The Weekly Griffin
Week of February 19, 2018
"Achieving Success Today for Tomorrow's World!" #GriffinPride
Sterling School Wins Regional MathCounts
Sterling School Wins Black History Quiz Bowl
South Carolina Elementary Honor Choir
What's Ahead...
- February 19 - No School for Students
- February 20 - Sterling Servathon Begins!
- February 20 - Sterling School Spelling Bee (Grades 3-5, grades 6-8); 3:00pm-4:00pm
- February 20 - Last day of Box Tops Collection
- February 24 - 4K/5K Recruitment Event; 11:00am-2:00pm
- March 1 - Sterling Servathon: Golden Rule Rally
- March 2 - Window closes for 4K Pre-Registration
As a reminder: Students have missed six days this school year due to inclement weather. As per the calendar, students will make up the first three days on Monday, March 19, Friday, March 30, and Friday, April 27. The GCS Board of Trustees recently waived the make-up of three additional days missed on January 17, 18 and 19 for students.
Our First Priority...Safety
In light of the recent, tragic event in Parkland, Florida, and the publicity it has received, we acknowledge that our students may have questions regarding safety. If questions are asked, we want to take the opportunity to reassure our "Griffins" that every adult at Sterling recognizes student safety as our first priority.
In general, we will continue to do the things we have always done to keep students safe. All exterior doors will remain locked and visitors will be buzzed in. A second set of locked doors will prevent entry into the school.
We will continue to teach our students and staff to “Ignore the Door” and insist that visitors use the main entrance. We are fortunate to partner with local law enforcement to have a roving patrol at our school. All staff are required to undergo active shooter training annually. All students and staff participate in regular drills to prepare for emergencies, evacuations, and lockdowns.
We encourage parents and students to report concerns to administrators, teachers, counselors and law enforcement officers on campus. An open line of communication is one of the best forms of prevention.
We are deeply saddened by what happened in Broward County. We review our emergency procedures regularly with the help of local police chiefs, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, a retired FBI special agent, security consultants and employees the district has hired with law enforcement backgrounds. If valuable information can be gleaned from the ongoing investigation in Florida that team will take the findings into account.
If interested, please see the following article for guidance on talking with your child about tragic events, such as shootings and terrorist attacks.
STERLING SERVATHON IS COMING!
When: February 20-March 1.
Please join us to celebrate our Golden Rule Rally on March 1!
What: The Sterling Servathon is a new concept from our friends at Boosterthon that focuses on intentional acts of kindness. To thank our family and friends for supporting our school with financial donations, our students will “pay it forward” with small (or big!) acts of service and kindness to benefit our school and our community. More information will come home on February 20.
How: Over the course of the program, our teachers, staff, volunteers, and the Boosterthon team will be encouraging students to make the kind choice and participate in group and individual activities at school and at home that focus on service and kindness. Activities can be as small as reading to a younger brother or sister, or as big as helping pick up trash in your neighborhood. We will also have a school-wide Sterling Cares activity or collection each day (see schedule below).
Why: To raise at least $20,000 for Sterling School/CTC’s PTA to invest in our school while promoting school spirit and building the character of our students.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Tues 2/20: KICKOFF RALLIES! and Positivity, Pass It On Day. We’ll share positive post-its with classmates.
Wed 2/21: Celebrating Heroes Day. We’ll be decorating huge thank you notes for the police officers and firefighters who protect our school community.
Thurs 2/22: Thank You Thursday. Students will write special thank you notes to people who have made a difference in their lives.
Fri 2/23: Food Bank Friday. Please send in kid-friendly canned goods and snacks to share with those in need.
Mon 2/26: Manic Monday School Supplies. Please send in basic school supplies to restock the school’s emergency shelves and classrooms. See the list below for needs (Spoiler Alert: It’s just about anything!)
Tues 2/27: Tuesday’s for the Dogs…and Cats. Please send in newspapers and/or old towels for the Greenville Humane Society.
Weds 2/28: Literacy Wednesday. Please send in gently used children’s books (for ages 0-5), coloring books, and/or new or used crayons to share with the Nicholtown Child and Family Collaborative.
Thurs 3/1: Golden Rule Rally Day. Join us to celebrate—times to be announced.
School Supplies Wish List (for supplies drive on Monday 2/26)
Priority Needs:
Glue Sticks
Post It Notes
Dry Eraser Markers
Other Needs:
Masking Tape
Pencils
Crayons
Notebook paper
Large chart paper (with and without lines)
Clear Tape
Erasers (for pencils)
Dry Erasers
Highlighters (multi-colored)
Graph Paper
Clear Sheet Protectors
Composition Notebooks
Liquid Glue
Index Cards
Envelopes
Red or black ink pads
Cleaning Supplies for Classrooms:
Paper Towels
Clorox/Lysol wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Special Request:
Red string bags (for the nurses office). www.bagiva.com/Heavy-Duty-Durable-Drawstring.html
Need to Know Expo: 4K & 5K Informational/Registration Event
4K Pre-Registration: Happening NOW!
In order for our Griffins to start their education on the right foot, we encourage participation in our high quality, full day 4K program! To be considered, children must turn four-years-old on or before September 1, 2018. Parents may pre-register at any district elementary school or child development center UNTIL MARCH 2, 2018. Pre-registration will NOT be accepted after March 2. Children do not have to live in the school attendance area to pre-register at that location. Pre-registration does not guarantee enrollment in a GCS 4K program. Notification of 4K acceptance will be mailed to parents late March 2018. PLEASE NOTE: 4K screening will be held for pre-registered children March 14-16, 2018.
Website: https://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/Parents/main.asp?titleid=kreg
Phone: 864-355-7359
Sterling Spotlight: W.O.K.E.
Because of the support and collaboration of the NIcholtown Child & Family Collaborative, our Sterling Program students who reside within the Nicholtown Community will now have a unique, nontraditional after school program to attend. W.O.K.E., Working On Knowledge & Excellence, will provide 3rd-5th grade students with academic and social-emotional support, mentorship, and skill building through athletics and the arts.
Last week, this initiative experienced two tremendous milestones. First, our program was selected as a partner by the Rotary Club of Pleasantburg. Their monetary support will help fund the academic supports of our program. Receiving the check (pictured above left) from left to right are Judy Outlaw, Associate Dir of NCFC, Dr. Patterson, Chameka Duncan, School Counselor and Director of WOKE, and Susan Spencer, President of the Rotary Club of Pleasantburg. Thanks to the Rotary Club of Pleasantburg for their generous donation!
Second, we held a parent orientation meeting to discuss the goals and expectations of the program. Parents will be an active participant in our program as we work together to meet their child’s short and long term goals. Together, we are working to...“achieve success today for tomorrow’s world!” #GriffinPride #WholeChild #WholeSchool #WholeCommunity
If you are interested in becoming a possible mentor, a financial partner, or have general questions about the program, please contact, Chameka Duncan, WOKE program director.
Middle School Volunteers Needed
We NEED lots and lots of volunteers for an upcoming event on our Griffin Day, Friday, 3/23. The ELA team is hosting a “Reality of Money” simulation. We will need about 50 adults to help us run the sessions – you don’t need to have any prior knowledge of the simulation to help out.
There are four 6-minute sessions, and we’d love to have you for one or multiple sessions! Volunteers must be Level I trained. For more information or to sign up, please visit the following link: (CLICK HERE!).
Lunch & Learn: Internet Safety - March 7th
The increasing number of youth using the Internet has caused a significant threat to the health and safety of young people and has become a difficult challenge for law enforcement and educators. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office is committed to helping our youth stay safe and knowledgeable in this every-changing world of technology.
Please join us on Wednesday, March 7th from 11:30-12:30pm as Joe Ryan, Education Coordinator of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, teaches parents how to guide children through the process of effective, safe Internet use. This presentation will offer parents practical strategies and serves as a great follow-up to our recent viewing of Screenagers. It also serve as a valuable introduction to our one-to-one technology implementation for the 2018-2019 school year.
Families for Lunch - Wed., March 14th!
Reminder of Attendance Policy
Ms. Chrissy Hammonds, Attendance Clerk, & School Administration
Elementary Yearbook
2018 Annual Report Card Survey
Servathon/Boosterthon Volunteers Needed
Thank you for expressing an interest in helping out with our Sterling/CTC Servathon and the Golden Rule Rally!
Tomorrow is the Last Day for this Collection Period
Sterling Butterfly Garden - Work Day March 10
Our next Butterfly Garden Work Day will be on Saturday, March 10th at 9:30am. All parents, students, teachers, and community members are invited to help get the Butterfly Garden ready for spring!
Sterling School Relay for Life Club
Club Details:
Wednesdays at your child's lunch.
Grades: 3rd and above (If younger children want to join they may, but they will not meet with us every week for planning. Talk to Mrs. Henry if you are interested.)
Event Details:
Relay for Life event: Saturday April 21, 4pm-11pm at Conestee Park
Sponsors: Mrs. Henry and Mrs. Hammonds
Contact Info: Mrs. Henry- mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us, 355-4593
Mrs. Hammonds- cdhammon@greenville.k12.sc.us, 355-4688
Relay Life is the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraising event. Team members spend several months raising money for the actual Relay event which is a celebration of our hard work and fundraising efforts. At the event, our team will take turns walking around the track to raise awareness to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
If you would like to join our team, please click on the link below to go to our school’s Relay site. From there you may click the link “Join My Team”. There will be step by step instructions on how to join from there. If you join our team, we ask that you commit to raising $100.00. Parents, students, faculty and staff are all welcome to join. We have several ways to help you raise the money. If you have any questions come see Mrs. Henry (Farnsworth).
RELAY FOR LIFE - Click here
Team sponsors stay the entire time; however, it is not required of each member to stay that long. Please talk to Mrs. Henry (Farnsworth) about the details.
Carolina Dance Collaborative
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.
Ways to Get Involved & Serve!
Mentor Upstate
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." This year, the Sterling School is partnering with Mentor Upstate, a nonprofit organization that seeks to support children with one-on-one positive relationships. As we launch this exciting program, 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 dive 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 .
DonorsChoose
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.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Meet Lauren Moore, the Newest Member of our School Community!
I am the new school-based mental health counselor at Sterling that provides multiple services to children and families. I meet with parents to get a background and complete the necessary paperwork. Following this, I can meet with the child and work on any goals and skills that the family is working towards. When I see children, I meet with them on their level to help them with interactions with peers, exploring their feelings, working on behaviors, etc. Our sessions tend to be fun because I incorporate activities and games into session. It is important to me that children and families enjoy therapy and make progress towards their goals. #WholeChild
Thanks!
Lauren
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