited to be back "home"
Judy Harrington - Art
Total Years of Experience - 26 years- Lead Middle School Art Teacher
Colleges Attended/Degrees Earned - BS, Art Education, Minor Graphic Design - University of Buffalo; MA - Instructional Technology - Grand Canyon University
Favorite Childhood Memory of School - NY State HS Championship Volleyball 2nd place finisher! So proud of my teammates and myself for our determination and hard work.
Family & Personal Information - Married with a husband of 24 years, 2 teenage boys including a son with high functioning autism. My boys are 2 of 51 grand children and love sports, video games, and youth group at St. Mary's Catholic church.
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am so excited about being on a team with another Art Teacher and a supportive school community. I want to build on the great tradition of the Visual Arts at Sterling and have an extremely positive impact on the students in the Art classroom and throughout the school with arts integrated activities.
Kimberly Lane - 4th Grade CTC
Total Years of Experience - In my 23 years of public school teaching, I have focused mainly on the intermediate grades of 4th, 5th, and 6th. I taught gifted/talented 6th grade students in Tampa for 9 years after beginning my career there as a 5th grade teacher. Upon moving to Greenville, I wanted to return to elementary school, since my son was in kindergarten then. I taught 4th grade for the next 10 years, then returned to 5th grade most recently. I have taught a wide variety of students and enjoyed learning from talented mentors and colleagues through the years. This past spring, I had the privilege of moving into higher education, teaching an undergrad class at USC Upstate. Learning is my passion, and teaching is my calling.
College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned - Go Noles! I graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Florida State University; Go Tigers! Clemson awarded me a Master of Education in Literacy in 2013.
If Education Wasn't Your Profession, What Would You Choose? - I would love to write professionally one day. There is nothing like a good story, and I just love authors' ability to conjure whole worlds of sights, sounds, emotions, and meaningful relationships from mere words on paper.
Family & Other Personal Information - My husband and I are a blended family with two 18 year old sons. One attends UT Knoxville, majoring in Biology with an interest in neurology. One attends the Citadel in Charleston, majoring in Computer Science with an interest in cyber security. We currently have 5 furbabies, too...one cat and four dogs. Three of these are rescues, and two are toy poodles. They all bring us a lot of joy!
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - This school is growing and progressing in new and exciting ways! I am intrigued by the concept of the school, meeting its people, and returning to teaching and learning in the 4th grade setting. I can't wait to meet you all and to find out what more about you all!
Jen Matthews - Media Specialist
Total Years of Experience - I started my career as a Media Specialist while I was working on my degree. So I have been a MS for 7 years total.
College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned - Bachelors in Communications with Minor in IT from University of Phoenix (I rose from the ashes) and Masters in Library Media from University of West Alabama (Go Tigers! Not really - Go Dawgs! I'm a Georgia fan!)
Favorite Childhood Memory of School - I remember reading "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". This book made me fall in love with reading! I remember feeling like I was Walter Mitty and really got lost in this story!
If Education Wasn't Your Profession, What Would You Choose? - Education wasn't always my profession. I used to do administrative work in the business world and thought that I loved it... until I went to work as the secretary at my youngest daughter's school. I've never looked back! Teaching is my calling from God!
Why Are you Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am excited to meet new people and work in a bigger school where I can serve more students!
Amanda McLaine - 1st Grade
Total Years of Experience - I have taught for one year! After I graduated college, I packed up and moved to Athens, GA where I taught 3rd grade for a year. I am so happy to be moving back to my home state!
College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned - I am thrilled to have spent my college years at Clemson University! I studied Early Childhood Education and couldn't have asked for a better experience! Go Tigers!
If Education Wasn't Your Profession, What Would You Choose? - If I hadn't become a teacher, I would have been a baker/cake decorator!
What Have You Been Up To This Summer? - This summer I have spent a lot of time driving back and forth between Greenville and Athens and I can't wait to call Greenville my official "home base". I have also gone to a couple of concerts and events in my time off! Finally, I am getting ready to go on a trip to Cancun with my family!
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am excited to join the Sterling School family because it seems like a really supportive atmosphere where everyone is working together to see the students reach their full potential. I can't wait to become a part of such an excellent group of educators!
Antrina Miller - Administrative Assistant
Total Years of Experiences - From subbing to managing the computer lab and on to teaching in the classroom, my 17 years of experience has always been fueled by my love for kids and learning.
Colleges Attended/Degrees Earned - Bachelor's of Social Work - South Carolina State University (Bulldog4Life); Master's of Art in Teaching - Converse College (Pink Panther Pride); Masters in Educational Administration - Southern Wesleyan University (Go Warriors!)
Favorite Restaurant - Pappadeaux is my absolute favorite restaurant and I will take a trip to Atlanta just to go there!
Favorite Place to Get Away (& what makes it so great) - Myrtle Beach is great because it is not far and there’s lots to do: Beach walks, Fireworks, Shows, Crab legs, and discounts for Educatora.
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - I am excited to join the staff because of the wonderful admin team, faculty and staff. From the first interview until now (summer visits), I have felt nothing but love and acceptance! What a way to welcome this newbie!
Joyce Reed - 3rd Grade Sterling
Total Years of Experience - 13!! Time has flown by.... love teaching and working with kids every day!! Learning and exploring together!!
College(s) Attended/Degree(s) Earned - Go Argos!!! I graduated from the University of West Florida from 1999 until 2004!!
Favorite Childhood Memory of School - Learning about science in an outdoor habitat that included flower beds and a pond!!! Also learning about the ocean and sea urchins as well as art class and library and music class those were my favorites!
What Have You Been Up To This Summer - Well I have been super busy with packing and moving here to Greenville which also included Staging my house to sell in Virginia! For breaks I have enjoyed Pool time and family time in Indiana and exploring kid friendly places to take my kids to here in Greenville. Oh and the best part has been buying new to me furniture from Facebook marketplace too that has been super fun and exciting!
Why Are You Excited to Join the Sterling School Family? - Sterling has a population of students that choose to come here!! Wow, that’s so awesome!! You have some amazing and different programs to meet the needs of all students and I’m so excited to be apart of the Sterling family learning and growing together!! Family is important!
What's Dr. P Reading...
- District Instructional Protocol - Here is our district's new instructional protocol. We will be coming back to this in more detail throughout the year.
- Problem-Based Learning: A Promising Strategy for Gifted Students - A great piece that affirms our commitment to this work. Check out the fifth paragraph! :-)
- Blended & Personalized Learning at Work - This site provides lots of resources to support our 1:1 laptop initiative. You can also find grade level ideas...Click Here!
- Flexible Classrooms: Research is Scarce, But Promising - Several of you have incorporated flexible seating in your class. See what the latest research says!
Donors Choose
While completely voluntary, if you feel inclined, you are encouraged to write a Donors Choose grant by the start of the year (and you never know when Stephen Colbert might decide to give another $800,000). We typically find natural generosity among our families in the first days of the new school year. You can also promote your Donors Choose grant through your class blog and weekly newsletter. If you choose to write a grant, be mindful of upcoming units, guided reading/math station activities, high interest leveled texts, and general classroom needs. If you need assistance in writing a grant, please do not hesitate to let anyone on the instructional team know. You can check out current grants written by Sterling teachers here! (CLICK HERE!)