Griffins Connect
First Week Edition #ReImagine #WholeChild
Here We Go! #ReImagine 2021-2022
Last week, the Sterling School faculty and staff returned to the building, preparing their rooms and readying for the coming year. It was good to see each other, revisit our school's mission and goals, and plan for the days ahead. Here are a few things that occurred:
- We spent time with our new, incoming 3rd grade students and their families at Roper Mountain Science Center
- We enjoyed a delicious “Welcome Back Breakfast,” hosted by our wonderful PTA (Thank you!)
- We went on a community tour to learn more about many of our students and families
- We took part in a variety of instructional planning meetings to prepare for the coming year.
- We celebrated Mrs. Lisa Helsel (Sterling’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year) AND Miss Nicole Benvenuto (Sterling’s 2021-2022 Emerging Teacher of the Year) at the district’s annual Teacher of the Year Breakfast
- We welcomed our families back to the building for two in-person (Yay!) Meet-the-Teacher events
It was a great week! As we head into the first week and what may be another unpredictable year, I am more certain than ever that the amazing team at Sterling School is able to navigate whatever the 2021-2022 year brings our way. Together, we will #ReImagine and create even more #WholeChild experiences that will ensure every child reaches his or her full potential. If we can ever be of support to you and your family, please reach out to us. And to the 2021-2022 school year, the Sterling School community is coming for you!
First Faculty Meeting
Community Bus Tour
District T.O.Y. Breakfast
What's Ahead...
August 16: Meet the Teacher Makeup; 1:00-2:30pm
August 16: Virtual Meet the Teacher Option; 4:00pm
August 17: First Day of School (Parents may walk students into school - this day only)
August 17: PTA Sip, Sob, & Shout; Media Center, 7:40-8:30am (for all parents!)
August 27: Summer Olympic Reading Rings Form Due
September 3: Nat'l College Colors Day (wear the colors of your favorite college/university)
September 6: Labor Day Holiday (No School)
PTA National School of Excellence
This honor is given to schools that support and celebrate partnerships between local PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students.
We are proud of students, parents, teachers, families, and the volunteers that made this possible! Together, we are doing great things for our students!
Girls on the Run: Register Now!
Middle School Girls Register Now! Registration for the upcoming GOTR season is now open! Register at www.gotrupstatesc.org today and the season starts the week of September 20. Middle school ages will have an opportunity to participate in the fall and grades 3-5 are encouraged to participate in our spring club. (Disclaimer: The program will only be able to occur if enough students sign up to participate.)
Girls on the Run is unique as we promote social-emotional learning and mental well-being concurrently with physical activity. In addition, every Girls on the Run lesson incorporates physical activity to support the development of life skills such as confidence, encouragement, and empowerment among girls and promote a lifetime appreciation for active living and healthy habits. #WholeChild
For questions, email Mrs. Kylee Rucker @ kyrucker@greenville.k12.sc.us.
Free Strengthening Families Program Starts September 13th: Register Today!
Meet the Teacher 2021
If you are unable to attend the August 11th/12th event, a make-up day for both programs is scheduled for Monday, August 16th from 1:00-2:30pm. While we encourage families to attend our in-person events, we are also providing a virtual option this year. The virtual presentation will be shared with families on Monday, August 16th @ 4:00pm. However you participate in this year's Meet the Teacher, it is essential that you make arrangements to pick up your child's dismissal number and other important information from our school's main office before the first day of school.
COVID-19 Updates
Unfortunately, we are entering the third school year that will be impacted by the COVID-19 virus. While we do not know what the future holds, we will do our very best to meet the challenges of this on-going situation, while still preparing our students in education, work, and life.
As you are probably aware, South Carolina DHEC continues to report increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases throughout our community. While we understand that next week's return has generated a variety of concerns, we are asking for everyone's continued support. Here are some ways you can help:
- Even if vaccinated, please keep your student at home if they display any of the following symptoms: cough, 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.
- While masks are not required of students nor staff, per proviso passed by the South Carolina Legislature, the CDC continues to recommend masking. Parents are encouraged to review the advice of public health professionals and discuss with their pediatrician before deciding what is best for their children.
- 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.
- 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 a positive case was in their child’s classroom or part of another school group to which their child is connected and considered a "close contact." Please note the importance of social distancing.
- Per DHEC regulations, any student identified as having spent 15 minutes or more within three feet of a positive case are considered close contacts and will be excluded from school for a minimum of 10 days, unless fully vaccinated. 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.
Morning & Afternoon Traffic Procedures
At Sterling School, safety is our first priority. As parents, your help is requested with morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. In an effort to maximize safety while still maintaining a reasonably speedy car line, we ask that you please adhere to the following procedures for morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal:
AM Drop-off:
Please remain patient during carline, especially during the first couple weeks of school. Model proper safety procedures for your children (wear your seatbelt, do not text while operating your motor vehicle, etc.).
Please move through the morning and afternoon car line with extreme caution.
Do not use your cell phones or other electronic devices while in the car line.
Please have your child ready to unload before you reach the awning (i.e. bookbag ready, shoes on, etc.)
Do not let your child unload before school doors open at 7:10am.
In the morning, we ask all car riders to exit the full length of the awning. (Parents who wait to drop off at the front of the school cause the line to back up and result in unnecessary delays.)
Middle school students should be dropped off in the back bus loop (Watch out for buses. They are less maneuverable than cars.)
Elementary students (K4-5th) must drop off in the front car loop. (This includes carpools with both elementary & middle students.) Elementary school students should report to the hallway of their respective grade.
Any middle school students being dropped off at or after 7:45 must be dropped off in the front car line.
Do not utilize the Tanner’s parking lot for morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up.
Follow the directions of all Sterling School Staff and/or law enforcement officers while on campus.
PM Pick-up:
Model proper safety procedures for your children (wear your seatbelt, do not text while operating your motor vehicle, etc.)
Please move through the car line with extreme caution.
Elementary pick-up begins at 2:15:; middle school pick-up begins at 2:30.
Cars will be expected to load along the full length of the sidewalk/awning.
All cars must turn right as they exit the parking lot/car line.
Elementary pick-up should line up in the right-hand pickup lane upon entry. Middle school pick-up should line up in the left-hand lane upon entry beginning at 2:30.
Elementary students will be called from their classrooms, which means they could take 5-7 minutes to exit the building.
Middle school students will be dismissed at 2:30. Keep in mind they may need to visit their lockers or the restroom, so they may not exit the building for 5-7 minutes.
Middle school parents, please do not arrive before 2.30. This causes the line to back up to the road and blocks elementary parents from getting through.
Middle school students who carpool (with middle or elementary students) should utilize the back bus loop. All other middle school students should use the front traffic loop.
Follow the directions of all Sterling School Staff and/or law enforcement officers while on campus.
**Administration reserves the right to revise these procedures in the event that they present unforeseen problems or concerns**
Support a Griffin! Sign-Up to Mentor a Student This School Year!
The Sterling School has a partnership 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 are willing to volunteer 30 minutes of your time weekly, we need you!
If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please complete the interest survey found HERE! Near the start of the 2021-2022 school year, we will follow-up with training information and other pertinent details.
#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!
School Supply Drive
The Sterling School Counseling Department will graciously accept donations of any item on the Back to School lists. The items below are especially needed. Please consider donating gently used (or new!!) bookbags, as these are regularly in need. Below is a list of needed supplies:
- Pencils
- Cap erasers/pink erasers
- Composition notebooks
- Washable markers
- Pencil boxes & pouches
- Crayons
- 2 pocket folders
- Binders
- Elmer's glue
- Colored pencils
- Pens
- Small safety scissors
- Spiral bound note books
- Highlighters
- Tissues
Serving @ Sterling School
Lunch Menu
Middle School Yearbooks
MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOKS are now on sale!
We're off to a great school year; capture all the memories!
Go to the following link to order yours now: CLICK HERE!
Grade Level Supply Lists
Please disregard any requests for hand sanitizer or Clorox wipes. You do NOT need to send these items. They will be provided by the school/district.
Student Planners/Agendas
Planners/Agendas are a required supply for Sterling 4th & 5th grade students as well as Grades 3rd-8th CTC.
These will be available for purchase during Meet-the-Teacher, so please plan ahead for $5 cash or check made to: Sterling School to receive your agenda. The teachers use these with the students to help them learn executive functioning skills, planning, prioritizing and responsibility.
DonorsChoose
CLICK HERE to check out our school's classroom projects! We currently have TWO projects to fund.
Supporting a DonorsChoose project is super easy...
1) Find a classroom project that inspires you and give as little as $1. We're a public charity, so your donation is tax-deductible.
2) When a project is fully funded, DonorsChoose will purchase all the requested items and ship them directly to the school.
3) When funded, every donor gets a thank-you letter from the teacher, photos from the classroom, and a report of how each dollar was spent.
The mission of DonorsChoose is simple...to help students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Register for 21-22 Extended Day Program
Open registration is now closed for the after school program. Please email Maxi Henry, mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us starting August 9th, if you would like to register. Most grades still have open spots, but you will need to contact her to obtain the registration form.
Please email Mrs. Henry with any questions.
PTA 2021-2022 Carpool List
Are you interested in carpooling next year? CLICK HERE to join PTA’s 2021-2022 Carpool List! The spreadsheet will be updated each week as new families join through the summer and fall.
From our Health Room
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or special information that you need to discuss about your child, please visit our nurse, Heather Garrison, or call the health room at 355-4687.
Community Partnership Directory
[CLICK HERE for COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DIRECTORY]
The faculty at Sterling School & Charles Townes Center constantly work to provide our students with relevant, real-world experiences. Through the use of inquiry, namely PBL (project-based learning), we seek to innovate and transform our school’s approach of teaching and learning through student-centered, personalized instruction. Inquiry-based methods prepare students for academic, personal, and career success, readying them for the challenges they will inherit in our world.
While our teachers are super smart :-), they do not know everything! To further our students' learning, we need various experts with professional experiences to engage our students. As a district, our Graduation Plus emphasis strives to ensure that all students are career and college ready. Exposing our students to various careers and professions within the context of meaningful, hands-on learning will strengthen our school's instructional program.
As we look to next school year, if you are willing to partner with us, we are seeking parents with various expertise. We are looking for representation from all types of careers. As a school, we will utilize the database when seeking experts to support career days and various curriculum units. If you are willing to be added to our expert directory, please complete the following Google Form (CLICK HERE!). #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
We Need YOU! Volunteer Training
Thinking of chaperoning a field trip, becoming a room parents, or mentoring a student? Parents at Sterling School may now participate in volunteer training either in person or online.
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.
2021-2022 School Meals & FANS Info
Free & Reduced Meals (FARMS) Applications is a requirement to receive the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) cards that will be distributed by the SC Department of Social Services to eligible families. Paper FARMS applications will be sent to school by August 2nd. Online FARMS applications are currently available on the GCS FANS website: https://gcsfans.com.
Meals for Virtual Program Students: FANS will not be providing after hour meals pick up options for Virtual program students during the 2021-2022 school year. Virtual program students may receive meals each day by pre-ordering them one business day in advance from the cafeteria manager at their assigned school. Proof of GCS enrollment will be required to receive meals. Sterling School FANS Manager: Veronica Stewart (email: vastewart@greenville.k12.sc.us // phone: 355.4692)
Attention Rising 7th Grade Students
In accordance with SC State regulations, all students entering 7th grade are required to receive a TDAP vaccination. Parents/guardians must provide their child's school with one of the following prior to the first day of school (08/17/21). Students who do not have this record on file at their school will not be allowed to attend classes and we will not release their fall schedule.
Acceptable documentation includes:
· Certificate of Immunization listing TDAP
· Religious Exemption
· Medical Exemption
If your student has already received the TDAP vaccine, and you have not previously submitted documentation, please do so as soon as possible. You may fax records to 864-355-4490 or email Nurse Heather Garrison at hgarrison@greenville.k12.sc.us. Please contact our front office 864-355-4480 if you have any questions.
#ReImagine: 2021-2022 School Theme
According to Merriam-Webster, ReImagine means: to imagine again or anew, to form a new conception of; to recreate. As we head into the new school year, I challenge our school community to resist the temptation to return to “business as usual.” Taking our experiences, the best of what we have learned, and what we have always known as best practice – together, let’s ReImagine a place where…
…every child and adult is known and experiences a sense of belonging.
…risks are taken and learning from mistakes is awarded as well as success.
…the adults are co-learners with the students.
…innovative practices continue to encourage deep learning of enduring concepts.
…parents and members of the school community share an equal seat at the table.
As we are now keenly aware, schools must continuously adapt to meet the needs of an ever-changing world. It is with this same passion, creativity, and commitment that I anticipate a wonderful 21-22 school year. Together, let’s ReImagine the many possibilities as we continue to fulfill our mission to the Whole Child. It’s going to be a great year!
Learning Together,
Dr. P.
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