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Important Dates for the Class of 2026

March 19, 2026

Dear Senior Families,

We are fast approaching some exciting events for the Class of 2026! We wanted to provide you with the schedule of events and a few details, including "what to wear," to help you plan for these upcoming occasions.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

April 18: Prom, 8-10 p.m. at The Waverly – Tickets will go on sale on March 30. Guest forms are due on April 2.
April 26: Spring Arts Festival
April 27: Senior Celebration Dress begins
May 1: Senior T-Shirt Day – Seniors wear a t-shirt representing their college or university. Seniors will gather for photos and a celebratory lunch. This event is for seniors only. More information about parent volunteer opportunities will be shared closer to the event.
May 4-15: AP Exams
May 12: Last Day of Classes for Seniors
May 13-15: Senior Exams
May 17: Senior Sunset Grade-Wide Graduation Party, 6-9 p.m. at The Refinery – This parent-organized event is for seniors and up to two parents/guardians. More details to follow.
May 18: Senior Milestone Dinner, Washington Hall, 6-8 p.m. – This is a fun, celebratory dinner for seniors and their parents/caregivers. The attire is "dressy casual." This typically means collared shirts and dress pants, casual dresses, and skirts. A formal invitation and a link to an RSVP form will be sent closer to the date.
May 19: Senior Breakfast, Graduation Rehearsal, Unity Assembly, and Senior Farewell, 8:15 a.m. – These events are for students. The day starts in Washington Hall with the Senior Breakfast and ends with the Unity Assembly in the Wendell Center. Families with a Middle School student speaking about their senior brother or sister will be invited to attend tthe assembly.
May 21: Baccalaureate, Church of the Holy Communion on Ashley Avenue, 5 p.m. – All members of the Class of 2026 are expected to attend Baccalaureate, and their immediate family members are invited to attend as well. Seniors in the choir should arrive at 3 p.m. for rehearsal. All other seniors need to arrive by 4:15 p.m. to line up for the procession. Please note that daytime parking near the church is always challenging, so allow extra time. Students and families are encouraged to carpool whenever possible. Students should wear respectful attire for religious services. This may include dress shirts with ties, blazers, dresses, skirts, dress pants, or other formal attire. Clothing should provide adequate coverage (e.g., avoid strapless or thin straps unless worn with a blazer or sweater).
May 21: Reception at Head of School's Residence on Albemarle Road – Immediately following Baccalaureate, Nancy and DuBose Egleston will host a reception for seniors, their families, and Porter-Gaud faculty at their home. No RSVP is required.
May 23: Graduation
- Seat Reservations – Families will have the opportunity to reserve seats online prior to the ceremony at pre-designated times. We will open the reservation system twice so families may reserve seats in both possible locations. The student lottery for time slots will take place on Tuesday, April 28, and reservations for indoor seating in the Wendell Center will open on Thursday, May 7. Outdoor seating reservations on the Green will open on Tuesday, May 12. More details will be sent closer to these dates. While the school does not restrict the number of guests a family may invite to graduation, we do limit the number of reserved seats to eight per graduate on the Green and four per graduate in the Wendell Center.
- Class Picture, 5:45 p.m. – S&T Steps – Seniors will gather for a class picture. Please do not be late! After the picture, they will move into Washington Hall and form two processional lines.
- Graduation Ceremony, 6:30 p.m. – The Green – The school does not restrict the number of guests a family may invite to graduation. The ceremony will also be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person, and the link will be shared the week prior to the event. Attire should include suits or jackets, ties or bow ties, dress pants (summer suits, such as seersucker, are common, but there is no required style or color), and white dresses of appropriate length and style. Hats, sunglasses, and flip-flops are not permitted. If you have any questions about attire, please contact Mrs. Harpe, Senior Class Dean.
- Reception, Immediately Following the Ceremony – Washington Hall – Graduates and their families and friends are invited to join us for a reception. No RSVPs are required.

We look forward to celebrating the spirited and dynamic Class of 2026 with you! This has been a great year for the Porter-Gaud Upper School. We are proud of our students' accomplishments and excited for the adventures that lie before them.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Silvia Davis, Head of Upper School
Brent Hilpert, Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of Students