The Weekly Griffin
March 8th - #BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUP
Daylight Savings: The Importance of Sleep
Kids and adults perform best when they are happy, healthy and well rested! As part of our school's #WholeChild mission, our school's Health & Wellness Committee works to advocate and support the importance of a physically healthy child. This weekend, families across America will turn their clocks forward one hour. This shift can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep for the recommended 8 or more hours each night, leading to fatigue, distraction and stress. Check out these science-backed tips for a good night's sleep as the season change.
- Preschoolers (ages 3–5): 10–13 hours (including naps)
- School age children (ages 6–12): 9–12 hours
- Teenagers (ages 13–18): 8–10 hours
Insufficient sleep can impact students’ concentration and ability to retain information. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and supports success in school. #BuildingABetterGriffin
What's Ahead...
- March 9 - Elementary Reflections Awards (Parents Invited!); 9:00am
- March 10 - 3rd Grade CTC Curiosity Showcase; 9:30-10:30am
- March 11 - 4th Grade Elementary Beta Club Induction; 8:30-9:45am in gym
- March 12 - 7th Grade Holocaust Presentation: Part I; 12:40-2:45 (see info below)
- March 12 - 3rd Grade South Carolina Program / "Celebrate Our State" - 1:00pm
- March 13 - SIC, 8:30am (Open to all)
- March 13 - School Spirit Day (Wear a Sterling/CTC Shirt or School Colors)
- March 13 - Middle School Griffin Day & Spring Dance ($3 admission); 2:45-4:30pm
- March 18 - Special Parent Info Session w/"Gifted Guru" Lisa Van Gemert; 6:30-7:30pm
- March 20 - Registration closes for 4K (see info below)
- March 24 - End of Jr. Beta Club Book Drive
Attention 7th Grade Families: Upcoming Holocaust Unit
Beginning this week the 7th graders will begin studying the Holocaust with a unit goal of understanding and appreciating the resistance to hate and intolerance that occurred during that time period. Through resources such as children's literature, documentaries, the novel The Book Thief, and the play version of The Diary of Anne Frank, Ms. Baiden, Ms. Broder, and Ms. Newell will guide the students through this unit.
We feel extremely fortunate that we have been able to book two guest speakers who will add a special dimension to this unit of study; one is a rabbi from a synagogue here in Greenville and the other is a Holocaust survivor currently living in Aiken, SC. It is of huge value to our students that these individuals will be sharing their lives, stories, and experiences with us. On the dates of our guest speakers, which are Thursday, March 12th and on Tuesday, April 7th, it would be appreciated if absences and early dismissals could be avoided as much as possible to ensure our students do not miss these invaluable experiences. The specific times to avoid are 12:40-2:45pm each day.
We also want to express a huge thanks to our PTA for being hugely supportive of many components of this unit, enabling us to provide our students with special and educationally-rich experiences. #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild #LeveUP
Coronavirus Monitoring & Response
Jr. Beta Book Drive
The 6th grade Jr. Beta members are sponsoring a Book Drive for the Greenville Literacy Association from February 25th -March 24th.
There will be boxes located in the front hallway. Please donate your gently used books for the GLA's Really Good, Really Big, Really Cheap Book Sale.
GLA is thankful for your contribution, but they cannot accept the following items: water damaged, moldy/mildewy or warped books, books with binding damage, VHS tapes, cassette audiobooks, cassette music, magazines, encyclopedias, computer books from before 2014, and religious or business books from before 2007. We appreciate your compliance!
Special Parent Info Series: March 18th @ 6:30pm
In March, the Charles Townes Center will host our 2nd Annual Gifted Educators Conference. As part of the event, we are inviting all Sterling School/CTC families to hear from this year's keynote speaker, 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.
Lisa's workshop for parents will be March 18th @ 6:30pm in our Vegas Room! All Sterling School/CTC families are invited to attend. CLICK HERE for the event flyer and more information.
Middle School: Get ready for DownTOWNES!
Ms. Reynolds is emailing all middle school parents information about our DownTOWNES event so check your email! Students will make their selections on Thursday, March 5th. We will need parent volunteers, so please make sure that you are Level 2 if you plan to help.
Contact Ms. Reynolds if you have any questions. lreynold@greenville.k12.sc.us
Sterling School's 2019-2020 Reflections Awards
The following students were selected by outside judges to receive special recognition as our school's winners:
Visual Arts
Peter Carter - Primary Division, 1st
Jinnie Kim - Intermediate, 1st
Caroline Yi - Visual Arts, Intermediate 2nd
Aedan Kalbach - Intermediate, 3rd
Sashwath Sivaraman - Middle School, 1st & 2nd
Literature
Aedan Kalbach - Intermediate, 1st
Karthik Arumugam - Intermediate, 2nd
Jerry Gan - Intermediate, 3rd
Skylar Craig - Middle School, 1st
Violet Ellis - Middle School, 2nd
Renee Wang - Middle School, 3rd
Photography
Mary Hazel Hinson - Intermediate, 1st
Maximilian Dannelly - Intermediate, 2nd
Aaron Ream - Intermediate, 3rd
Music Composition
Charlotte Metcalf - Middle School, 1st
Charlotte Metcalf was also honored with an Award of Merit at the District Level for her Music Composition titled "Planet B."
Congratulations to all the Griffins who submitted their work!
Questions? Email GriffinReflections@gmail.com.
Apply To the ARMES Program @ the Fine Arts Center
ARMES is a tuition-free arts program designed to meet the needs of students in grades 3 through 8 who demonstrate outstanding talents and a deep interest in Dance, Strings, Theater, Creative Writing, or Visual Arts.
The purpose of the program is to allow students to explore their chosen art form in depth, while promoting individual creativity. Classes are taught at a pace and level of complexity appropriate for artistically gifted children with similar abilities and interests.
All current 2nd - 7th grade students are eligible to apply for the upcoming school year! Classes are held two days per week after regular school hours, for a total of 3 hours of instruction each week. Sterling School / CTC has many students who participate in the ARMES program every year! Students will be scheduled for an audition later this spring. The deadline to apply for ARMES for the 2020-21 school year is Wednesday, April 8th.
For more details, visit the ARMES website.
Register Now: 4K Pre-registration
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, 2020. Parents may pre-register at any district elementary school or child development center UNTIL MARCH 20, 2020. Pre-registration will NOT be accepted after March 20th. 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 2020. PLEASE NOTE: 4K screening will be held for pre-registered children April 1-3, 2020.
4K Pre-Registration Flyer: CLICK HERE
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 91 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?
Lunch Menu
GSSM Summer Camp Returns to Sterling!
The South Carolina Governor's School for Math and Science will host two summer day camps at our school this year! Sterling School is the only host school in the entire upstate and space is limited! Siblings and friends from other schools can register, too.
Applications are now open. Be sure to register by April 15th to receive Early Bird prices!
iTeams Xtreme for current 5th-7th grade students
June 15-18, 8:30am - 4:00pm
(Micro)control Your World!
Dive into microcontrollers and their applications through one of two tracks:
Arduino & Robotics
Explore the world of computational thinking and microcontrollers using Arduino technology and robotics. Learn how to program your very own microcontrolled robot and pit it against other students' robots in camp-wide competitions such as Maze Runner and Robot Wars.
Arduino & the Internet of Things
Explore the world of programming with Arduino technology. Increase your programming skills while learning about digital communication, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things.
Apply now for iTeams Xtreme at Sterling/CTC!
CREATEng for current 7th-8th grade students
June 22-25, 8:30am - 4:00pm
Innovate. Design. Create.
CREATEng is GSSM’s one-of-a-kind engineering and design thinking day camp for rising 8th and 9th graders. Students take on the role of NASA engineers charged with developing a sustainable colony on Mars. Working through project-based, hands-on team challenges, students learn what engineering is and what engineers do. With a focus on civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering students work through a series of mini challenges from building windproof structures and protecting transportation with impenetrable wheels for the Rover, to using Arduino technology for greenhouse automation.
CREATEng students will interact with guest speakers and go on a field trip to a local company to see engineering in action.
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. And if you're ready to jump in, you can sign up for an upcoming training session! (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 via email or (864) 355-4480.
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