The Weekly Griffin
November 3rd - #BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUP
2019 Veterans Day Program
On Friday, November 8th, the Sterling School will honor those who have fought for the many freedoms we, as American citizens, have today. We will have two programs; everyone from our school community is invited to attend. Our K-3rd grade program will begin at 8:30am and the 4th-8th grade program will begin at 9:30am. Everyone is encouraged to wear red, white, and blue!
As a reminder, our PTA is planning a reception after each program for our veterans and their guests. Students of our veterans are invited to attend as well.
We look forward to this exciting day, as we pay tribute to those who have served our country.
What's Ahead...
- November 4 thru 8 - PTA Reflections Arts Program Drop-Off (see info below)
- November 6 - Pre-Orders for Thanksgiving lunch Tickets Due
- November 8 - Veterans Day Program (K-3rd @ 8:30am, 4th-8th @ 9:30am)
- November 8 - Wear Red, White, and Blue
- November 13 - Fall/Yearbook Make-Up Pictures
- November 15 - School Improvement Council Meeting; 8:30 (open meeting)
- November 15 - PTA Reflections Arts Deadline
- November 15 - Last Day of Winter Glove, Hat, & Sock Drive
- November 20 - Families for Lunch: 4K, 3rd, 5th, & Middle School (see below for times)
- November 21 - Families for Lunch: 5K, 1st, 2nd, & 4th (see below for times)
Daylight Savings: The Importance of Sleep
As part of our school's #WholeChild mission, our school's Health & Wellness Committee works to advocate and support the importance of a physically healthy child. This weekend, families across America will turn their clocks back one hour. This shift can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep for the recommended 8 or more hours each night, leading to fatigue, distraction and stress. Check out these science-backed tips for a good night's sleep as the season change.
- Preschoolers (ages 3–5): 10–13 hours (including naps)
- School age children (ages 6–12): 9–12 hours
- Teenagers (ages 13–18): 8–10 hours
Insufficient sleep can impact students’ concentration and ability to retain information. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and supports success in school. #BuildingABetterGriffin
Grateful for Reading Classroom Library Drive
November is a time to be thankful…and at Sterling School we are particularly thankful for our amazing teachers. (Event Flyer)
Our teachers have told us time and again that they would love to have more resources to purchase high interest, engaging, challenging books from a diversity of perspectives to meet the needs of our elementary students across all reading levels. Classroom libraries make it so easy for our kids to grab a book and go…one of the best ways to help teachers encourage reading!
To build classroom libraries, we are going to try something new: an Amazon gift card drive.
Amazon offers a wide variety of affordable titles so our teachers can curate classroom libraries just right for their students.
Over the month of November, please consider expressing your gratitude for our amazing teachers by picking up an Amazon Gift Card and sending it into the front office.
Alternately, you could purchase an online gift card HERE and either print it at home or direct it to the PTA’s inbox at sterlingctcpta@gmail.com.
A gift card of ANY AMOUNT will help us reach our goal: $6,000 to be shared among our elementary classrooms.
Keep an eye out for weekly updates as we work towards our goal!
Thank you for supporting reading, and for showing your gratitude for everything that our teachers pour into our students.
2019 Sterling School Thanksgiving Lunch
Our Annual Thanksgiving Families for Lunch Celebration will be two separate meals again this year:
- Wednesday, Nov. 20 will be K4 at 11:15 AM, 3rd at 11:30 AM, 5th at 10:45 AM, and Middle School at 12:30 PM.
- Thursday, Nov. 21 will be K5 at 10:00 AM, 1st at 10:20 AM, 2nd at 10:30 AM, and 4th grade at 11:00 AM.
Please keep in mind the time may be a little delayed due to the expected large crowd, please be patient
Special Payment Envelopes were sent home with students and we ask that payment be made in Advance - and returned by Wed., Nov. 6th, to help with planning.
The school has asked for the PTA's help with a range of needs that day. Here's the link to volunteer (CLICK HERE!)
We look forward to seeing everyone!
Winter Glove, Hat & Sock Drive
Ms. Duncan is collecting donations of NEW gloves, hats and socks. If you would like to donate please send items to school between now and November 15th. You may bring any size. Donations can be dropped off at Sterling School in the front office (Attention: Ms. Duncan). CLICK HERE for flyer.
Middle & Elementary School Yearbooks
Middle School:
Middle School Yearbooks are now on sale for $30! Go to the following website to order: CLICK HERE! Please note that the elementary and middle school websites for ordering are different.
Elementary:
Elementary School Yearbooks are also on sale for $20. Go to the following website to order: CLICK HERE! Please note that the elementary and middle school websites for ordering are different.
Keyboarding: Typetastic
Did you know, Typetastic is now available to all K-8 grade students. Students can log into their Student Backpack account with their email address and password and go to Education Apps and click Typetastic. This process will automatically log them in.
Keyboarding is a tech skill that everyone has – more or less. What makes a real difference in knowing how to touch type is how good your typing speed and accuracy really are. If you touch type at an above-average word-per-minute rate you can save yourself hundreds of hours per year.
Touch typing skills allow you to save several hours each week. In a world where productivity is becoming an obsession, you can stay ahead of the rest with this seemingly simple tech skill by getting the most out of every minute.
By devoting some hours during elementary school to touch typing practice, every student can equip themselves with an essential skill that will pay off time and time again for the rest of their life.
If you have any questions, please email Sarah Petersen or Stephanie Nichols. Thank you!
The CTC Newspaper: 1st Edition
WYFF Golden Apple Award
Ingles and WYFF News 4 wants to reward teachers who are going above and beyond. Each week, an area teacher will be selected to receive the Golden Apple Award and profiled Thursdays on WYFF News 4. These weekly winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. At the end of the school year, a Teacher of the Year will be selected from the weekly winners.
To nominate an educator for the Golden Apple Award, pick up an official nomination form from an area Ingles store or CLICK HERE, then complete and mail to:
WYFF News 4
Golden Apple Award
505 Rutherford Street
Greenville, SC 29609
For submission details, CLICK HERE.
Facilitators & Tutors Needed
We need you! Different teachers are in need of Book Club Facilitators to lead small groups of students in novel studies. Other teachers need special tutoring help with their students. If you would like to help with one or both of these needs, please contact Kim Marchbanks at
864-355-4482 or krmarchbanks@greenville.k12.sc.us.
PTA Reflections Art Program
All K4-8th grade Sterling School students are encouraged to submit original works of art in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Music Composition, Film Production, Literature, Photography, and Visual Arts.
Outside judges will choose winners for our school in each art category for K4-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, and 6th-8th grade. Our school's winning entries will advance to the district, state, and national level.
PTA volunteers will collect Reflections entries during morning drop-off on November 4th-8th, as well as November 15th (our school's deadline).
Questions? Email GriffinReflections@gmail.com.
Become A Mentor!
According to Harvard University's Center on Developing Child, "Every child who ends up doing well has had at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive adult." The Sterling School has partnered 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 can give 30 minutes a week, we need you!
If you have any questions, you are invited to email Jennifer Medlock, director of Mentor Greenville. And if you're ready to jump in, you can sign up for an upcoming training session! (CLICK HERE!)
Support a Sterling School Classroom
CLICK HERE to check out our school's classroom projects!
Supporting a DonorsChoose project is super easy...
1) Find a classroom project that inspires you and give as little as $1. We're a public charity, so your donation is tax-deductible.
2) When a project is fully funded, DonorsChoose will purchase all the requested items and ship them directly to the school.
3) When funded, every donor gets a thank-you letter from the teacher, photos from the classroom, and a report of how each dollar was spent.
The mission of DonorsChoose is simple...to help students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Volunteer Training
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. 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.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It!
Introducing... Kristen Wellbaum, FANS Manager
2nd Quarter Reminders...
As everyone settles into the school year, we want to take the opportunity to communicate a few reminders...
- Our school's attendance rate is currently 97.76%. Our end-of-year goal is 98%. While this may appear to be satisfactory, we have not yet entered the "cold & flu season." If at all possible, please ensure that your child is at school each and every day. As educators, we cannot adequately prepare your child if they are not at school.
- Our daily tardy list is growing. The tardy bell rings at 8:00am. Our doors open at 7:25am. Often times, students who arrive early use this time to read or work on class assignments. Please ensure that your child is in class by 8:00, ready to learn. For more information on our school's attendance/tardy policy, see the handbook.
- Please do not utilize the Tanner's parking lot for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up.
- Upon entering the driveway for morning drop-off, make sure your child's book bag is closed, breakfast items are consumed, and he/she is fully ready to unload.
- Please utilize the full length of the sidewalk during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. In the morning, students should exit the car at any point along the sidewalk; in the afternoon, parents are asked to pull all the way up before students load.
- Do not let your child unload before school doors open at 7:25am. It is unsafe for students to be unattended without an adult.
- During afternoon pick-up, remember to have your dismissal tags with you, visible on the dashboard until your child has loaded.
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