Griffins Connect

We are thrilled to share exciting news! Sterling School has once again earned recognition as both a U.S. News Best Elementary School and a Best Middle School!

Our elementary program has climbed to #3 in South Carolina, up from #4 last year and #16 just three years ago! Meanwhile, our middle school program continues to hold the #1 spot in the state. Sterling also ranks #1 in both elementary and middle school within Greenville County Schools—giving our entire Griffin community even more reason to celebrate!

👉 CLICK HERE to explore the published rankings and learn more about our school’s achievements!

As principal, I could not be prouder. This recognition reflects the hard work of our students, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the unwavering partnership of our families and community supporters. Behind these rankings are meaningful learning experiences, strong relationships, and a shared commitment to helping every child thrive.

Together, we are creating a school environment that is challenging, engaging, supportive, healthy, and safe—meeting the needs of the #WholeChild and soaring higher each day!

~ Dr. P.

Monday, October 26: Glow Party select classes (PTA fundraiser reward)

Tuesday, October 27: Glow Party select classes (PTA fundraiser reward)

Friday, October 30: Upstander Challenge: Wear Team Colors!

Friday, October 30: America 250 Celebration Entries Due (info below)

Friday, October 30: Laser Tag - select teams (PTA fundraiser reward)

Monday, November 2: Teacher Workday / No School for Students

Monday, November 2: Deadline to RSVP for Veterans Day Program (info below)

Tuesday, November 3: Election Day / No School

Wednesday, November 4: GCS Choice Lottery Window Opens (Closes November 20th)

Thursday, November 5: Thanksgiving Lunch Pre-Orders Due (Absolute Last Day!)

Thursday, November 5:Monthly SIC Meeting (All are welcome!); Vegas Room, 8:30-9:30 AM

Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day Assemblies; 8:30-9:15 AM (K-3rd), 9:30-10:15 (4th-8th)

Thursday, November 12: Fall/Yearbook Make-Up Pictures

***27-28 GCS Choice Lottery Window: The 2027-28 school choice lottery window will be held November 4th-20th. More information regarding the school choice window will be sent in the coming weeks.

Sterling School is proud to honor the brave men and women who have served our country. Join us on Wednesday, November 11, as we celebrate their courage, dedication, and sacrifice during our special Veterans Day programs. The K–3rd grade program will begin at 8:30 AM, followed by the 4th–8th grade program at 9:30 AM.

📅 RSVP by Monday, November 2

👉 CLICK HERE to complete the Google Form to:

• Confirm your veteran’s attendance for the program.

• Share a photo and details about your honored guest, including their name, military branch, and relationship to your Sterling/CTC student. Photos in uniform are preferred.

• Let us know if you plan to attend the PTA-hosted reception following the program. Veterans and their families, including their Sterling/CTC students, are all welcome to join us.

Following the program, the PTA will host a special reception for our veterans and their families as a small token of our gratitude and appreciation. To help make this gathering extra special for our honored guests, we are looking for volunteers to assist with signing in program attendees, along with donations of specific items for the reception.

👉 CLICK HERE to volunteer or donate. Every helping hand and contribution makes a difference, and we sincerely appreciate your generosity and support.

All students are encouraged to wear RED, WHITE & BLUE on November 11.

Thank you for helping us make this a memorable and meaningful celebration for our veterans and the entire Sterling community. Together, let’s show our heroes how much they mean to us.

This Friday, October 30, all unclaimed items in our Lost & Found will be collected and donated. Please take a few minutes before then to check for any missing belongings. You can also check out our Facebook page where photos of current unclaimed items will be posted. As a reminder, we have two separate locations for lost items:

• 📍 Main Lost & Found Rack: Located in either the main lobby or the cafeteria.

• 📍 Middle School Rack: Located on the second floor on the CTC side of the building.

Help us help you. Please label all personal items your student brings to school (water bottles, hoodies, jackets, etc.). When items are clearly labeled, we can easily return them directly to your child instead of sending them to the donation bins!

Thank you for your help in keeping our school tidy and ensuring your student's items make it back home.

We are looking forward to our November School Improvement Council (SIC) Meeting! Come join the conversation at 8:30am on Thursday, November 5th in the Vegas Room. The monthly meeting is open to all parents and guardians!

Do you have a question about Sterling/CTC or a topic you'd like discussed at our School Improvement Council (SIC) meetings? We would love to hear from you! Ask the SIC here!

Feel free to direct any further questions to Jessie Flowers at sicsterlingctc@gmail.com.

The Thanksgiving Lunch PRE-ORDER envelope was sent home with your child last Thursday, October 22nd. Each student is limited to TWO tickets for Thanksgiving lunch (not including the Sterling student). That also means that each student is limited to 2 guests whether you are eating or not. This limit will be strictly enforced due to space availability. We are only serving Thanksgiving lunch on 2 days so we will have more families coming on each of those days.

PRE-ORDERS are DUE on Thursday, November 5th. (There will NOT be any extensions.)

Thanksgiving Lunch will be offered on two different days . See Schedule below.

Tuesday, November 17th:

1st grade (10:15)

4th grade (10:50)

*3rd grade- (11:20) [*Coffman, Hendon, Heppeard, Schoon]

7th and 8th grade (11:55)

Wednesday, November 18th:

5th grade (10:20)

2nd grade (10:45)

5K (11:15)

*3rd grade (11:20) [*Langley & Santinelli]

4k (11:45)

6th grade (11:55)

Our November edition of Counselor Connect is here! This month, our counseling lessons will focus on friendship and helping students develop the confidence and skills to be upstanders when others need support. Families will also find simple conversation starters and activities to reinforce kindness, empathy, and inclusion at home, along with important middle school updates. Click below to learn more!

Greenville County Schools students are invited to take part in the America 250 Student Celebration! This is your chance to share what America means to you—your experiences, hopes, traditions, dreams, or appreciation for our nation.

🎨 Choose how YOU want to tell your story:

There’s no single right answer—we want to see your voice, your ideas, and your creativity!

⭐ Open to students in Pre-K–12

📅 Entries due October 30, 2026 and can be picked up outside the Art Room.

Share Your Voice. Celebrate Our Nation. Inspire Others. 🇺🇸✨

Families and school staff are invited to join the upcoming virtual workshop, Beyond the Screen: A Parent/Guardian’s Guide to Video Gaming and Online Safety. Explore practical ways to support safe, healthy technology habits and help children navigate the online world. See the flyer below for details!

Greenville County Schools is pleased to offer a Parent Academy designed specifically for parents and caregivers of students receiving special education services. Sessions will provide helpful information, practical strategies, and resources to support families as they navigate special education and advocate for their child’s success. Sessions are offered virtually and in person. Please see the flyer for more information.

You are cordially invited to attend an informational session for parents of students interested in applying to the Fine Arts Center for the 2027-2028 school year. This event is designed specifically for parents to learn more about our programs and gain insight into the opportunities available for students at the Fine Arts Center. We will cover the application and audition process so that families know what to expect.

Date - Thursday, December 10, 2026

Time - 7:00 p.m.

Location - Fine Arts Center; 102 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville

Please note:

• Sign up for your spot: CLICK HERE!

• Due to seating limitations, only 2 parents per family can attend.
• If both parents are attending, both must sign up individually for a spot. This will allow us to accurately account for seating.
• This session is for 8th-11th grade parents only. Students should not attend.
• If the session is full, you can watch the program at the following link: CLICK HERE!

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing what makes the Fine Arts Center an exceptional place for young artists to learn and grow.

C-CATS (https://c-cats.org/) has been inspiring South Carolina’s brightest students for nearly a decade! This program is designed for high-achieving middle and high school students and offers an exciting weekend experience at Clemson University. The middle school track focuses on leadership, team building, and an introduction to life at Clemson. This is only offered to current 7th and 8th graders.

Please note: Completing this form verifies that you would like for your student to be nominated for the Clemson C-CATS program. This is not a guarantee of their invitation / acceptance. Mrs. Gallegos will submit the nominations and then the program will respond from that point.

To have Mrs. Gallegos nominate your student and submit your information, please visit the link below. You must submit this form no later than November 17th, 2026.

https://forms.gle/YNuH8QmWeGpuhiqd9

We currently have more than 20 groups /clubs that students are participating in. Thank you to all the parents who have stepped up to serve as a lead for many of these clubs. Clubs are an important part of the Sterling School experience. If your child has interest in a specific club and you are able to serve as a sponsor, we will do our best to get that club started.

What is needed to start a club at Sterling?

• Potential Sponsor must complete the Club Proposal Form linked HERE.
• Be willing to secure Level 2 Volunteer Clearance
• Come volunteer on the day/times that you would like the club to meet.
• Collaborate with a teacher sponsor or Ms. Foulkes
• We will work together to figure out an available space for the club to meet.

Primary (Grades 1 & 2) Endangered Species Coloring Club - where students will learn about endangered species and enjoy coloring/art around what they learn.

Club information can also be found on our school webpage under the "Students" tab and then "Clubs".

* HAM Radio

* Volleyball

* CTC Jr. Beta Club

*Glee Clubs for Grade 3, Grades 4 & 5, and M.S.

* Elementary Strings Program

* BOB Teams

* Math Counts

*Crochet

*Science Olympiad

*BOB

*5th grade Yearbook

*Speed Cubing

*Running Club

* Pickleball

We are thrilled to announce that Sterling School has once again achieved an "EXCELLENT" rating for BOTH our elementary and middle school grades on the South Carolina Department of Education’s annual state report card! This marks the SIXTH consecutive year that our school has received this top distinction for both levels, a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and community.

The annual report cards assess a range of factors, including academic achievement, student progress, college and career readiness, and school climate. Schools across South Carolina are rated as excellent, good, average, below average, or unsatisfactory. The ratings are determined by test scores, surveys, and additional data on areas such as English Learners' progress, student safety, and financial information.

For more detailed information on Sterling’s performance and to view report cards for schools across the state, visit screportcards.com. You can also view our specific reports by clicking the links below:

• Elementary School Report Card
• Middle School Report Card

This achievement is truly something for our entire school community to celebrate! Together, we are ensuring that every student reaches their fullest potential. Thank you for your continued support of our wonderful school! #WholeChild #EveryDaysAnAdventure

At Sterling School, we are celebrating GCS as one of the first school districts in South Carolina to earn the 90-90-90 milestone by surpassing 90% in all three major achievement areas: reaching a 92.2% Graduation Rate for the Class of 2026, 90.5% of the graduating class earning College/Career Ready status, and 98.9% of Greenville County schools rated Excellent, Good, or Average on the State Report Card. This is a powerful reflection of the GCS Advantage in action, where we have Stronger Communities, Greater Opportunities! To learn more about the celebration, visit GCS’s website.

Ingles and WYFF News 4 wants to reward teachers who are going above and beyond. Each week, an area teacher will be selected to receive the Golden Apple Award and profiled Thursdays on WYFF News 4. These weekly winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. At the end of the school year, a Teacher of the Year will be selected from the weekly winners.

To nominate an educator for the Golden Apple Award, pick up an official nomination form from an area Ingles store or CLICK HERE, then complete and mail to:

WYFF News 4

Golden Apple Award

505 Rutherford Street

Greenville, SC 29609

For submission details, CLICK HERE.

A little time can make a big difference! We’re looking for caring adults to share breakfast or lunch with a student once a week—talk, listen, encourage, and simply be present.

Ready to get started? Click the image below to complete our Mentor Training Module.

Please help us spread the word, too! Share this opportunity with grandparents, neighbors, friends, and other community members who might be willing to invest in a Griffin.

Questions? Contact Mrs. Berry at tberry@greenville.k12.sc.us.

📌 Cafeteria Team Member

We are also seeking caring, reliable team members to join our cafeteria staff and help us serve students each day.

• Flexible, school-day hours

• Opportunity to make a positive impact on our campus

📩 Contact Mr. Chris Spellman, Coordinator of Food Services Personnel, at cspellman@greenville.k12.sc.us for more information or to express interest.

Email: jpatterson@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: www.greenville.k12.sc.us/sterling
Location: Sterling School, John McCarroll Way, Greenville, SC
Phone: 864-355-4480
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theSterlingSchool
Twitter: @SterlingSchool