Griffins Connect
October 18th #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Elementary Students Return to Full-Time In-Person Instruction
Beginning this week, 2nd grade students will begin a phased-in return to full-time, in-person school. Students will attend next Monday OR Tuesday based on their Attendance Plan color group. Wednesday and Thursday, October 21 and 22 ALL second grade students will be back in school. There is no school on Friday because it is a teacher workday and student holiday. Beginning next week (October 26), second graders are back full time, five days a week. Students will need to wear masks whenever social distancing is not possible, which will include instructional time. Visit our website to view or print these details in a graphic and remember, this change does NOT impact students in the GCS Virtual Program.
As a reminder, 4K & 5K students attend all days except Friday this week (which is a teacher workday). Next week (beginning October 26), kindergartners are back in person full time, five days a week. With the return of all students, kindergartners will be expected to wear a mask whenever social distancing is not possible. Visit our website to view or print these details in a graphic and remember, this change does NOT impact students in the GCS Virtual Program.
What's Ahead...
This Week...
- Today, October 18th: Last day to sign up for any virtual, make-ups, and fall picture retakes
- October 19th: Jr. Beta Book Drive Begins
- October 21st - October 29th: 2nd Grade CogAT/IOWA Testing (see info below)
- October 21st & 22nd: ALL 2nd Grade Students Attend School
- October 22nd: End of 1st Quarter & Virtual Students & Make-Up Picture Day
- October 22nd: PTA Spirit Night at 3 to 6pm at Houni's Italian Ice (1848 Woodruff Road)
- October 23rd: Teacher Work Day; No School for Students
- October 23rd: Testing Event for Potential CTC Students (see below)
Looking Ahead...
- October 28th & 29th: All 3rd Grade Students Attend School
- October 28th: Middle School Silent Disco Dance (for Blue and Green Team); 1:55-2:30pm
- October 29th: Middle School Silent Disco Dance (for Red and Purple Team); 1:55-2:30pm
- October 29th: 1st Quarter Report Cards
- October 30th: Jr. Beta Book Drive Ends
Carline Changes - Week of October 19th
Morning/Afternoon traffic procedures will remain the same except for the following changes:
- 5K students to utilize back loop for afternoon pick-up (morning drop-off still in the front)
- Middle School students to utilize back loop for morning drop-off (afternoon pick-up still in the front)
As a reminder, we ask for everyone's support to ensure a safe, efficient morning drop-off:
- ALL car riders should utilize the full length of the awning/sidewalk. Do not wait to drop off at the front door.
- Have bookbags closed and masks up prior to entering the carline.
- Do not wait until the last minute. We encourage families to drop off by 7:30. Most of our families arrive between 7:30-7:45 thus creating a more hectic drop-off situation.
- Do not use your cell phone or other electronic devices while in the carline.
BOOK DRIVE Oct. 19-30
The Sterling School elementary and middle school Jr. Beta Clubs will be holding a Book Drive from October 19-30, 2020.
The clubs have been working with the Leaders Readers Network to write messages of encouragement to students across the nation, and as part of our local effort we will be adding these messages to books and distributing them to Title 1 elementary schools.
Please send in any new or gently used children's books. Cash or check donations are also accepted to purchase books (check made payable to Sterling School). Students may bring the donations to Ms. Reynolds, Ms. Newell, Ms. Merritt or Ms. Hartman.
Middle School Halloween Dance
Thanks to our awesome PTA, Middle School will be holding a Halloween Dance! Actually--we will have 2! The blue and green groups will dance on Wednesday, October 28th and the red and purple groups will dance on Thursday, October 29th. We will dismiss from our classrooms at 1:51 pm and then head outside (or to the gym if it is raining) where we will dance our cares away at a silent disco! This means that a professional DJ will spin 3 different songs at a time that students will hear through individual (sanitized, of course) headphones. These headsets light up with a different color for each track. Students can match up with friends and jam out to the same song, or entertain themselves by being completely different from those around them. It is quiet and socially distanced, but still a ton of fun!
All students are invited to attend, and PTA has graciously covered the cost. There will be snacks and water for sale for $1 if students are interested. Costumes can be worn to the dance, but remember--we don't have access to locker rooms and students will need to wear a mask for COVID protection. We will dismiss at 2:30 and follow the normal dismissal procedures.
PTA Spirit Night - This Week!
Our first PTA Spirit Night will be this Thursday, October 22nd from 3-6pm at Houni's Italian Ice!
A portion of proceeds for all sales during this time will go to our school, so tell your friends to go too!
Houni's is located at 1848 Woodruff Road Greenville, SC 20607
Veterans Day 2020
On Wednesday, November 11th, the Sterling School will honor those who have fought for the many freedoms we, as American citizens, have today. While we are unable to hold our usual in-person program, we are working to create a virtual program to share with our students, families, and school community.
- To honor and recognize a member of your family or special friend, we ask that you complete the following Google Form by Friday, November 6th: CLICK HERE! To bring greater awareness of this day for our students, you are encouraged to email a picture of your family member or friend (preferably in uniform) to Dr. Patterson. Be sure to include the name of the veteran and the relationship to our Sterling/CTC student, as well as the name of the military branch in which he or she served. (These questions will also be asked of you when accessing the aforementioned Google Form.)
- We invite all students to wear red, white, and blue on Wednesday, Nov. 11th.
As always, we look forward to this exciting day, as we pay tribute to those who have served our country. Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to support our school in honoring our veterans!
CTC Student Newspaper
Extra, Extra, Read All About It! The third edition of the CTC Student Newspaper, our school's student newspaper, is out! (CLICK HERE!)
A student newspaper teaches and reinforces a lot of skills that will benefit students today and tomorrow. Students who participate in a student newspaper learn a lot of workplace skills such as management, meeting deadlines, and communicating with others. School newspapers also enforce a need for teamwork.
Thank you, in advance, for supporting our students by taking a few minutes to read and admire their work! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Save the Date: The Gifted Guru
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:00pm, we invite all Sterling School/CTC families to a special virtual workshop with Lisa Van Gemert. Lisa, "The Gifted Guru" is an educator, speaker, author, and mom. She is also the author of the book Perfectionism: A Practical Guide to Managing “Never Good Enough.
More information, including registration, will come in the coming weeks.
PTA Virtual Book Club Starts This Thursday!
One benefit of being at our school is the information our teachers and staff give us on navigating life with gifted kids. Perfectionism is something that manifests itself in many different ways. Together, we will explore this in our book club.
When:
Thursdays from 7 to 8:30pm Oct. 22nd through Nov. 19th.
We will cover two chapters each week.
Where:
You will be sent a link for the book club.
If you have questions about the book club, please contact Christi Wagner.
CogAT/IOWA Testing
Virtual Students, Retakes, & Make-Up Picture Day
On October 22nd, all virtual students (GCS & CTC) will be provided the opportunity to have their school/yearbook pictures taken. Please use the following link to sign up. Please see the schedule below for your child’s assigned time. Any Thursday in-person student will be included during the school day. Students who are eLearning on Thursday should sign-up from 4:00-6:00 using the following link: Sign Up Genius. Your child’s teacher will accommodate this schedule in the day’s instructional plans. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, October 18th.
- 1:00 - 1:30 Emmel
- 1:30 - 2:00 Lane
- 2:30 - 3:00 Nyvall
- 3:00 - 4:00 Middle School
- 4:00 - 6:00 GCS Virtual & Make-Up for Thursday eLearning
For any student who wants to retake their fall picture, CLICK HERE!
Join PTA
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Sterling/CTC Middle School Receives National Beta School of Merit
The Sterling School is proud to sponsor elementary and middle school Jr. Beta Clubs. The Sterling School Jr. Beta Club currently includes 57 students in 5th grade. Fourth graders will be invited in the spring. Heather Hartman and Stacey Merritt are the elementary Jr. Beta sponsors. The Charles Townes Center Jr. Beta club serves students in grades 6-8. There are 127 middle school members. Sara Newell and Linda Reynolds are the middle school Jr. Beta sponsors.
Service to the community is a big part of the Beta mission, and our Jr. Betas work together to give back in many ways. With bake sales, dodgeball games, fundraisers, food/book drives and as sponsors of Spirit Week, our clubs have raised money and awareness for Lucky Pup Rescue, Make A Wish Foundation, Greenville Literacy Association, Wild at Heart Wildlife Rehab, and Conestee Nature Park. This semester, social distance restrictions have made volunteering more challenging, but we have found ways for students to continue to make a difference. We are working with the Leaders Readers Network to provide words of encouragement to struggling students and to provide books for Title 1 schools.
One way that we celebrate our Jr. Betas and their commitment to the ideals of Beta is by attending the state convention each year. Jr. Betas from all over the state meet to exchange ideas and to compete in academic, art, and engineering competitions. We are very proud of our many state champions and hope to repeat that success this year!
The Charles Townes Center Middle School has received the National Beta School of Merit award for the 2019-2020 school year. This award is given to honor Beta Chapters that have demonstrated dedication and commitment to academic excellence.
CLICK HERE to see the notice of our school's recognition.
District Magnet Academies
2020-2021 Yearbook
ELEMENTARY:
Elementary School Yearbooks are also on sale for $20. To order elementary yearbooks, use this link: CLICK HERE! Please note that the elementary and middle school websites for ordering are different.
MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Middle School Yearbooks are now on sale for $30 along with FREE icons with personalization until Sept. 6th! Go to the following website to order: CLICK HERE!
8TH GRADE ADS
For our 8th grade students, here's the opportunity to include an ad to this year's yearbook. Just create an account and proceed to order: CLICK HERE!
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.
Purchasing School Pictures
To purchase this year's school pictures, parents should go to www.strawbridge.net and click "order pictures" and enter code FM348170. Packages are 100% guaranteed!
The following link (CLICK HERE!) will allow parents to sign up to receive updates via email regarding your student's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals, and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.
Virtual students will have their pictures taken on Thursday, October 22nd along with any make-ups. CLICK HERE to find the digital version of our order envelope/flyer.
Students/COVID Steps to Return to School
We encourage all families to become aware of the steps they should take in the event of COVID-19 concerns. 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. 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. Additionally, we encourage you to test your knowledge by taking the following quiz (no worries, it's annoymous) to help your understanding around school exclusions, quarantines, isolation, etc.
COVID Exclusions and Notifications Quiz: CLICK HERE!
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 the positive case was in their child’s classroom or part of another school group to which their child is connected. 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