The Weekly Griffin
Week of February 3, 2019 - #BuildingABetterGriffin
#BuildingABetterGriffin Requires ALL of US!
Albert Pine, an English author who wrote in the early 19th century said, “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains unchanged and is immortal.” What you possibly didn't notice this week were the people who were "behind-the-scenes" to make these special events occur... our PTA executive board, PTA general board, SIC, parent volunteers, classroom teachers, school counselors, CTC program facilitator, media specialist, custodial crew, and others. We are extremely grateful for these willing souls.
As we find ourselves at the mid-way point of the current year, I encourage you to get involved. The "lifting" to provide our students the many opportunities we seek to provide cannot be achieved by a few select individuals; it requires each of us! Our amazing teachers and students can always use a few extra hands! There are many, many ways to get involved. Involvement can be achieved through mentoring, tutoring, serving with the PTA, the W.O.K.E. after school program, by contacting your child's teacher, completing the Community Partnership Directory, or reaching out to Mrs. Reynolds (Program Facilitator). Some of us can do more than others, but we can all do our part to ensure that Sterling School truly provides our students with all they need to be successful in tomorrow's world! #WholeChild #TakesAVillage #BetterTogether
What's Ahead...
February 7 - Digital Safety And Citizenship Workshop, 12:30pm in Vegas
February 7 - RSVP Deadline for Middle School Curriculum Night Dinner (RSVP HERE!)
February 7 & 8 - 2nd Quarter #GriffinPRIDE Punch Card Party
February 12 - Middle School Curriculum Night (5:00-7:30pm)
February 14 - Gifted Child Parent Information Session; 10:00-10:30am in Vegas
February 15 - Class Pictures
February 20 - Families for Lunch (February RSVP Form - CLICK HERE!)
February 20 - Middle School Fundraiser Celebration
February 28 - 2nd Annual Black History Month Program, 6:00pm
2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for 2018 were announced last week for the Southeast Region, and two of our 8th graders received recognition! Congratulations to these students for their strong performance! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Julia Pascoe was recognized for her poem, "Black Berry Day"
Rishita Tikkala was recognized for her critical essay, "Religious Conflict in Our World Today"
All State Orchestra
Congratulations to the following students who made it into the SC All State Orchestra:
- Nathan Collot
- Jaimie Park
All State Band
- Emma Bao
- Stephanie Hu
Region Band
- Lydia Edney
- Emily Li
- Ford Love
- Elliot Turner
- Renee Wang
- Danika Yang
Digital Safety And Citizenship Workshop
Thursday, February 7th @ 12:30pm
- Hosted by the our school's PTA
- Free catered lunch for all attendees!
- All parents and guardians are invited
- Door Prizes!
Parenting in the digital age is complex! PTA strives to help children act safely, responsibly and thoughtfully online.
Digital Wellness is being aware of how you spend your time online. It includes being mindful of your online presence and footprint; how you interact with social networks, games and apps; the ways you protect your identity; and how you balance your time online within your daily life.
Our workshop will have two parts:
1. Rick Floyd will give a very informative and insightful presentation about digital safety. Mr. Floyd has decades of experience working for law enforcement and our school district in the fields of digital safety and internet crimes against children/teens.
2. Parents will receive practical instructions on how to use Smart Talk Conversations in their own home to encourage open and honest conversations about digital safety and citizenship. The Smart Talk empowers families to create a personalized contract of ground rules for internet usage.
Save the Date: 2nd Annual Black History Month Celebration Feb. 28th @ 6:00pm
FANS Vacancy @ Sterling
If you or someone you know are interested, don't delay! Interested candidates should contact Chris Spellman, FANS Coordinator of Personnel, at cspellman@greenville.k12.sc.us.
2019 Middle School Curriculum Night
Parents of 5th, 6th & 7th Grade CTC Students...Save the date for Middle School Curriculum Night on Tuesday, February 12th from 6:00-7:30pm!
PTA will offer an optional Build Your Own Pasta Bar catered by Seasons (4:30-6:15 pm). The deadline to RSVP and submit payment for this dinner is Thursday, Feb 7th. Adult meals are $10. Kids’ meals (half-sized portions for smaller appetites) are $5. You'll find the full menu on the RSVP form: CLICK HERE!
2018-19 Gifted Child Parent Information Series
Save the Date for the February Best Practices in Gifted Education Series!
Mark your calendar now so you can be sure to attend the February Best Practices in Gifted Education series at Sterling / CTC.
Tuesday, February 14th, 10:00-10:30am (in Vegas)
Topic: Perfectionism
This session will provide parents with practical strategies on managing perfectionism. The speakers this session are Mrs. Gordon and Mrs. Johnston.
Box Tops Collection Contest: Feb. 11-15
Lost & Found
PTA has uploaded new photos from our Lost & Found that you can view HERE. The items pictured will remain in Lost and Found through Thursday, February 14th. Remind your student to collect missing items from the cart in the cafeteria, or contact PTA to make arrangements to have an item sent to the front office for pick-up. Post a note on PTA's Facebook page or email sterlingctcpta@gmail.com. As soon as you locate your missing item, write your student's first and last name on it. We've seen "repeat visitors" lately! Unclaimed items in this batch will be donated on Fri, Feb 15th.
Sterling School's Relay for Life Team
We are making a difference by teaming up to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Saving lives from cancer starts one team, one participant, and one dollar at a time. Please join our team or make a donation. The impact we can make together is much greater than what any of us could do alone!
Greenville’s Relay for Life is Saturday, May 18th, 2019 at Conestee Park.
Relay Club meetings began last Wednesday. We'll meet each Wednesday until May 15th in the Media Center. Any 3rd-8th graders interested may come to these meetings.
April Arts 2019 is Coming!
Be sure to join us for April Arts on Friday, April 5th, from 5:30-7:30pm! April Arts is Sterling School's huge, annual arts night! This night brings together our school community of parents, students, neighbors, and friends to celebrate all forms of the arts. Last year we had over 800 people come through our school during April Arts.
Student artwork from the entire school year is displayed in the hallways, students perform at different times during the evening, and we offer hands-on art making activities to all! We plan each year's event around a theme that connects the artwork, music, activities and even dinner.
This year, our theme is Arte y Arquitectura Española: Build Your Creativity. We want to educate, inspire and provide opportunities to build, design, and create. All activities will focus on Spanish influence in art and architecture. We welcome families, artists, and community members who would like to collaborate with us in sharing the arts with our community!
Email Niki Peters to get involved!
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 82 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?
Ms. Baiden's EncycloMEdia Project Wish List
The "EncycloMEdia" journey is a year-long project specifically designed for the 8th grade students. Under the direction of Ms. Baiden and Ms. Spitler, this assignment serves as a capstone project, of sorts, where students analyze 10 pieces of literature read throughout the year. Then, students showcase what they've learned by creating an altered book (here is a link in case altered books are new to you: CLICK HERE! In this process the students learn about all kind of techniques to incorporate symbolism into their creation.
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.
5th Grade Mural Project
This year, Mrs. Mollye Spitler, Sterling School art educator, partnered with Metropolitan Arts Council's SmartARTS program. SmartARTS helps connect local artists with Greenville schools to teach arts integrated units. Mrs. Spitler worked with Adam Schrimmer, a local mural artist, to plan the project based around Sterling P.R.I.D.E. and to bring our 5th grade classes together to encourage more teamwork, collaboration and unity. Sterling P.R.I.D.E. stands for Positivity, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy. Our school encourages students to embody these character traits and appreciate our school's diversity.
To help our students connect and understand what these words mean, we chose a quote we could use in our mural. The quote by Bono states, "To be one, to be united is a great thing...but to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." Our hope is that this quote would help our students illustrate ideas and concepts that make our school great: Unity in Differences and Respecting our Differences. With Adam's help we created a "pollinator" garden, illustrating flowers, bugs, bats, etc that are all very different in nature and appearance, but work together for a larger purpose. Students' drawings were scanned into the computer and combined to make the image for our mural. Adam transferred the image onto the container, then 5th grade students painted all the color. Every 5th grade student participated in the painting process during their art class time. The collaborative painting process took about two months to complete.
We are so very proud of our students! They worked well together to accomplish this huge mural project. They showed respect and appreciation for their classmates/teammates who all contributed to the mural in different ways. For years to come, this piece will serve as a reminder of the importance of appreciating our differences and of respecting one another.
Last Friday, a ribbon cutting and school wide celebration culminated the event. Many thanks to all who attended and celebrated in the completion of this beautiful work of art! #GriffinPRIDE #WeAreBetterTogether #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
National Junior Art Honor Society
Congratulations to our newly inducted members:
Maggie Aiesi
Lilla Bognar
Lucy Brewer
Jaylen Freeman
Leran Fu
Ellie Kate Grant
Hannah Hendrix (absent in the photo)
Tarini Karpe
Sierra Kremenliev
Sarah McClellan (absent in the photo)
Grace Peters
Siena Smallidge
Mia Williams
Clara Wilson
2019 Greenville All-County Band & Region Follow-Up
Congratulations to these eleven students (pictured above) who made the 2019 Greenville All-County Band! Three out of these eleven students earned 1st chair in their instrument category, a record for our school! Come hear these students perform, along with other Greenville County students on Friday, March 1st at Riverside High School.
Also, congratulations to the following students for making state callbacks: Emma Bao, Lydia Edney, Stephanie Hu, and Danika Yang. These students gave a great performance at Region Band and received a call back to audition for All State. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
The Brain & Stress Partnership
Sterling School 7th grade science students recently worked with Dr. Linnea Freeman and her neuroscience students from Furman University to understand brain anatomy and how stress affects the brain. Students did sheep brain dissections and located the anatomical structures that are involved in stress response. Many thanks to Ms. Cooper & Mrs. Gordon for spearheading this partnership and opportunity for our students! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
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