Greetings, Sterling Middle School “Pioneer” Family:

Each month, you will receive a newsletter from the school giving you “news you can use." As I continue to transition and learn Sterling Middle, I want you to know that I welcome your voice and feedback as we continue to create a positive school culture. I am only an e-mail or telephone call away should you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

As we approach the start of school, I know many of you have questions about how we will return to school. Please know the administrative team is working diligently planning for hybrid and distance learning with staff’s and students’ safety at the forefront. Join us for our Parent Google Meet on Friday, August 7th from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. The link to the meeting has been emailed and will be resent the morning of the meeting. Enjoy the remaining days of summer!

IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT TIME TO BE A PIONEER!

In partnership,

Herman S. Mizell

Principal

Your cOURage is the cornerstone of our change. Let us, together, choose OPTIMISM, UNITY, and RESILIENCE as we navigate outside our comfort zones in our conversations, thinking, teaching, and learning. The differences we make can take time to reveal, but when actions are driven by cOURage, the differences those actions make will always be there, gently taking shape and changing our world. Realizing inner subtleties of courage will support your child's sharing his/her brave voice. We encourage you to create a space where your child can share with you.

LCPS School Board decided on Tuesday evening, July 28th, to start the 2020-2021 school year with 100% Distance Learning (DL) with very limited exceptions for in-person learning. Here is a video of our very own, Dr. Williams, on CNN regarding this decision. Please continue to check the LCPS website for updates on Return-to-School.

With so much uncertainty on how school will look in the fall, we know many are feeling anxious, nervous, unsettled, and eager to find a new normal. We are READY, no matter what takes place. Rest assure, Sterling Middle School's administrative team and staff are working tirelessly to open our doors, Chromebooks, hearts, and minds to an amazing 2020-2021 academic school year -- with safety at the forefront.

Click on the link to access the STM 20-21 school supply list. The list is for all students grades 6 - 8.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires that all students entering seventh grade must have received a Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine booster unless the student has received a Tdap vaccine after the age of seven years.

If your child has not received a dose of the Tdap vaccine, and you have not provided the school with a medical exemption, signed by your child’s licensed health care provider or a notarized Religious Exemption, your child may not start school on September 8th (if in-person). If you have questions, please contact your child’s physician or the local health department.

Please ensure you have an active ParentVUE (PVUE) account to monitor your child's grades, assignments, and upcoming assessments as well as acknowledge school forms and receive information from your child's teachers. Please complete the ParentVUE and Contact Information google form below.

We are excited for her new role as our Parent Liaison at The Sterling Middle School! Her professionalism and heart for our community is a winning combination. We know she will have a seamless transition from her former role as interpreter to her new role as Parent Liaison. She will continue supporting family engagement and empowerment while opening new doors for our families. Welcome to the Pioneer Family!

STM has an active Twitter account. We are writing our Sterling Middle School story, one tweet at-a-time.

Follow our school's and admin's journey of making the ORDINARY...EXTRAORDINARY! @Sterlingmiddle1, @PrincipalMizell, @finnegan54321, and @BarhamElena.