KEY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Weekly Updates
A Message from Dr. Wright
As the first full week of school draws to a close, I want to thank our students, faculty, staff, and parents for a wonderful beginning of the school year. Middle School can be a challenging time for both the students and the adults who care for them.
Whether your child is transitioning from Lower School to Middle School or continuing their Middle School journey, they're navigating significant changes—from recess to lockers and new social dynamics. These shifts can be challenging, so offer them grace and understanding as they adapt. Be open to talking about their experiences and create a safe space for them to share, offering support even when they seem too grown up.
While it’s tempting to step in and solve their problems, they need your confidence in their ability to handle challenges. Teach and guide them, but give them space to grow. Celebrate their successes, support them through insecurities, and cherish the opportunities this stage offers for connection and fun.
Student-Parent/Guardian Handbook
Our Middle School Student-Parent/Guardian Handbook is now posted on the website in the “Important Downloads" section. This year, we’ve consolidated all of our handbooks into one document to ensure clarity and consistency across all divisions and departments. We hope you will find this revised document easier to read and navigate as you familiarize yourself with the expectations, policies, and procedures that allow us to provide a safe and positive learning environment. Parents and guardians, as well as students, are asked to review the important information contained in the handbook. As you review, please pay particular attention to the following:
All-School
- Productive Dialogue Across the Community (page 13)
- Student Advocacy and Activism Policy (page 27)
- Identity-Based Incidents Policy and Protocol (page 30)
Middle School
- Attendance Policy (page 79)
- Behavioral Expectations (page 86)
- Academic Progress (page 101)
Each student and one parent or guardian must sign an acknowledgment form after reading the handbook. Parents and guardians can access the form by logging into the MyPG page and clicking on the yellow banner at the top of the page.
Once the student and one parent/guardian signs the form, it will automatically submit and the yellow banner will disappear. Acknowledgment forms must be signed by Friday, September 6. If you have any questions about anything in the handbook or the process for signing the form, please reach out to Dr. Wright, Head of Middle School, or Mr. Weaver, Assistant Head of Middle School.
Winterim
Winterim is a series of experiential learning programs and trips to introduce students to enrichment activities, topics, and culture outside of the standard curriculum. Winterim allows families to choose their course of study for the week and discover new talents and passions. These experiences cultivate students who are invested in discovering the world around them. Whether it’s in our local community or abroad, Winterim is invaluable to the social and emotional development of Middle School students and all students must be registered for a Winterim experience.
This week in Life 101, we reviewed the available Winterim options. Winterim takes place from February 17-23, depending on the activity and travel required. Fifth and sixth grade will only have local options while seventh and eighth grade will have local and travel options. This means that some experiences take place during Winter Break and the following weekend.
This year, we have partnered with World Strides to coordinate and plan our travel options. Most local options will take place from February 19-21, and most of the travel options will take place from February 17-22, with the 8th-grade Costa Rica option taking place from February 17-23. Below are the different experiences offered to each grade. Tomorrow, we will share a more detailed itinerary with the estimated costs associated with the travel experiences. Please note that each experience will only take place if we have enough students registered and enough chaperones available. We will ask parents and caregivers to make their selections by Friday, August 30.
5th Grade - All Local
- 5th Grade Winterim Experience
6th Grade - All Local
- Active Charleston (local)
- Adventure Quest: Unlocking Charleston’s Secrets
- Disconnect to Reconnect (Student Wellness)
- Echoes of the Gullah Geechee: A Tapestry of Heritage
- Tech Frenzy (local)
- Disconnect to Reconnect (Student Wellness)
7th Grade - Local & Travel
- Active Charleston (local)
- Robotics (local)
- New York City
- Puerto Rico
- Florida Keys
- Sports Marketing Shark Tank
- Adventure Quest: Unlocking Charleston’s Secrets
- Echoes of the Gullah Geechee: A Tapestry of Heritage
- Pirates & Spirits in the Lowcountry
8th Grade - Local and Travel
- Active Charleston (local)
- Robotics (local)
- New York City
- Florida Keys
- Costa Rica
- Puerto Rico
- Sports Marketing Shark Tank
- Adventure Quest: Unlocking Charleston’s Secrets
- Echoes of the Gullah Geechee: A Tapestry of Heritage
- Pirates & Spirits in the Lowcountry
Back-to-School Night
On Wednesday, August 28, we will host our Back-to-School Night from 5:30-7 p.m. We ask families with last names starting between A and M to arrive between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. Families with last names starting between N and Z are asked to arrive between 6:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. As part of our sustainability efforts, we will not print student schedules and ask you to take a picture of your student’s schedule in MyPG. The evening will be an Open House format where parents and caregivers are free to visit any teacher their child has in any order through the night. Staff will be on hand to help find your child’s classrooms. Special area teachers and Ms. Campbell will be located in the Middle School library. We hope you can join us!
Welcome Back From the Nurse’s Office
As we come back together after various summer camps and activities, it is common to see an uptick in illnesses, as well as cases of head lice. Please review the following tips and reminders for keeping your child and the entire PG community healthy and thriving:
- Handwashing: The most effective defense against the spread of germs is hand washing. Using antiseptic soap for at least 20 seconds is best; however, hand sanitizer can be used when there is a time constraint.
- Illness/Sick Policy: Students should stay home if they feel unwell. Students who are out due to illness must stay home until symptoms have improved, are fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-suppressing medication, have no diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24 hours, and are well enough to participate in a full day of classes.
- Head Lice: Click here for information regarding the detection, treatment, and prevention of lice. If you have recently treated or will be treating your child for lice, please inform the nurse’s office by emailing nurse@portergaud.edu. All reports are confidential.
Season Passes for PG Athletics
At Cyclone sporting events, students, families, faculty, and alumni all come together as one. We would like to personally encourage your family to attend as many games as possible. Porter-Gaud offers a season pass, which admits two people to all athletic events on our campus, including all regular-season home, Middle School, JV, and Varsity games. The pass does not cover admission for SCISA playoffs, tournaments played on our campus, or Trident Basketball League games. The cost is $105 (plus fees) and includes a pass for Porter-Gaud grandparents at no additional cost. Click here for more information and to purchase a pass. Thank you for supporting Cyclone athletics!
From Our Chaplains
As part of our new website, our chaplains have created a page for our families with resources and reflections. We invite you to have a look around by clicking here. It is our prayer that this is a blessing to the entire PG community!
Dining Update from Taher
We are excited to kick off our inaugural year serving the students and families of Porter-Gaud School! Please click the links below to learn more about us and to access menus. You can also follow us on Instagram (@taherpgdining).
Updates from the PGPA
- PGPA Community Kick-Off Meeting: All parents and caregivers are invited to a kick-off meeting on Thursday, August 29, in Washington Dining Hall to learn more about this year's offerings and events. The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m., with coffee and conversation from 8-8:30 a.m.
- PGPA Merchandise: New PG spiritwear is available at our online store! Please review the uniform guidelines for your division here for details on when and how these items can be worn to school.
- PGPA Concessions Sign Up: Fall concessions are underway! Please click here to sign up for shifts and support our athletics teams.
We would love to discuss your place at Porter-Gaud.
We would love to discuss your place at Porter-Gaud.
We would love to discuss your place at Porter-Gaud.