The Weekly Griffin
February 9th - #BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUP
Sterling School has Strong Showing at MathCounts
On Saturday, the Sterling School MathCounts participants competed in the Piedmont Chapter Competition at Fisher Middle School. The school team of Atharva Shah, Brandon Xu, Aedan Honohan, and Eric Shi won 1st place. Brandon Xu placed 1st in the written competition and in the countdown round. Atharva Shah placed 4rd in the written competition and 2nd in the countdown round.
The other students representing Sterling School/CTC in the competition included Tarika Desai, Stephanie Hu, Joel Kim, Samuel Gospodarek, David Ropp & Grace Qin.
The 4 person team has qualified to represent Sterling School at the state competition to be held in Aiken, SC on March 7. Congratulations to all of them! #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
What's Ahead...
- February 11 - Middle School Curriculum Night: 6:00-7:00pm; Dinner @ 5:30 (CLICK HERE!)
- February 12 thru 14 - Readcycle Book Drop Off
- February 13 - Applications Open for GSSM Summer Camp (See below for more info)
- February 14 - Class Picture Day (Elementary)
- February 14 - School Spirit Day (Wear a Sterling/CTC shirt or school colors)
- February 14 - SIC Meeting; 9:30am
- February 17 - Presidents Day (No School)
- February 19 thru 21 - Readcycle Book Selection (Bring your tickets!)
- February 20 - Gifted Information Series: Arts Integration, 8:45-9:30: See Flyer
SAVE THE DATE:
- February 27 - SAVE THE DATE: Black History Celebration; 6:30-7:30pm: See Flyer
Readcycle Book Swap
Readcycle Book Swap Returns!
- Book drop-off this Wednesday-Monday at lunch.
- One ticket per book that you bring to swap.
- Come to the media center next week Wednesday-Friday to redeem.
#ReadersAreLeaders #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild #LevelUP
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
Dance Class @ Sterling
Come dance with us for 45 minutes each week as we explore different genres like: jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical/contemporary. Both boys and girls will learn warm-ups, technique, and choreography. A performance for family and friends will take place the last day of each series. Students should wear comfortable clothing they can easily move in (no dresses or skirts); particular shoes are not required as we will dance barefoot. The Dance Instructor comes from the Carolina Dance Collaborative to teach the class. The class is for students in K5-5th Grade. The classes will run on Mondays 2:45-3:30 from Feb. 24th - May 11th, with a performance on May 11th @ 3:15PM. The ten week class is $130.00. If you are interested in signing your child up, please bring the attached form in to the office with payment made to Sterling School. If you have questions, please contact Maxi Henry at mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us. CLICK HERE for flyer.
Relay for Life Club
The Relay For Life club will start meeting next week, February 4th and will continue until the end of the year. We will meet on Tuesdays from 2:30 (45) - 3:30pm in the Media Center. If you are a student, parent, or faculty member who is interested in fundraising to help find a cure for Cancer, then please join our team. We meet weekly to discuss ways to raise funds for our team and support one another. All students in third grade or above may join the team. We celebrate our fundraising efforts on the date of Saturday, April 25, 2020 at the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. All proceeds raised will go to the American Cancer Society. Please consider joining us!
Please contact Maxi Henry at mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us or Chrissy Hammonds at cdhammon@greenville.k12.sc.us for more information.
Current 5th, 6th, & 7th Grade CTC Families
Families of rising CTC middle School students, be sure to mark your calendar for Middle School Curriculum Night on Tuesday, February 11th at 6:00pm! CLICK HERE for event flyer.
Our administrators and middle school counselor will talk about the registration process for next year's classes. You'll also find lots of information about elective options and what to expect from next year's core subjects. It's a great opportunity to talk with teachers and get answers to all of your questions!
If your student is currently in 3rd, 4th, or 8th grade... the PTA could REALLY use your help!!
We'll need volunteers to serve and clean up dinner, while rising middle school families are busy eating and participating in Curriculum Night. If you can help, CLICK HERE!
Black History Celebration 2020
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.
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 85 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?
Save the Date: GSSM Summer Camp Returns to Sterling!
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.
Applications open Feb. 13th, 2020 for iTeams Xtreme. Join the GSSM mailing list!
CREATEng for current 7th and 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.
Applications open Feb. 13th, 2020 for CREATEng. Join the GSSM mailing list!
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.
Preventing the Spread of Colds and 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
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