Sterling Summer Gram
#WelcomeBack #BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUp #WholeChild
Welcome Back Week
- First Day to Work in Rooms
August 7th -
- 4:00-7:00 - Faculty/Staff Social @ Dave & Buster's (See below for more info)
- 9:00am - New Faculty/Staff Orientation; Guidance Suite
August 13th -
- 8:00-4:30pm - Youth Mental Health First Aid Training; Vegas Room (All Faculty/Staff)
- 8:00am - District TOY Breakfast
- 3:30-6:30pm - Sterling Program Meeting (with required information session at 3:30, 4:30 OR 5:30) Meet the Teacher (CLICK HERE for Procedures & Duty Assignments)
August 15th -
- 8:30am - PBIS Committee Meeting in Guidance Suite
- 4:00-4:30pm - 3rd Grade CTC Parent Orientation
- 4:00-5:00pm - 6th Grade Boot Camp
- 4:30-6:30pm - CTC Program Meet the Teacher
- Meet the Teacher (CLICK HERE for Procedures & Duty Assignments)
- 8:30-11:00am - Faculty Meeting
August 19th -
- PTA Welcome Back Breakfast @ 7:30am
- AM: Program/Dept Break-Out Meetings (Sterling, Middle School, Related Arts, CTC Elem)
- 1:00pm - Faculty Meeting
- Students Return (First Day of School)
- 7:40-8:30am - Sip, Sob, and Shout
#BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUP
It's going to be a great year! Thank you, in advance, for your commitment, care, and dedication to our students and school community!
"Welcome Back" Faculty/Staff Social
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 7th @ 4:00pm-7:00pm. We will gather at Dave & Buster's in on Woodruff Road 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 Wednesday. We'd like to give the restaurant a head's up on the number of attendees. We look forward to seeing everyone there!
Wednesday, Aug 7, 2019, 04:00 PM
Dave & Buster's, Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Designing Classrooms with Students in Mind
As we prepare our classrooms for the coming year, think about what your classroom (the literal physical environment) communicates. For example, if we truly value student collaboration and group work, what will this mean for our desk arrangement? I think we'd all agree that our classrooms should be designed not for us but for our students.
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. Last year, Deborah and I attended a workshop provided by our district on The Classroom Environment for Literacy. CLICK HERE to see more. Essentially, the gist of the workshop in reference to designing student-centered classrooms is captured in the graphic and text above. You may have seen these before...but here are some 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:
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 School Board 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 16th 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)
2019-2020 Duty Roster
Many thanks to the duty committee members for their tireless work and commitment to developing a plan that ensures appropriate supervision of our students while they are in our care. We will go over the dismissal procedures at our faculty meeting on Friday, August 16th. However, here is the duty roster for your planning purposes. While no duty roster is perfect, we believe this roster meets most of the items required for student safety while not encroaching too much on your valuable time. Please note, all elementary teachers will hold their homeroom students in their classrooms at dismissal. Bus riders, 4k and 5k will be dismissed at 2:30, walkers will be dismissed after bus riders at 2:35, and car riders will be dismissed in the order in which their names appear on your promethean board via the dismissal tag system. As bus riders and walkers are dismissed, it is the expectation that teachers stand in their doorways to monitor hallway traffic. After bus riders and walkers are gone, only the teachers identified should remain in their doorways monitoring the hallways and their students. If you are unavailable on your scheduled day, contact others about switching. IF you switch, please notify Mr. Murphy ASAP.
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. (Need an example? Check out Ms. Lunsford's!)
Classroom Expectations
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.
Grievance Observer
· Each year, we are required to hold an election via secret ballot to select a grievance observer that will assist members of the faculty or staff who have a grievance. As always, should you have a conflict with a colleague, it is generally best to address your concern with that colleague directly. However, if the conflict goes beyond the point of professional disagreement, the district has set guidelines for how to file a grievance, including the election of a grievance observer. The role of the grievance observer is to be present as an objective witness to any proceedings, should there be a question as to what took place later down the road. As such, please think about your colleagues and select an individual who you believe would be objective, fair, and maintain confidentiality. Please fill out the Google Form below (this is anonymous and no emails will be collected) with the name of one your colleagues to serve as our grievance observer this year. CLICK HERE to nominate.
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!
Nicole Benvenuto: School Counselor
My name is Nicole Benvenuto and this will be my first year as a school counselor here at Sterling School. I am originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where my family still resides. I attended Slippery Rock University to receive my B.S. in psychology. I then decided to branch out and move to South Carolina to attend Clemson University where I received my M.Ed and Ed.S in Counselor Education. While attending Clemson, I had the opportunity to work as a graduate assistant with the ClemsonLIFE program.
In my free time, I love to be outdoors at the lake or by the closest pool! I also enjoy traveling, watching movies, and spending time with friends. Most importantly, I love to take advantage of opportunities to go home to Pennsylvania to visit my family! I am so excited to be a part of the Sterling School and have the privilege of working with you all!
Sue Broder: 7th Grade ELA/Social Studies
A Chicago native, Ms. Broder attended University of Illinois where she received a B. A. in Speech Communications and Public Relations. After graduating and taking a position as a marketing professional for John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Chicago, she quickly realized she wanted to spread her knowledge to others. After completing a Master’s in Teaching and Learning from National-Louis University, she went on to teach in Illinois, Georgia, and now South Carolina. Ms. Broder also holds a Master’s in School Leadership from Furman University and enjoys mentoring new teachers as well as students.
When not in the classroom, Ms. Broder enjoys spending time with her daughter and friends. A former competitive figure skater, she enjoys theatre, fiction novels, walking the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and a mean game of Scrabble. Ms. Broder has had the pleasure of leading professional development on a variety of subjects and is always up for a new challenge. She is delighted to be part of this amazing community of educators. learners, and families.
Charlotte Dyal: Guidance Clerk
Charlotte Dyal is returning "home" to Sterling School as the Guidance Clerk after leaving to work full time at Roper Mountain Science Center. Ms. Dyal graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a B.A. in Dramatic Arts. Later, she earned a second B.A. from Southern Wesleyan University in English Literature. After finishing at SWU, Ms. Dyal spent five years teaching English as a second language to students of all ages in Japan.
When she is not working with students and families at Sterling, Ms. Dyal is usually in her hometown of Travelers Rest or working with children at Roper Mountain Science Center. She also enjoys camping, painting, and spending time with her family. Ms. Dyal is ecstatic to be able to return to Sterling and cannot wait to work with our amazing staff, students, and families!
Taylor Kelley: 6th/7th Science
Rochelle McCormick: Resource
My name is Rochelle McCormick. This will be my first year here at Sterling School but my 28th year as a teacher. Over the course of my career, I have taught students from Pre-K to 7th grade in Atlanta, Chicago, Des Moines and Guam. I received my Elementary-Special Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa. I have enjoyed each experience very much and am looking forward to another great year.
Some of my favorite things include reading, traveling, and spending time with my family. My daughter is a teacher in Denver and my son is attending the University of Alabama. My husband and I are excited to make Greenville our new home!
Sarahi Paz: 2nd Grade
My name is Sarahi Paz and this year I will be joining the 2nd grade team at Sterling. I was born in Texas but have lived most of my life in South Carolina where I attended USC for both undergraduate and master´s programs. I served my first years teaching in the Spanish immersion program at Lexington School District 1 and later taught for a short time in Charleston at a Montessori school before going to South America to teach abroad. I taught 3 years at an international school in Bogota, Colombia in the IB program and loved my time there, but I am happy to be home and be able to be closer to my family now.
I enjoy traveling, dancing, eating, and learning and am really looking forward to being a part of the Sterling community and to learn and grow alongside everyone as we serve the students and members of the community. It´s going to be a great year!
Sarah Petersen: Computer Lab & Interventionist
Sarah Petersen is a Greenville native who graduated from Wade Hampton High School before attending Bob Jones University. She began teaching at Haynsworth Private School 2014 and is excited about her new position at Sterling School.
Outside of school, Sarah loves learning new things, long yoga classes and her sassy Yorkshire Terrier, Mini.
Dr. Shane Robertson: Music/Chorus
A native of the Upstate, Dr. Shane Robertson has taught elementary general music and honor choir, high school chorus, and at the university level. Dr. Robertson earned his bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in piano performance from Limestone College, a master’s in music education from the University of Montana, a doctorate in music education from the University of Georgia, and completed the add-on licensure requirements for school administration at Wingate University.
While at Limestone, Robertson was actively involved in all musical ensembles and the theatre department. Dr. Robertson has presented research and conducted professional development sessions at district, state, and national conferences. Other activities unrelated to his musical and educational pursuits include spending time with family and friends, hiking in the mountains, and traveling. He is extremely excited about joining the Sterling family and becoming active in its community.
Robert Glackin: FANS Manager
My name is Robert Glackin and I am originally from Anderson, SC but have spent most of my life away from South Carolina. Prior to Greenville County Schools, for the past 11 years, I worked in Restaurant Management in Florida, and Pennsylvania. I am entering into my third year with Greenville County Schools and I have loved every minute of it.
Outside of work, my family and I recently bought a house. We have two dogs, Rascal and Marley. I also LOVE all things Georgia Bulldogs!!! I enjoy being outside, I love to cook, and I am a Karaoke and sports fanatic! Most importantly, I love to serve the children or Greenville County by making sure they receive at least 2 nutritious meals a day.
What's Dr. P Reading...
- 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!)
If you choose to write a crowd source grant, such as Donor Choose, please complete the following beforehand. CLICK HERE!