Griffins Connect
December 6th #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
#SterlingSchoolWeGotThis: A Call for Support
Over the weekend, South Carolina DHEC reported the highest number of cases since the pandemic began. Our positivity rate was over 20%, which has been the trend for the last week. While rumors have circulated about a possible full district return to eLearning, I wanted to provide some clarity and a call for support among our school families. Moving forward, it is most likely individual schools within the district would be moved to eLearning based on each school’s unique situation.
We want to ask our families for their support as most of our traditional, hybrid students are now back for full-time, in-person instruction. To help keep our students in school, please remember the following:
- Families should keep students at home if they display any of the following symptoms: cough or shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing; fever (of 100.4 or higher) or chills; muscle or body aches; vomiting or diarrhea; or, new loss of taste or smell.
- Report any known positive COVID-19 exposures and positive cases immediately to Dr. Patterson.
- If you are able and willing, consider serving as a substitute at our school. (See additional information below.) Without the needed personnel, we cannot operate our school.
- Model and communicate COVID protocols so our students are more likely to follow your example: wear a mask when in public, avoid large gatherings, frequently wash or sanitize hands and high-touch surfaces, stay home and away from others when sick,
With two weeks to go before winter break and our state and county’s high number of cases, we continue to ask for everyone’s help. Thank you, in advance, for your support of our school.
Dr. P.
What's Ahead...
This Week...
- December 7th-13th: Sterling School eBookFair (CLICK HERE!)
- December 9th: ALL Hybrid Eighth Grade Students Return for In-Person Instruction
- December 9th: M/W 8th Grade Band Students Only: Band Holiday Concert Recording
- December 10th: Make-Up MAP Testing for any Face-to-Face or Virtual Student***
- December 10th: ALL 6th & 7th Grade and T/TH 8th grade Band Students: Band Holiday Concert Recording
- December 11th: Strings Holiday Concert Recording; 8:30-10:00am
**Make-Up MAP Testing**
WHEN: December 10th (for students who did not test on Dec. 2nd and/or Dec. 3rd)
WHO: 1st Graders who were tested during LEAP Week & ALL 2nd graders (Face-to-face & Virtual) Virtual students need to bring their Chromebook.
TIME: 8:00am-10:00am (Parents will be contacted if more time is needed or if students finish early.)
Looking Ahead...
- December 14th-18th: Beta Club Spirit Week to benefit Trees Upstate
- December 14th: Triple P Parenting Workshop Series Begins; 11:30am (see info below)
- December 16th: PTA Reflection Entries Due
- December 16th: Holiday Online Safety Webtalk with Rick Floyd; 6:30-7:30pm (see info below)
- December 18th: Half Day: 11:45am dismissal for Elementary; 12:00/Noon dismissal for Middle
2020 Sterling School eBookfair Opens Tomorrow!
We are so excited to be able to have a book fair this year! It will not be a traditional fair; it will be an eBookfair December 7-13th. Books will be shipped directly to your home and they should arrive within 5-7 days from the day you order. We are also hoping to give out some gift certificates to our students who may not be able to buy books otherwise. Thank you for your support!
National Arts Survey
Sterling School has been chosen to participate in a National Survey of the Arts conducted by Palmetto State Arts Education and the SC Arts Commission. The instrument used for this research is the Gallup Student Poll. The survey will be active the week of December 7-11, 2020 and students in grade 5-8 will take the survey in their related arts classes. The survey will take 10 minutes or less.
We would like for all students (5th-8th) to participate in the survey, however it is not mandatory. If you would prefer your child NOT participate, please return the Opt. Out form below to the office or email it to mspitler@greenville.k12.sc.us.
2020 Spirit Week is Coming!!
Spirit Week will be December 14-18, 2020. The Jr. Beta Club will be celebrating school spirit and fundraising for TreesUpstate, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to plant, promote, and protect trees in the Upstate.
Some activities and events included are:
Dress Up Days:
- Monday, December 14 - Business on top, eLearning on the bottom: What was your “school from home” outfit? Wear your formal, Chromebook-camera-ready top, with cozy, comfy PJs or sweatpants on the bottom!
- Tuesday, December 15 - Decades Day: Dress up to represent your favorite decade! We can’t wait to see the best looks from the 50s, disco and grunge eras!
- Wednesday, December 16 - Twin Day: Grab a friend, or two, or three, and dress alike!
- Thursday, December 17 - Team Day: Show your support for your favorite team!
- Friday, December 18 - Holiday Spirit: Who’s got holiday spirit? YOU DO! Ugly sweaters, silly hats? Wear it all!
Support the Sterling School Jr. Beta Club raise money for Trees Upstate! Purchase “Krispy Kreme Digital Dozens” - buy a digital coupon for a dozen donuts! Cost per dozen = $10.00
Cash or checks (payable to Sterling school) - bring the money to your homeroom teacher in an envelope labeled “Digital Dozens” with your name, grade level and teacher's name.
Order here: Jr. Beta Donut Fundraiser Deadline: Dec. 15
Holiday Message-Grams:
Send a holiday message to your friends! Cost - $1.00 per message; Details will be shared with homeroom teachers.
Principal for a Day Contest:
Would you like to rule the school for a day? Enter this contest ($1.00) for a chance to win so that you can be Principal for a Day!
CTC Band Holiday Recording
The CTC Band will be recording the holiday concert during their band class times. Please make sure the students wear their concert attire OR bring their concert attire to change into before we record. The students will have time to change into normal school clothes after recording. The students may accent with Holiday Colors and wear Santa Hats! Mrs. Ledford will send out a link when the band concert is uploaded and ready to watch. Don't forget to like our Facebook page Charles Townes Center Band!
- December 9: M/W 8th Grade Only
- December 10: Tu/Th 8th Grade, All 7th, All 6th
CTC Orchestra Holiday Recording
The CTC Orchestra will be recording a Holiday concert on December 11 from 8:30-10:00am. Students will again enter the gym from the back car line and be socially distanced, wearing masks. Please make sure to dress in Concert Attire.
Additionally, if your student has signed up for Solo and Ensemble, make sure to turn in $5 entry fee. If they signed up for Region Orchestra auditions, the $10 fee will need to be submitted by the first week of January.
Reflections Entries Due Wed., Dec. 16th
Calling all students in K4-8th grade! This year's theme for the National PTA Reflections is "I Matter Because..." The wonderful thing about Reflections is that you can express yourself through dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Details on how to submit your entry are coming soon but in the meantime, "reflect" on why YOU matter because you ABSOLUTELY DO! Show, sing, play, tell, snap, paint, draw, film and tell your story. All entries can be submitted online this year for those who choose to do so, or we can help get your work scanned and uploaded for you. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, December 16!
For Reflections questions, please contact Heidi Dannelly.
A Special Invitation from Ms. Benvenuto...
Positive Parenting Program, also known as Triple P, is a researched based program that aims to promote positive, caring relationships between parents and their children, and help parents develop effective management strategies for dealing with a variety of childhood behavioral and emotional problems and common developmental issues.
Join our very own school counselor, Nicole Benvenuto, on Monday, December 14, 2020 for the first parenting seminar of the three part series with colleague Allison Groner. Click the image or CLICK HERE to register.
The Power of Positive Parenting seminar will explore what positive parenting is through diving deeper into the five key principals:
- Creating a safe, interesting environment
- Having a positive learning environment
- Using assertive discipline
- Having realistic expectations
- Taking care of yourself as a parent
Jr. Beta Book Drive
The Jr. Beta club members partnered with the Leaders Readers Network for a Book Drive and Words of Encouragement Club service project. Saanvi Merchant, who attends J.L. Mann and is a student ambassador for the Leaders Readers Network, helped coordinate the project with the Jr. Beta Clubs.
Our Sterling School Jr. Beta Clubs would like to thank everyone who brought in books! We collected over 500 books which will be donated to Title 1 schools in our area. Each book has a book plate sticker decorated by a Jr. Beta Club member.
#SubsForSterling: Parents, We Need YOU!
Parents, YOU might be able to help keep our students in school AND get paid while doing it. We need SUBS! When teachers have to be out for long periods of time for quarantine or in more rare cases positive test results, we do not have enough substitutes to keep all classes covered. Often times the teacher is either teaching remotely or will prepare student materials via Google Classroom, but we still need an adult to supervise classes and make sure all safety protocols are being followed.
If you are able to help serve as a substitute for Greenville County Schools, please follow this link to get started and be sure to let us know (email Dr. Patterson!). We will be happy to help facilitate the process. You may choose to work at any school or you can select Sterling exclusively. Work only on the days that fit your schedule. We appreciate your consideration to help the school by serving as a substitute!
A Reminder to Middle School Families...
This is a reminder for middle school students in the GCS traditional program who are currently attending school on the hybrid plan. Beginning this week and continuing until Winter Break, 6th and 7th graders will be back for in-person learning four days each week. 8th graders begin their phase-in this week, the week of December 7. That means they attend by color groups Monday and Tuesday then all return for face to face instruction on Wednesday and Thursday. The week of December 14 grades 6, 7, and 8 will attend school in-person Monday through Thursday. Grades 6-8 will return to full-time in-person school five days per week starting January 4. None of the changes to the GCS attendance plan impact students in the Virtual Program.
Holiday Online Safety Webtalk with Rick Floyd
Winter break and holiday celebrations are right around the corner! Kids will be on their devices or asking for devices over the break. Join Rick Floyd and Julie Valentine Center as we discuss internet safety over the holidays, and some tips to think about if your child will be receiving a device this holiday. Whether it’s a phone, computer, tablet, or gaming system, Rick will provide valuable information for you and for you to share with your child about online safety!
You can join us via zoom or watch us live on Facebook.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
PLEASE READ: COVID-19 Reminders to All Families
As the holiday season is upon us, we encourage all families to remain aware of the steps they should take in the event of COVID-19 concerns. This is especially important now that ALL nonvirtual, elementary students have returned and ALL nonvirtual, middle school students' are in the process of returning to in-person instruction. These concerns include COVID-19 symptoms, exposure (within six feet of a positive case for more than 15 minutes), positive test, etc. The following graphic should help provide possible next steps. To be safe, we ask families to notify Dr. Patterson anytime there is a concern related to COVID-19 so we can provide guidance based on DHEC regulations.
As a reminder, families should keep students at home if they present with any of the following symptoms:
- cough or shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing;
- fever (of 100.4 or higher) or chills;
- muscle or body aches;
- vomiting or diarrhea; or,
- new loss of taste or smell.
We also ask families who have traveled internationally to follow all quarantine directives they receive when re-entering the country. Anyone who has been directed to quarantine when re-entering the country should not attend school for the period of the quarantine – usually 14 days.
GCS will follow DHEC guidelines regarding the notification of families when COVID-19 cases are present in schools. Under current guidelines, anytime a student or staff member in any GCS school receives a positive test for COVID-19, a notice will be placed on the GCS website, alerting the school and community. Additionally, parents will receive a personal phone call if a positive case was in their child’s classroom or part of another school group to which their child is connected and considered a "close contact." Please note the importance of social distancing.
Per DHEC regulations, any staff or student identified as having spent 15 minutes or more within six feet of a positive case are considered close contacts and will be excluded from school for a minimum of 14 days. Absences due to documented COVID-19 infection will be an excused absence and will not count against a student’s required seat time/attendance. Students and staff who were not close contacts will be allowed to remain at school. We will be sure and let you know if these notification requirements change. Additional information is available on the GCS Parent Resource webpage.
Thank you for all your support in helping us keep our faculty, staff, students, and families safe!
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