The Weekly Griffin
Week of January 27, 2019 - #BuildingABetterGriffin
AdvancED Parent Surveys
The window to complete the survey closes Thursday, January 31st.
What's Ahead...
January 29 - CTC Open House for Prospective Families, 8:30-10:00am & 6:00-7:00pm
January 30 - Career Day, 9:00-10:30am (3rd-5th Grade)
January 31 - AdvancED Climate & Culture Parent Survey Due (CLICK HERE!)
January 31 - PTA Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon
January 31 - Last day to nominate for ACE Award (see below)
February 2 - RSVP Deadline for Lunch on Feb 7th (Digital Safety Workshop) (CLICK HERE!)
February 7 - Digital Safety And Citizenship Workshop, 12:30pm in Vegas
*Save the Date - 2nd Annual Black History Month Program: Thursday, February 28th @ 6:00pm
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
Save the Date: 2nd Annual Black History Month Celebration Feb. 28th @ 6:00pm
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
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.
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.
ACE Awards Nominations Now Open!
The ACE Awards (Advocates for Character and Education) is an annual award given to 72 male and female students from each of the 35 Greenville County middle and high schools. This award is designed to honor true “unsung heroes” who all too often are not recognized for their accomplishments. The selection process, established by Greenville County school counselors, focuses on identifying and selecting students who often go unnoticed for one reason or another, but have accomplished great things in their community, church or school.
If you would like to nominate a Greenville County 8th or 12th grader, please or go online to coaches4character.com and click the nominate button at the top of the page. All nominations must be submitted by January 31, 2019. An ACE Awards Advisory Committee at each school will choose finalists from among those nominated to complete an application for the ACE Award. One male and one female will be chosen from each middle and high school in Greenville County. All ACE award recipients will be recognized at the ACE Awards ceremony on May 15, 2019.
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 81 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.
Digital Safety And Citizenship Workshop
Thursday, February 7th at 12:30pm
- Hosted by the our school's PTA
- Free catered lunch for all attendees!
- All parents and guardians are invited
- RSVP now to secure your spot, because space is limited!
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.
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.
Sterling School Jr. Betas Shine @ State Convention
We are so proud of our Jr. Betas who traveled last week to the State Convention to compete with other schools across our state. Collectively, our students received 16 awards! They had a wonderful time and exemplified #GriffinPRIDE.
Many thanks to our faculty sponsors and parent chaperones for making this opportunity possible! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
The following students placed in these categories:
Elementary School:
Book Battle - 1st place: Jackson Williams, Genevieve Kosanivich, & Sharon Antony
Quiz Bowl - 3rd place: Brandon Xu, Jordan Dunbar, Agustya Gupta, & Sash Sivaraman
Language Arts - 4th place: Talon Carswell
Science - 1st place: Ryan Alioua
Math - 2nd place: Aditya Harikumar
Social studies - 1st place: Will Schumacher
Digital Art - 1st place: Katie Ann Guth
Creative Writing - 1st place: Rishika Talati
Middle School:
Fiber Arts - 4th place: Emma Bao
Quiz Bowl - 5th place: Garner Hart, Julia Pascoe, Thomas Schumacher, Danika Yang, & Franio Wlodarczyk
Science - 5th place: Rishita Tikkala
Math - 2nd place: Emma Bao
Speech - 2nd place: Jackie Park
3D design - 5th place: Emily Li & Kaylen Jones
T-shirt design - 1st place: Masie Hollingsworth, Maggie Austin, Kayla Bowes, Lydia Edney, Naja Davis, & Edie Youngblood
Performing Arts- 2nd place: Yashu Ranganathan
The CTC Newspaper: 2nd Edition
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