The Weekly Griffin
Week of December 11, 2018 - #BuildingABetterGriffin
NOTE: TWO HOUR DELAY FOR WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12th. Doors will open at 9:25am.
2018 Winter Break Reading Challenge
Join us for our Winter Break Reading Challenge! The grade level class (K5-5th grade) with the highest percentage of participation will win PANCAKES BREAKFAST WITH THE PRINCIPALS! The Middle School English Class with the highest percentage of participation will receive a CUPCAKE PARTY!
- Kindergartners are asked to complete the Penguin/Snowball page.
- Students in Grades 1-8 are asked to complete the Mitten page.
NOTE: For the form to count, it needs to be completed between December 22 & January 6. Just follow the directions including a parent’s signature. All forms are due to homeroom teachers by Wednesday, January 9, 2019.
We would also love for you to share pictures of your child as he or she participates in this year's Challenge. Use #SterlingReads2018 within your Facebook/Twitter posts and we'll share them on our school's page. You can also send a direct message or simply email Dr. Patterson. Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!
CLICK HERE for Winter Break Reading Challenge Flyer.
StoryCorps: The Great Thanksgiving Listen
In November, after a couple of weeks of planning and practice, Mrs. Baiden's 8th graders chose a person important to them to interview for a StoryCorps program called "The Great Thanksgiving Listen." It was an amazing project that StoryCorps put together, and it allowed students to connect to their chosen interviewee by taking the time to *listen* -- something not always done in today's world. All of the interviews that were submitted to the StoryCorps website will be archived in the Library of Congress for posterity. We are very proud of the excellent work our 8th graders did with this project! #GriffinPride #WholeChild
If you're interested to hear more, check out the following link!
What's Ahead...
December 11 - Band/Strings Winter Concert (Rescheduled to Dec. 21 @ 8:00am)
December 12 thru 14 - MAP Testing for 2nd Grade
December 13 - Chorus Winter Concert; 6:30pm
December 19 - Families for Lunch
December 21 - Half Day; Elementary Dismisses @ 12:00; Middle @ 12:15
December 21 - Band/Strings Winter Concert @ 8:00am (Rescheduled Date)
December 22 - Winter Break Reading Challenge Begins
January 7 - Students Return from Winter Break
ACE Awards Nominations Now Open!
The ACE Awards (Advocates for Character and Education) is an annual award given to 72 male and female students from each of the 35 Greenville County middle and high schools. This award is designed to honor true “unsung heroes” who all too often are not recognized for their accomplishments. The selection process, established by Greenville County school counselors, focuses on identifying and selecting students who often go unnoticed for one reason or another, but have accomplished great things in their community, church or school.
If you would like to nominate a Greenville County 8th or 12th grader, please or go online to coaches4character.com and click the nominate button at the top of the page. All nominations must be submitted by January 31, 2019. An ACE Awards Advisory Committee at each school will choose finalists from among those nominated to complete an application for the ACE Award. One male and one female will be chosen from each middle and high school in Greenville County. All ACE award recipients will be recognized at the ACE Awards ceremony on May 15, 2019.
Gamecock Reading Program
Participate with your child in this winter’s statewide Read with the Gamecocks reading program!
- Eligible Participants: Elementary school students grades K-8
- Program Specifics: Participating students are able to attend one men’s basketball (Men’s Basketball vs. Missouri on Saturday, January 12, 2019 @ 1pm) and one women’s basketball game (Women’s Basketball vs. Vanderbilt on Monday, January 28, 2019 @ 7pm).
- Rules: Initial the number of pages your child records that he/she reads during the contest on the Reading Log sheets, total the number of pages has read on the Reading Log sheet, and maintain the integrity of the program by ensuring that your child is reading age appropriate material.
- Two Week Reading Segment: Monday, December 3 – Friday, December 14, 2018. ALL completed and signed Reading Logs MUST be submitted to Kim Marchbanks NO LATER THAN Friday, December 14, 2018!
Click here for more information: 1) Parent Letter 2) Reading Log
Winter Break Half-Day (Dec. 21st)
Half-Day School Hours
Elementary: 8:00-12:00
Middle: 8:00–12:15
District Emergency Text Messaging
In an effort to better communicate with parents during times of emergency, the district's communications department is asking parents who currently have a landline listed as their "Primary Contact Phone" and wish to receive texts about school cancellations or other emergency schedule changes to make this formal request. Parents who already list a cellular phone as their primary contact will not need to take action to receive this service.
CLICK HERE to download the required "change" form. Once complete, this form should be returned and submitted to Mrs. Hammonds in the main office.
Skate for STEM
From now until January 21, 2019 at Ice on Main, Wednesday nights are “Skate for STEM Nights,” presented by the Duke Energy Foundation. The first fifty K-12 students who bring a copy of a recent progress report or report card showing a B or higher in math or science can skate for free. Click here for the flyer.
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 65 Sterling School families who have signed on for a FREE Energy Kit! As part of the Sterling School community, we are working to conserve energy and protect our environment. If we reach 100 kits, our school will receive a $250 check. Sterling School families and staff can request their FREE Energy Kit and credit your school by going online to MyEnergyKit.org or by calling our hotline at 1-855-386-9548.
Thank you, in advance, for requesting your kits and making a difference for our planet. When you request and use your kits, energy is saved. It’s as simple as that. And we’re hoping that by the end of the school year, we will have saved 10 million kWh of energy together. Can we make it?
Want to Get Involved? Our Students Need YOU!
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. If you are ready to jump in, you may begin by completing the mentor application CLICK HERE.
Become a Tutor!
Are you willing to make a difference in a child's life? One way you can do this is through tutoring. Tutoring has been shown to not only increase a student's academic performance, it also increases their chance of success in life!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, Sterling School needs YOU! We have many students who could use your time, help, and knowledge in a small group and/or partner setting. Teachers will provide needed lessons and materials.
If interested or know someone who may be interested, contact Kim Marchbanks @ krmarchbanks@greenville.k12.sc.us .
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 at jmurphy@greenville.k12.sc.us or (864) 355-4480.
Preventing the Spread of Colds & Flu
Each school has a comprehensive health and safety plan, which includes daily disinfection of restrooms, health rooms, water coolers, desks and doorknobs. We work closely with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and follow DHEC’s guidelines for all diseases. Each Greenville County public school has a school nurse who assesses students with flu-like symptoms. Any student with a fever of 100 degrees or higher is sent home. School nurses and teachers always emphasize the importance of good hygiene, including frequent hand washing and cough techniques to reduce the spread of viruses.
To fight the spread of illness, your child should:
- Stay home if sick.
- Wash hands thoroughly and often.
- Cover cough with sleeve.
- Stay away from people who are sick.
- Do not share eating utensils, food, or drinks.
- Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.
If your child complains about not feeling well, please check their temperature before sending them to school. Do not send your child to school if they have a fever.
Your child should not return to school until they have been fever-free without the help of Tylenol or another product for 24 hours, has not vomited for 24 hours, and has not had diarrhea for 24 hours. If your child starts to have symptoms of the flu, call your healthcare provider or your local health department for guidance.
Make sure that your child’s school has your current telephone numbers.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Congratulations, Miss Lunsford!
Selected by her peers, Miss Samantha Lunsford will represent Sterling School as the 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year. Miss Lunsford grew up in an Air Force family but calls the Atlanta area home. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2013 with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She recently obtained a Master's degree in Literacy from Furman University in 2017. Currently in her sixth year of teaching, Miss Lunsford has taught first grade at Sterling for three years.
Miss Lunsford enjoys discovering everything Greenville has to offer- restaurants, outdoor activities, coffee shops, and more! Her golden retriever, June, accompanies her on many of those adventures. Miss Lunsford also loves to travel, as well as participate and serve in ministries at Grace Church.
At the age of five, she declared her intention to become a teacher and hasn't looked back since! Miss Lunsford's favorite thing about teaching young children are the meaningful relationships that are established with students by the end of the year and beyond. She seeks to create a loving classroom community that celebrates and encourages each child as they are. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Sterling School Christmas Tree
Butterfly Garden Receives Grant
Our parent, student and faculty volunteers have been AMAZING throughout this project! PTA is looking for parents who would like to work alongside Heather and learn the ropes! If you enjoy gardening or working with your hands, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the Butterfly Garden to see if you'd like to step into a leadership role next year! Please email hwjec@yahoo.com or sterlingctcpta@gmail.com for more details about getting involved!
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