The Weekly Griffin
January 12th - #BuildingABetterGriffin #LevelUP
What's Ahead...
- January 14 - End of Q2 Grading Period
- January 15-17 - Members from the Sterling School Jr. Beta Club in grades 5-8 will be attending the Jr. Beta Club State Convention in Myrtle Beach. Students will be competing in many different events which include academic knowledge, artistic talent, and engineering skills. Be on the lookout for highlights!
- January 20 - MLK Day (No school)
Coming Up...
- January 22 - Pancakes with the Principals
- January 24 - Q2 Report Cards Go Home
- January 29 - Parent Information Series Session: (Re: Math, See Info Below); 12:15-12:45
Planning for DownTOWNES
The CTC DownTOWNES program for grades 6-8 will take place on April 29, 30 and May 1 2020. DownTOWNES is a three-day learning experience where we use Greenville as our classroom so that our middle school students can make connections by discovering and exploring the real-world environments around them.
Since many of the activities are off-campus, we ask that there are no late-arrivals or early dismissals during DownTOWNES. Please take this into consideration as you are making doctor appointments.
In order for this event to happen, parent help will be needed! Keep an eye out for volunteer requests from the middle school team.
We're also looking for help in other ways:
- Do you have an interesting career that you'd love to talk about with our students? We're looking for speakers who can share information and ideally have a hands-on activity.
- Our 8th graders will be going out into the community to volunteer on Friday, May 1st. Do you know of an organization that could use the help of some 13-14-years olds for a few hours?
If you have any questions or can help with DownTOWNES, please contact Linda Reynolds at lreynold@greenville.k12.sc.us
Parent Information Series
Session Description: Have you ever felt frustrated when trying to help your child complete his/her math homework? What are these new math strategies and why are we using them? This session hopes to alleviate some of your stress related to “new age” math concepts. Session will apply mostly to parents of 3rd-5th graders, but is open to everyone.
To view upcoming session, CLICK HERE!
MyEnergyKit.org
Join the other 71 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?
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run will start back soon (Feb. 10th). See flyer (CLICK HERE) for details. For questions or more information contact Mrs. Rucker.
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!
Think Move Chess Academy
Chess Club will begin again on Friday, January 24th and will run for an 8 week session. The cost will be $80. One group will serve students who are NEW TO CHESS. Another group will serve intermediate and advanced students. We hope to host a school wide tournament as well as a second 8-week session beginning in March.
If your child is interested in participating with Chess Club, please email Ms. Foulkes to receive the registration information electronically, or pick up an application form in the front office.
Application and check should be returned to Ms. Foulkes by Friday, January 17th.
Foulkes: dfoulkes@greenville.k12.sc.us
Checks should be made out to: Sterling School
'18 ACE Winners
'19 ACE Winners
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 in the spring.
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.
Want to 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. And if you're ready to jump in, you can sign up for an upcoming training session! (CLICK HERE!)
Support a Sterling School Classroom
CLICK HERE to check out our school's classroom projects!
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.
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.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Congratulations, Mrs. Nye! #DifferenceMaker
Congratulations and well deserved, Mrs. Nye!
Save the Date: Black History Celebration 2020
Return from Winter Break Reminders...
- Our attendance rate is currently at 97.5%. Our end-of-year goal is 98%. If at all possible, please ensure that your child is at school each and every day. As educators, we cannot adequately prepare your child if they are not with us.
- Our daily tardy list is growing. The tardy bell rings at 8:00am. Our doors open at 7:25am. Often times, students who arrive early use this time to read or work on class assignments. Please ensure that your child is in class by 8:00, ready to learn. For more information on our school's attendance/tardy police, see the handbook.
- Please utilize the full length of the sidewalk during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. In the morning, students should exit the car at any point along the sidewalk; in the afternoon, parents are asked to pull all the way up before students load.
- Do not let your child unload before school doors open at 7:25am. It is extremely unsafe for students to be unsupervised without an adult.
Additional Reminders...
- While breakfast is free to all students, breakfast is not served after 7:50am.
- Students are asked not to bring breakfast from local restaurants into the building.
- No early dismissals after 2:00pm. To ensure a safe, efficient dismissal, we ask that parents sign their child out before 2:00pm.
- For any student who is absent from school, all notes (parent or medical) must be provided within 2 days of the student's return to be excused.
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