Sterling School is helping all students develop the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by providing a safe, caring, and academically challenging learning environment. Our school’s collective success is the result of a dedicated staff partnered with supportive families and community members, working diligently to provide opportunities that enable our students to achieve their fullest potential and prepare them for tomorrow’s world.
Sterling School seeks to provide a robust academic experience through differentiated, student-centered instruction. We encourage an emphasis of the 4 C’s (critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication) that includes a personalized approach to teaching and learning. Sterling provides a unique, innovative instructional program that includes guided practice, project based learning, STEM, 1:1 laptop initiative, and the integration of the arts. This year, Niche.com named Sterling School the best public elementary school in Greenville County with the best teachers. The ranking is based on salaries, absenteeism, teacher tenure, teacher-student ration and district's teachers grade.
Many of our students received notable recognitions this year. Shwetha Rajmohan placed first at the SC Regional Science Fair (middle school division), Charlie Sanderson placed first in the area of science at the National Jr. Beta Club Annual Convention, Molly Asher placed second place at the SCAEA Youth Art Month Show (state level), and Isabella Lopez placed third at the Independent Mail Regional Spelling Bee. Forty-nine of our students were inducted in our school’s Jr. Beta Club. Several student groups also received recognition this year: Jr. Beta Club National Quiz Bowl Champions, NAQT Middle School State Champions, Math Counts Regional Champions, Black History Quiz Bowl Champions, Youth in Government Premier Delegation Award, 2nd Place First Lego League West State Championship, and 2nd Place ASCE Upstate SC Bridge Event. In the performing arts, twenty students were named to “All County” Orchestra, twelve to “All County” Band, and four students participated in the SC Elementary Honors Choir.
In our ongoing efforts to develop the “Whole Child,” we worked to strengthen our school’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) framework. We partnered with Mentor Upstate to provide identified students with meaningful, positive one-on-one relationships. In supporting students who may be exposed to chronic stress and trauma, our faculty received training provided by the Compassionate Schools network. Several local community partners also supported our training, including the Julie Valentine Center, Mental Fitness, and the Greenville County Police Department. An advisory program was also implemented in our middle school, providing opportunities for students to interact with each other, discuss relevant topics, set goals, and support each other through the challenges of middle school life.
At Sterling, we are living out our mission by preparing students for “tomorrow’s world.” We believe everyone must share the educational responsibility of preparing our students. On behalf of the Sterling School faculty and staff, we are grateful to our families and community member for your continued commitment to our school.
Dr. Josh Patterson, Principal