Upper School

Grades 9–12
8:00 AM–3:05 PM

Porter-Gaud believes that each student should be equipped intellectually, morally, and spiritually to meet the challenges of higher education and modern life. Emphasis is placed upon a mastery of basic subject matter, yet the curriculum is designed to stimulate thinking and broaden perspective. The school year opens in late August and continues until late May, encompassing 175 days of instruction.

Emphasis is placed upon a mastery of basic subject matter, yet the curriculum is designed to stimulate thinking and broaden perspective.

Small classes ensure that students receive individual attention. Upper School teachers plan and conduct instruction to provide excellent preparation for college studies. Students in the Upper School receive departmentalized instruction in seven 45-minute periods. Academic subjects include English, math, science, history, foreign languages, fine arts, religion, and computer science.

Effective time management is crucial for success at Porter-Gaud. The school day provides opportunities to complete some homework before leaving campus; however, students should plan to devote additional time at home, the amount depending upon course demands and their individual abilities. The academic departments coordinate testing schedules so that no student has more than two major tests on any day.

Each faculty member offers extra-help sessions and individual conferences. The school’s philosophy places emphasis upon students anticipating their problems as early as possible and using their initiative to seek help and to work out solutions. New students unfamiliar with Porter-Gaud’s academic demands, as well as students who have a previously identified problem in a particular subject, are encouraged to take advantage of extra-help sessions early in the year before problems develop. As a service to students, senior members of the National Honor Society provide tutoring in all subjects.

The school year is composed of three terms of approximately equal length. Term examinations are given before Thanksgiving and at the end of the school year. There are no examinations at the end of the second term, when many courses have major papers or projects. Progress reports are issued at any time a significant change in performance occurs. At midterm and at the end of the term, report cards and teachers’ comments are sent home

Each Porter-Gaud student in grades 9–12 has a faculty advisor who works with a group of 10–12 students on an individual basis. Advisors assist in scheduling courses, discussing academic difficulties and successes, and handling routine administrative problems. Advisors also receive copies of all progress reports and report cards sent to their advisees and have conference time scheduled into each grading period. A parent/Advisor conference day is scheduled after the first term. Parents are encouraged to meet with their child’s advisor that day.

In late winter, students in grades 9–11 select courses for the following school year. Each student’s parents, advisor and the scheduling supervisor, current teacher, and principal review the course selections.

College admission orientation begins in grade 9. By the winter of their junior year, students meet individually with their college counselor, and parents also are advised of the steps involved. Students are urged to take an active role in exploring colleges through correspondence and through visits during their junior year and the summer before their senior year. Representatives of state, regional, and national colleges and universities visit the Porter-Gaud campus throughout the school year to meet interested juniors and seniors.

Athletics

Porter-Gaud School believes that athletic competition is an integral component in the development of young people and that a comprehensive athletic program is essential to the overall curriculum. The school offers numerous athletic opportunities to its students throughout the entire school year.

The Athletic Director supervises the entire program, including varsity and junior varsity teams, intramurals, and physical education classes. State of the art facilities are available for all levels of play and a fully equipped weight room and speed and strength programs are available for use by all students. The school seeks to ensure competent coaching and instruction for all teams at every level. A full-time certified athletic trainer is also employed by the school and available to all athletes.

Porter-Gaud has girls’ interscholastic teams in basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. Boys’ interscholastic teams include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and tennis. Co-educational sports are cheerleading, cross-country, golf, sailing, swimming, and track. An affiliated ice hockey club for boys and a co-educational intramural lacrosse program are available in the winter sports season.

Outstanding facilities and excellent coaching help give our student athletes their greatest chances for success. However, the lifelong benefits of athletic competition and lessons in sportsman¬ship are the primary goals of the program.

Religious Life

Porter-Gaud has an historical relationship with the Episcopal Church and offers a religious program, required of all students, based on the Judeo-Christian heritage. This program is led by the School Chaplains, an Episcopal priest, and a Deacon. Upper School chapel meets every other week. Jewish students gather separately. Eleventh graders take one term of New Testament and Ethics.

Upper School Activities

Cum Laude Society — The primary purpose of the Cum Laude Society is recognizing high scholastic achievement in secondary schools while simultaneously encouraging qualities of excellence, justice, and honor. It is a high school version of Phi Beta Kappa.

Debate Team — Porter-Gaud’s Debate Team participates in local, statewide, and regional competition.

Great Books — Group members meet approximately once a month to share thoughts and questions about some of the classics of literature.

Honor Council — The council’s purpose is to uphold Porter-Gaud’s honor system. It consists of an elect¬ed student chairperson, class presidents, students, and faculty advisors.

Language Clubs — Circulo Hispanico, and the French and German clubs promote interest in their respective languages and cultures.

National Honor Society — Members are selected for high academic achievement, strength of character, community service, and leadership. They provide tutorial services for other students.

Polygon — The Polygon is Porter-Gaud’s yearbook. Staff is selected from among applicants in grades 10–12.

Porter Grits — The Porter Grits, the student newspaper, is published twice per trimester. Students are selected from grades 10–12.

Spirit Club — Students in grades 9–12 work with a faculty advisor and coordinates with cheerleaders when appropriate to arrange pep rallies and other events to promote school spirit. The Spirit Club also administers the “Porter Points” program throughout the year and works with the Head of School to plan the off-campus event for the winning grade.

Student Council — The Student Council is composed of the elected officials from the Upper School student body. The council coordinates clubs, listens and responds to student concerns, confers with the administration, and organizes events to promote on-campus fun and festivity.

WATCH — Porter-Gaud’s literary magazine, The WATCH, is a wide-ranging publication that encompasses news, politics, literature, and art. It is open to all students in grades 9–12.

Student Service

Service to community and school is an integral part of student life at Porter-Gaud School. Although participation is not required, all upper school students are strongly encouraged to get involved. Our service program focuses on service with the hands and the heart and avoids most fund raising projects.

School Service programs are: Calling Tree, Christmas Toy Drive, Girls on the Run, New Student Hosts, Recycling, Red Cross Blood Drive, Reindeer Run, and Same Advantage.

Community Service programs are: Art Assistance, Environmental Service, Gadsden Friendship, Habitat for Humanity, Homeless Shelter, Hunger Committee, (World Food Day, “Souper” Bowl Drive, Week-end Meals on Wheels, Easter Food Drive), Pink House Tutoring, Race for the Cure, Relay for Life, South Carolina Aquarium, SPCA, Special Projects (Holiday Basketball Concessions stand, Barnes and Nobles Christmas Gift Wrap, Friends of the Library Book sale, First Grade Open House, new services as they occur), Teen-line, and Paint It Palmetto

The service program is administered through the office of the Director of Student Services. All service projects are student led. Rising seniors and juniors have the opportunity in late spring to apply for leadership positions. Leaders are chosen through an application and interview process.

Each fall, a Service Fair is held which gives the student leaders an opportunity to inform students about their service projects and invite participation.

Students are responsible for turning in their service hours each term. Transcript credit is given for 10 hours of community or school service during the school year.

Fine Arts

Teachers in the Fine Arts Department offer all students in all grades opportunities for creative expression in the visual, dramatic, and musical arts. The Berkeley Grimball Center for the Arts and Gwynette Auditorium are centers for creative expression at Porter-Gaud.

Upper School students are expected to earn one academic credit in fine arts through a selection of courses or participation in performing arts and events. The department offers full-year courses in Studio Art through the Advanced Placement level, as well as AP Music Theory. Numerous term courses are available in music, art, media, and production. Upper School students may join the Choir, Concert Band, Handbell Choir, and Jazz Ensemble. Membership in the Chamber Singers is by audition and invitation. There is an Upper School play in the fall and a major musical in the spring. The department is also responsible for events involving Upper School students, including the Founders Day Concert, Lessons and Carols (in cooperation with the Chaplain’s Office), the Christmas Assembly, and the Spring Concert.