Griffins Connect
January 10th #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Sterling Students Shine at Recent Band Event
Congratulations to these band members who competed in the South Carolina Band Directors Association's first Virtual Solo and Ensemble event! The students competed as soloists and/or in a small ensemble and sent in their audition video to be adjudicated by professional musicians. Lastly, congratulations to Charlotte with receiving a perfect score for her oboe solo! #SterlingSchoolWeGotThis #WholeChild #BuildingABetterGriffin
What's Ahead...
This Week...
- Friday, January 15th: End of 2nd Quarter
Looking Ahead...
- Monday, January 18th: MLK Jr. Holiday (No School)
- Thursday, January 21st: 2nd Quarter Report Cards
- Thursday, January 28th: Pancakes with the Principals (for qualifying students)
Middle School Teacher, Ms. Dhara Baiden, Selected for Upcoming Publication
A big word of CONGRATULATIONS goes to another teacher leader at Sterling School, Ms. Dhara Baiden. Recently, Ms. Baiden received notice that a piece she authored was selected for SAGE Journals' Gifted Child Today. The article highlights the work Ms. Baiden has done with her students around a Project Based Learning experience called "EncycloMEdia." Gifted Child Today is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal that covers research on teaching and parenting gifted and talented children.
The EncycloMEdia project is an arts-integrated, year-long ELA project that serves as a capstone literacy experience for 8th grade students at the Charles Townes Center. EncycloMEdia requires students to analyze literature in order to insert symbolic ideas from their analyses to create an altered book. Ms. Baiden says, "I am passionate about the EncycloMEdia project and the many successes I have witnessed from my students. The fact that other educators can read about it will hopefully mean even more students can benefit from this project-based learning opportunity that hits so many key learning targets for gifted learners." #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
GCS 4K Application Window Opens for 2021-2022 School Year
In order for our Griffins to start their education on the right foot, we encourage participation in our high quality, full day 4K program! 4K Pre-Registration begins tomorrow, January 11, 2021. If you know of anyone in our community with a four-year-old or soon to be four-year-old, spread the word! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
How to Apply:
Dates: January 11-March 10, 2021.
- The online application is posted here on the GCS website.
- A child’s primary custodial parent/legal guardian can submit the online application.
- For parents who do not have internet access, they can call 864-452-0437 to apply.
- Completing the application does not guarantee that the child will be enrolled. Notification of acceptance will be sent to parents via email by April 1, 2021.
- We will not hold the face-to-face screening scheduled for March 24-26, 2021. The screening process is now part of the 4K Application.
About the At-Risk 4K Program:
- 4K programs for children at risk for school success are offered at various elementary schools and six child development centers.
- Children who will be four years old on or before September 1, 2021 may be eligible for this free program.
- Eligibility for 4K is based on academic and developmental needs, low family income, and low parent education level. However, everyone is encouraged to apply.
- The GCS Virtual Program is not available for the At-Risk 4K program.
ACE Awards Accepting Nominations
#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!
Upcoming Triple P Parenting Seminars
If you participated in the first parenting seminar on December 14th with Ms. Benvenuto, here are the dates and registrations for the second and third workshop.
- Seminar 2: Raising Resilient Children
- Seminar 3: Raising Confident, Competent Children
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.
CTC Student Newspaper: Latest Edition
Extra, Extra, Read All About It! The latest 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
Check Out These Upcoming Events From out Partners at Sustaining Way
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
January Lunch Menu
#SterlingSchoolWeGotThis! Thank you for your Continued Support!
As you are probably aware, South Carolina DHEC continues to report very high number of COVID-19 cases throughout our community. However, comparatively, the number of cases in our schools remain low and are thus safer. As previously stated, it is most likely that individual schools within the district would be moved to eLearning based on each school’s unique situation. While we understand that our return of full-time, in-person instruction has generated a variety of concerns, we are asking for everyone's continued support. Here are some ways you can help:
- Please keep your student 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,
Thank you, again, for your continued support of our school.
Dr. P.
Sterling Students Shine at Recent Orchestra Event
CONGRATULATIONS to the following 20 Sterling School orchestra students who received a rating of Superior, Excellent, or Good at the recent South Carolina Music Educators Association's Winter Virtual Solo & Ensemble event. Students were required to submit a video to an unlisted YouTube channel to be adjudicated by professional musicians. With the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCMEA Orchestra Division decided to have a virtual Solo and Ensemble in the winter and spring. #SterlingSchoolWeGotThis #WholeChild #BuildingABetterGriffin
#WholeChild Leadership: Sterling School Counselors Receive Advanced Training
Nicole Benvenuto is now an accredited Triple P practitioner. The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is one of the most effective evidence-based parenting programs in the world. Triple P provides parents with a variety of strategies to help them build strong and healthy relationships with their children while also teaching them skills to confidently manage their children’s behavior. Ms. Benvenuto participated in extensive training over the summer and successfully passed the accreditation required to become a practitioner in September of this year. Triple P is currently used in more than 25 countries and has been shown to work across cultures, socio-economic groups, and in many different kinds of family structures.
Casey Noble is now a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor. This certification puts Mrs. Noble on the frontline of the program, training educators and others in our community in MHFA. MHFA is a course that teaches others how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses. The training gives the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis.
Ms. Kamaria Downs Selected as PEP Teaching Fellow
Congratulations to 2nd grade teacher, Kamaria Downs, for her selection as a Public Education Partners (PEP) Teacher Fellows. Ms. Downs states, "I'm excited about diving in and sharing my experience and resources with my colleagues and others."
Teacher Fellows is a half-year (December-June) policy and advocacy fellowship for Greenville County Schools educators. The inaugural cohort is comprised of 12 educators from all over the district. Participants meet to learn from experts, discuss education policy in South Carolina, and develop advocacy skills.
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