Griffins Connect
Back-to-School Edition #BuildingABetterGriffin #WholeChild
Welcome to the 20-21 School Year!
I hope you've had a great summer! I also hope you and your family are healthy and well. I am excited to welcome you to the 2020-2021 school year!
As we begin, it's important to recognize that many things this year will look different. While much is uncertain, there are few things that will not change: Our students will continue to learn content and skills they need to be successful. Our teachers will continue to provide high quality instruction and learning opportunities. Our cafeteria staff will continue to provide delicious meals, including Taco Tuesday and Rib & Wing Friday. And our custodial staff will continue to keep our building clean and safe for all who enter.
Despite the challenges we face, our school's deep focus to the Whole Child will continue to be of utmost importance. TOGETHER...our students, our families, and our staff are ready to soar to new heights! #GriffinPRIDE
I look forward to a wonderful year! Though it will be different, I have no doubt that it's going to be an amazing year! As always, if we can be of support to you or your family, please let us know.
Dr. P
What's Ahead...
August 5: Rising 3rd Grade CTC Virtual Event (Info Below)
August 10: L.E.A.P. Registration Deadline
August 17-21: Meet the Teacher (Info Below)
August 17-21: L.E.A.P. Week (Info Below; Registration Form)August 24: Students' First Day of School
*Due to current circumstances, parents will not be permitted to walk students in the building on the first days of school this year. We will provide assistance to our younger students who may need this support.
L.E.A.P. (Learn, Evaluate, Analyze, Prepare) - Aug. 17-21
The South Carolina General Assembly has approved funding for additional days before the start of the new school year for students. These additional days are identified as LEAP (Learn, Evaluate, Analyze, and Prepare) Days. The LEAP Days for Greenville County Elementary Schools will be August 17-21, 2020. Schools are required to offer the LEAP days, but students are not required to attend.
We will use this time to assess the needs of our students to prepare for their learning in the coming year. We also want to help your child become familiar with our new learning environment, including wearing masks in 2nd through 8th grades. Session 1 students will receive breakfast and a bagged lunch to take home. Session 2 students will receive lunch. Chromebooks will also be provided to students 3rd-8th grade and for 4 year old kindergarten through 2nd grade students as they become available.
There will be two sessions on each day of our LEAP week. Session 1 (7:45-10:15) will be for students who have chosen face to face instruction per the Roadmap to In-Person School (Non-Virtual Academy Students). Session 2 (12:00-2:30) will be for CTC Virtual Academy and/or GCS Virtual Academy Students. Students are asked to attend one day that week according to their assigned color track with make-ups scheduled for Friday.
All appropriate safety measures will be followed to maintain social distancing, to the extent possible, and all safety precautions will be followed to help protect our students, faculty, staff, and community. Transportation will be provided to those who completed their transportation forms by July 15 and requested bus service. Parents should visit the GCS website or call 355-3100 to learn how to enroll their children if they were not in GCS last year or for information on requesting bus transportation.
Please complete one survey for your household for students in 4 year old kindergarten through 8th grade during the school year 2020-21. The deadline for the LEAP Survey is Monday, August 10th.
Color Change Requests
If you have need of changing your child’s color grouping, please be sure to submit the change request via the form at this LINK (CLICK HERE) and email Mr. Murphy at jmurphy@greenville.k12.sc.us. He will be working with district leadership over the next week to review requests and determine if changes can be made based on the numbers of students in each grouping to maintain safety when on plans 1 and 2. Families will begin being notified on the status of their requests late next week and early into the week of August 10th.
Destination: Return to School Parent Resource Guide
REVISED Flexible Attendance Plan For In-Person Class
"Mask Up" Greenville County Schools
There have been many questions about mask/face coverings as part of our health and safety protocols. Here are the district's guidelines. Please take a minute to view.
School Supply Lists
If your grade level/program supply list is not current, don't worry; all lists will be updated soon! We encourage you to check back again soon!
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 or call the health room at 355-4687
Student Planners/Agendas
Planners/Agendas are a required supply for Sterling 4 and 5th grade students as well as Grades 3-6 CTC.
We hope to have these available for purchase during LEAP week, 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.
Meet the Teacher 2020
Sterling School Extended Day Program
Extended Day Program will take place this year on the days of face-to-face instruction!
Enrollment to the EDP will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited and some grade levels are filled. CLICK HERE for registration paperwork. Please bring registration paperwork and payment when you come the week of L.E.A.P. Please note the 2020-2021 fees.
Questions? Contact our EDP CoDirector, Maxi Henry at mhenry@greenville.k12.sc.us.
To learn more about the program, visit the After School website HERE!
3rd Grade CTC RMSC Day Camp Cancelled
Even though we can't hold our Roper Mountain activity this year, we still want to have a chance for the students to get together - virtually - and have a little fun before school begins!
3rd grade students are invited to join Ms. Reynolds and the 3rd grade CTC team, Related Arts teachers, and other surprise guests for a Google Meet on Wednesday, August 5th at 10AM.
Ms. Reynolds will email out the link for the Google Meet on Tuesday to our new CTC 3rd grade families.
MySchoolBucks.Com
This year, parents are encouraged to make online payments into their children’s meal account using their debit or credit card. In a time of social distancing, utilizing this service will minimize hand-to-hand contact and ensure a safer, more convenient transfer of funds.
To sign up to make online payments through mySchoolBucks, parents establish a user ID and password. They select their child’s school from a drop-down list and enter the student birth date or student identification number (available from the student’s school), and provide the debit or credit card information. Payment into an account is usually credited within one hour. Parents can check their child’s account balance and transaction history on the mySchoolBucks website, which is updated every night.
Parents can make one payment for multiple children, designating the amount per child. A single processing fee of $2 is charged for each payment, regardless of the number of student accounts included in the payment. Parents can also choose to make recurring payments on a regular basis.
To Sign Up for Online Payments Into a Student’s Meal Account
- Go to the Online Payment Website.
- Create your user ID and password by following the step-by-step instructions. Online payments can only be made for meals. The service is not provided for any other payments to schools.
Questions: Call Food and Nutrition Services at 355-1249.
Information about mySchoolBucks: CLICK HERE to visit their website.
Free/Reduced Lunch Application
Online Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications are now available for the 2020-2021 school year. CLICK HERE! The online Free and Reduced Price Meal Application process is the quickest and most accurate method to apply for Free and Reduced Price Meals. Please note: interested families must reapply each school year.
If you have any questions about the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application process please contact Bonnie Hogue, Free and Reduced Project Manager at 864-355-1251 or by email at bhogue@greenville.k12.sc.us.
Attention Parents/Guardians of 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 (08/24/20). 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 864-355-9477 or email Carly Tan at ctan@greenville.k12.sc.us. Please contact our front office 864-355-4480 if you have any questions.
Set Up Parent Backpack - An Amazing App for Parents & Guardians
Parent Backpack is an online application that replaces the PowerSchool Parent Portal. With Parent Backpack, you are able to view your child's grades, school attendance, and any discipline incidents when you are logged into the system. Best of all, Parent Backpack works on any device and is mobile friendly.
To access Parent Backpack, CLICK HERE and create an account. Please access directions by clicking on Creating a Parent Backpack Account.
A Word From Mrs. Ledford: Welcome to Band!
Getting an instrument is super easy through Pecknel or Musical Innovations. If you already let Mrs. Ledford know the results of your mouthpiece testing and are looking to purchase or rent an instrument, Pecknel is doing this all online. Below you will find a link to look at new and used instruments. Once you have placed your order, the instruments will be delivered to Sterling on the first day of school.
Everyone will need an instrument by Thursday, August 27. Please email Mrs. Ledford so she knows what you will be playing, but most importantly have email addresses for a parent.
2020 United Way School Tools Event
United Way of Greenville County understands the needs of students, schools and teachers are changing in the age of COVID-19. We want to do our part to ensure that each student has the tools they require to be successful in school. We have reimaged our traditional School Tools event and are taking the program virtual! There are three ways that the community can support School Tools this year:
1. Make an online donation to help fund Wi-Fi hotspots for students, offset teachers’ out-of-pocket classroom expenses and support United Way education initiatives.
2. Purchase much needed school supplies for students and classrooms from the comfort of your own home or office through our Amazon & Walmart wishlists.
3. Collect supplies and drop them off at on Wednesday, August 12, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. or Wednesday, August 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the United Way office (105 Edinburgh Ct, Greenville, SC 29607). Please wear a face covering and help us stay safe by practicing social distancing.
Please note that unlike in year’s past, we will not have a community distribution day. We will distribute student school supplies to Title I schools with the highest needs) and will also provide supplies for Center for Community Services and Foothills Family Resources based on the number of supplies we receive. Any extra supplies will be donated to the district social workers.
CANCELLED: Greenville Drive Reading All-Stars Celebration
Sadly, Minor League baseball has announced the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League baseball season across the country. The ongoing concern for the safety of Minor League Baseball communities across America – inclusive of fans, front office staff, game-day staff, players and coaches, led to this decision. Therefore, the August 9 rescheduled celebration event has been cancelled. While we'll have to wait for the return of the Greenville Drive, the 162 students who participated in this year's event won through their commitment to read. #BuildilngABetterGriffin
Summer Learning Challenge! #FightTheSummerSlide
Here, you will find Sterling School's Sweet Summer Reading Chances information. You can also find this information in your child's brown pick-up bag, on our school's webpage, and in forthcoming summer editions of the Weekly Griffin. The Sweet Summer Reading Chances will begin at dismissal on Thursday, June 4th. With this summer learning experience, students will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes and participate in a start-of-year celebration! There are several ways to participate: READO, Camp Wonderopolis, and the Greenville Library Summer Reading Program. To learn more information, see the following flyer (CLICK HERE!).
- The READO Card (CLICK HERE!).
- Camp Wonderopolis (CLICK HERE!).
- Greenville Library Summer Reading Program (CLICK HERE!).
Virtual Summer Story Time
Elementary Students are Invited to Sterling School to Escape with Books this Summer!
To view this summer's read alouds, CLICK HERE!
Math: DreamBox Learning
DIRECT LINK to DreamBox
But it’s actually easier for kids — from all socioeconomic backgrounds — to forget what they learned in math over the summer than it is for them to lose reading skills.
The reason? Many parents — and their children — don’t think about math as existing outside of the classroom. Many parents may just be less inclined to do math at home (over the summer).
Keyboarding: TypeTastic!
DIRECT LINK to TypeTastic!
Keyboarding is a tech skill that everyone has – more or less. What makes a real difference in knowing how to touch type is how good your typing speed and accuracy really are. If you touch type at an above-average word-per-minute rate you can save yourself hundreds of hours per year.
There are also options for middle school students. Simply click on "Start Learning" and then select grade band. Another keyboarding option for the middle level is Typing Club.
By devoting some hours to touch typing practice, every student can equip themselves with an essential skill that will pay off time and time again for the rest of their life.
Math: Fact Fluency
In addition to learning the conceptual skills involved with math, we also encourage students to build their fact fluency. Fact fluency or numeracy is similar to reading fluency. Reading comprehension is difficult to achieve if students are not able to read the text with ease and confidence. In math, students who have a strong grasp of basic math facts are better equipped to navigate the challenges a multi-step problem can bring.
Math fact fluency can be achieved by simply making your own flashcards and spending regular time with them or through an online resource. (Math Flash Cards)
Here are some other programs that can assist with math fluency:
- Rocket Math
- Moby Max
- Xtra Math (free program)
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Sterling School Early Start Time
During the May 26th district board meeting, the Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees approved a change to the elementary school day schedule, as recommended by the administration, to ensure on-time delivery of secondary bus riders. Under the former start time, secondary bus riders were late to school, missing valuable instructional time.
With the feedback gleaned from many of our school’s stakeholders, Sterling School administration asked district leaders to give special consideration to our school’s unique situation. We are grateful to our district leadership for strongly considering our request. The district transportation office reviewed transportation data from our school and visited Sterling School during our dismissal time period. However, due to the transportation of our school’s bus riders and the routing of secondary buses throughout the district, our request to maintain an 8:00am start time was not feasible.
With the start of the 2020-21 school year, our school’s instructional day will begin at 7:45am for all students; the day will end at 2:15pm for elementary students and 2:30pm for middle school students. Bus riders will be dropped off at elementary schools at 7 a.m. instead of 7:15 a.m., providing an additional 15 minutes to the window for middle and high school bus routes. Our school’s doors will open at 7:10am for all other students, specifically car riders and walkers. Read more on the district website or view the presentation made to the Board to see the data behind this decision. While we understand that several may have hoped for a different outcome, we acknowledge that many factors went into making this decision. As the district’s only full choice school with two unique, dynamic instructional programs, we are grateful for our district’s continued support of Sterling School and the Charles Townes Center.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to express your thoughts and concerns regarding this situation.
A Word From Mrs. Spitler & Mrs. Harrington
Greetings Sterling Parents in Grades K-4th, 6th, and 7th,
We hope this announcement finds you and your loved ones well. We wanted to make a formal announcement regarding your child's artwork from the 2019-2020 school year. As your child's art teachers (Mrs. Spitler and Mrs. Harrington), we were not the only ones surprised by the way our plans and this school year ended. Putting things in perspective, one of our biggest disappointments was not being able to showcase the students artwork during April Arts and throughout the Spring. So that the ART your child created this year was not forgotten, we are planning on displaying the artworks next year. We met and put together plans as to how that might look (April Arts 21, Fall Displays, Back to school displays etc....). Since 20-21 schedules and school year are not yet settled, we cannot yet affirm which display format we will decide upon. Sterling 5th and CTC 8th Grade art was returned because they are leaving our school.
Be assured that your child's artwork will not be forgotten and that great displays will be forthcoming and art returned to the artist. If anyone finds themselves not returning to Sterling and would like for us to place your child's artwork in the office for pickup please reach out to us.
Creatively Yours,
Mrs. Spitler and Mrs. Harrington
Band News: Rising 6th Grade Instrumental Testing
If you are planning on being a member of CTC Band this fall, you must be mouthpiece tested in order to be placed on the correct band instrument. Since our mouthpiece testing night is cancelled due to COVID-19, I am asking that all future band members call MUSICAL INNOVATIONS in MAULDIN, SC to schedule a mouthpiece testing session. They are also accepting walk-in appointments, but reservations ensure you won't have to wait! These sessions last for about 15-20 minutes and during them you will be allowed to try out all of the band instruments in a safe and clean environment PLUS they're really fun! Afterwards, Musical Innovations will contact Mrs. Ledford with your results so that she can place you on the appropriate instrument. Please contact Mrs. Ledford as well in order for her to have all your parent's email address If you have already talked to me about an instrument or have already purchased one, please let Mrs. Ledford know as well.
If you have ANY questions about mouthpiece testings or band this fall, please email me at aledford@greenville.k12.sc.us and make sure you follow us on Facebook (Charles Townes Center Band) to receive the most recent band news.
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