Sterling Elementary School

We are thrilled to announce our teacher of the year, Miss Taylor Strehle!

Ms. Strehle’s passion, dedication, and the positive impact she has on her students make her truly exceptional. We are so proud to honor her with this well-desrved recognition!

We also want to celebrate our incredible Top 3 Finalists:

Ms. Taylor Strehle (Winner!)

Ms. Lisa Knight

Ms. Connie Shattuck

Each of these amazing educators represents the heart of Sterling. They are truly inspiring, uplifting, and the make a difference every single day. Thank you for all you do!

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 Classified Staff of the Year, Ms. Brooks Lane.

Ms. Lane is more than just a dedicated team member, she’d the heart of our school family. Her passion, patience, and unwavering love for our students shines through in everything that she does. Whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or a warm smile, Ms. Lane shows up every single day, ready to support, encourage,a nd lift up those around her.

There’s no one quite like Ms. Lane!

This school year, our theme is Empower. Elevate. Engagement. What better way to bring that to life than by celebrating the amazing staff members who embody these values every single day?

We are excited to introduce the Empowering Heart Award - a special recognition for those who:

- Achieved something which significantly contributes to their school,
- Uses an innovative and enthusiastic approach to their job responsibilities, and
- Makes contributions that have a measurable impact in their school.

These staff members were nomiated by other teachers, admin, parents, and students. Congratulations to all of those who have shown our Quarter 1 quality!

Erica Pelkey – Ms Pelkey is our PIC. She goes above and beyond for our students and their families. She is ALWAYS willing to help with whatever is needed. She is smiling and cheerful, at all times and makes sure to bring that smile to other's faces. 

Laura Slotter – Mrs.Slotter encourages everyone she sees in the school, whether it is a student or a staff member. She is always the first one to tell someone good morning and check in those around her. Mrs.Slotter really loves her job and her students, and it shows throughout her actions and the way she carries herself. Mrs.Slotter goes above and beyond for the staff and students at her school!

With the goal of reducing waste, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful’s
2025 School Recycling Challenge did just that. This fall, 9 local schools took part in the Challenge to collect
non-traditional items for recycling. By collecting items not accepted in local curbside recycling programs,
participating schools had an immediate and profound impact on reducing landfill waste. Students collected
Pens/Markers/Highlighters, 136.25 lbs; Oral Care Products, 18.25 lbs; and Cereal Bags, 7.9 lbs – all diverted
from the landfill and now to be recycled via TerraCycle.

At the recent awards ceremony held at Brunswick’s Old City Hall, while all winners received books for their
media centers, recycled bookmarks for their entire student bodies and/or a school recycle bin, in addition first
place winners received custom created “upcycled” trophies, while second and third place schools received
certificates. The Challenge was sponsored by Georgia Sea Grill. “The Challenge was a tremendous success,
and we greatly appreciate the effort of all participating schools,” said KGIB executive director Lea King-
Badyna. “The collected poundage is even more impressive when we consider the individual size and weight of
the collected materials, meaning a huge number of little items comprised the final poundage.”
Interested schools can go ahead and begin their collections for the 2026 School Recycling Challenge and can
contact Keep Golden Isles Beautiful for more information.

Top placing schools:

WRITING IMPLEMENT CATEGORY: 1st Place –St. Simons Elementary, 2 nd Place –
Sterling Elementary, 3 rd Place – College of Coastal Georgia;

CEREAL BAGS CATEGORY: 1 st Satilla Marsh
Elementary, 2 nd Place – Sterling Elementary, 3 rd Place – St. Simons Elementary;

ORAL CARE PRODUCTS
CATEGORY: 1 st Place – Sterling Elementary, 2 nd Place – Glyndale Elementary, 3 rd Place – Satilla Marsh
Elementary.

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS:
College of Coastal Georgia / Frederica Academy / Glyndale Elementary / Golden Isles Elementary /
Oglethorpe Pointe Elementary / Satilla Marsh Elementary / St. Francis Xavier Catholic School / St. Simons
Elementary / Sterling Elementary

Photo Caption: Representatives from the winning 2025 School Recycling Challenge schools were on hand for an awards
presentation at Old City Hall: (L-R) Heather Riviera (KGIB), Lauren Sapp (Satilla Marsh Elementary), Logan Zimmerman
(College of Coastal Georgia), Courtney Roberts (St. Simons Elementary), Cheryl Cagle (Sterling Elementary), Maurice
Figueroa (Glyndale Elementary), and Zack Gowen (Georgia Sea Grill, KGIB Board Member.

In December we held our annual Spelling Bee, and the gym was abuzz with big words and bigger smiles. Twelve brave students from fourth and fifth grade competed for the coveted title of Spelling Bee Champ. Congratulations to all participants for their courage and hard work — and a special shout-out to our new Spelling Bee Champ, Christian “CC” Cox, and our Runner-Up Eddie Hines.

Christian and Eddie will attend the district-wide spelling bee in January where they will compete against winners from all over the Glynn County School System.

Congratulations Christian and Eddie!! We wish you the best of luck in January!!