KEY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Weekly Updates
It's been a terrific week in the Lower School!
Thank you so much for attending our Lower School “Back-to-School Night.” Our teachers were thrilled to meet everyone and look forward to a great school year! We thank you for your partnership as we work together to help our children learn and grow.
Below you will find links to introductory letters from Deen Wey (Lower School Counselor), David Rowe (Lower School Chaplain), Joanne Benson (Lower School Librarian), and Terra Burke (Dean of Community Engagement and Belonging). Please take a moment to read what they have shared to get to know more about them and what they offer to our Lower School community.
- Deen Wey, Lower School Counselor
- David Rowe, Lower School Chaplain
- Joanne Benson, Lower School Librarian
- Terra Burke, Dean of Community Engagement and Belonging
Summer Reading Celebration
This year, we will again collect books to help support Lowcountry Orphan Relief. We are asking students to bring in a new book to share with the children associated with this organization. We will collect books from September 1-12.
Items Left at Home
We are working hard to cultivate responsible students, and one of the things we would like them to do is remember all the things they will need at school each day. These things include completed homework, snacks, water bottles, etc. We encourage you to help your children prepare these things and place them in their backpacks each evening so that everything is ready as they leave for school. To help us develop these habits, we ask that you do not bring in any forgotten items during our school day. It is not the end of the world if children do not have their homework; we are hopeful that not having it will help them realize the importance of preparing it the night before so that they can come to class prepared. If they forget a snack or water bottle, we will make sure they stay hydrated and get something to eat. Please help your children understand that this is what the school is asking you to do (or not do) – they should not be upset with you.
Chapel
Parents and caregivers are invited to Chapel beginning Friday, August 22. Because our Chapel begins at 7:55 a.m., we ask parents who plan to attend to come to the office during carpool (between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m.) to sign in. Kim Doyle will scan your license and then print your visitor’s pass. After signing in, you will go to the auditorium lobby to wait for your child and then enter with your child and the homeroom class.
Please Sign in to SchoolPass
It is crucial that you update your child’s dismissal plan in SchoolPass so that your child is dismissed appropriately. If you need assistance doing this, please reach out to Anna McCubrey at amccubrey@portergaud.edu or Kim Doyle at kdoyle@portergaud.edu ASAP.
Communicating Time-Sensitive Information
Contact the Lower School office at 843-556-3376 if you have time-sensitive information to share during the school day, including dismissal changes that occur after 2 p.m. Our teachers are not able to check their email during the school day, and they may miss important and/or time-sensitive information. In addition, our teachers are not able to respond to emails during the school day.
Parent/Guardian Travel Notification
If parents/guardians will be out of town and their child will be under the care of another adult, we ask that families notify the school in advance. Please email the Front Office (Kim and Anna), the School Nurse, and the student’s Homeroom Teacher with the following information:
- Caretaker’s full name(s)
- Phone number(s) and best contact method
- Dates during which the parents/guardians will be unavailable
This ensures that, in the event of illness, injury, or emergency, the school can communicate directly with the designated caretaker and provide appropriate support for the student.
Lunch
We welcome all parents and caregivers to come and have lunch with their child beginning September 15. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we build relationships and teach our children the routines and expectations.
Arrival Time
School begins at 7:50 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and at 8:50 a.m. on Wednesdays. Ideally, children should arrive by 7:45 a.m. (or 8:45 a.m. on Wednesdays) so that they have time to unpack and be ready to learn by 7:50 a.m. (or 8:50 a.m.). Arrival time sets the tone for the day, and arriving late often has negative effects on the rest of the morning. Beginning on Monday, August 25, students who arrive after 7:50 a.m. (or 8:50 a.m.) need to check-in at the office, and they will be marked tardy.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
All Lower School traffic should use the Stadium Drive to enter the carpool line from Albemarle Road or the Connector. Please then proceed to the right lane of Albemarle Road. Traffic should begin to subside during dismissal beginning Monday, August 25, when enrichment activities begin. Thank you for your continued patience.
Lower School Carpool & Extended Day Procedures
Afternoon Dismissal Times
- LS car riders: 2:55–3:10 p.m. Families should plan to arrive between 2:40–2:50 p.m. to avoid MS/US dismissal traffic.
- LS and MS/US siblings: 3:10–3:20 p.m. Please do not enter the line until 3:10 p.m. so that LS dismissal can conclude smoothly.
Transition to Extended Day
- At 3:10 p.m., any remaining LS students not yet picked up are escorted to Extended Day.
- Exception: If a child has already been called to carpool, they will continue waiting to be loaded into cars and will not be charged.
- LS and MS/US siblings: Students not picked up by 3:20 p.m. are taken to Extended Day.
Extended Day Hours & Fees
- Hours: 2:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Billing: Families will be charged a $5 fee if their child is sent to Extended Day after carpool concludes, until they are picked up. The first two weeks of school have been a grace period, and families have not been charged. If families are on a monthly plan, a “drop-in” rate will not apply.
Extended Day Pick-Up & Sign-Out
- Children need to be picked up by an authorized caregiver.
- Families can come inside to the designated Extended Day pick-up area to sign their child out (Lower School Gate),
- Call/text the Auxiliary phone at 843-996-8329, or
- Use the Remind App:
- Download the Remind app and create an account.
- Join Porter-Gaud School.
- Select + Add Class from the side panel and search “pgextday.”
- Request to join; staff will approve your request.
Early Pick-Up
- Use SchoolPass and sign your child out in the LS Office by 2:30 p.m.
- If plans change after 2 p.m., please call the office directly.
Late-In Wednesdays
Please remember that on Wednesday mornings, students are to arrive between 8:30 and 8:50 a.m. School begins at 8:50 a.m. We have limited supervision for children of families for whom Wednesday late-ins are a burden. If this is the case for your family, please contact Anna McCubrey (amccubrey@portergaud.edu). Your child must be on the early drop-off list in order to attend, and must arrive between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. Because all teachers and faculty will be in meetings, we cannot accommodate students who arrive after 7:45 a.m.
You’re Invited: Learn about PG Campus Ministry and Vestry
Join our chaplains on Sunday, August 24, from 4-5 p.m. in Washington Hall to hear about campus ministry opportunities and pray together for the year ahead.
- Hear how God is at work in our school
- Connect with our campus ministry programs
- Pray together for our students, teachers, and broader school community
Grandparent Mailings
If your child has a grandparent who would like to receive invitations, mailings, and updates from Porter-Gaud, please click here to add them to our mailing list.
Dining Update from Taher
Please click here to access menus. You can also follow us on Instagram (@taherpgdining).
Updates from the PGPA
- Save the Date: Mark your calendars for the first PGPA meeting on Thursday, September 4, at 8:15 a.m. in Washington Dining Hall. All parents and caregivers are welcome and encouraged to attend. This meeting is a great way to learn about the many events and initiatives supported by the PGPA throughout the year.
- PGPA Concessions Sign Up: PGPA Fall Concessions are underway! Please click here to sign up for shifts and support our athletics teams. No experience necessary!
Important Dates - Semester 1
- Monday, September 1: Labor Day - School Closed
- Friday, October 10: End of Quarter 1 - Faculty Workday - No School for Students
- Monday, October 13 and Tuesday, October 14: Fall Break - School Closed
- Friday, October 31: Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences - No School for Students
- November 3-7: A second day of Parent/Teacher Conferences is scheduled for each grade level - students will attend school on all of these days. Teachers will communicate specific meeting dates for their grade levels. They will remind you of these dates and send sign up information in October.
- November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break - School Closed
- Friday, December 19: Half Day - Lower School Dismissal at 11:45 a.m.
- December 22-January 4: Christmas Break - School Closed
- Monday, January 5: Faculty Workday - No School for Students
- Tuesday, January 6: Classes Resume
We would love to discuss your place at Porter-Gaud.