KEY ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Weekly Updates
Welcome to a new school year! It has been a joy to welcome our students back to campus and see the excitement, smiles, and energy that make the first day so special. Whether your child is joining us for the first time or returning for another year, we are grateful to partner with your family in the year ahead. Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for being such an important part of the Porter-Gaud community.
We also want to thank you for joining us at our Lower School Meet the Teacher event. Our teachers were delighted to meet our families and are looking forward to a wonderful year together. We are grateful for your partnership as we work together.
Items Left at Home
We are working to build student responsibility. Please help your child pack their backpack (homework, snacks, water) every evening. To reinforce this routine, please do not drop off forgotten items during the school day. If they forget a snack or water, we will take care of them, and forgotten homework is simply a teachable moment. Please let your child know this is a school policy so they aren't upset with you!
Chapel
Parents and caregivers are invited to join us for Chapel on Fridays beginning September 7 at 7:55 a.m.
Please arrive between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. to check in with Kim Doyle in the Lower School office. Bring your driver’s license to scan for a visitor badge, then meet in the Lower School breezeway to walk with your child’s class to Chapel.
- Parking: Please park in the designated Lower School visitor or overflow lots. Parking near the Chapel or Upper School is not available for Lower School guests.
- Late Arrivals: If arriving after 7:45 a.m., do not drop your child off at the Chapel or Upper School. Please check in at the Lower School office first so your child can be safely signed in.
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 in the Lower School Office as soon as possible.
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.
Lower School Back-to-School Night
We are thrilled to invite you to our Lower School Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 19. We've planned a wonderful evening designed to give you a glimpse into your child’s exciting school experience.
Evening Schedule
- 5:30-6:00 p.m. - Administrative Session in Washington Hall (Cafeteria): To ensure you have a relaxed arrival, we recommend allowing a little extra time for parking, as we are anticipating a wonderful turnout. Administrators will share essential information on Chapel, lunch visits, arrival and dismissal procedures, and navigating the evening's schedule.
- 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Classroom Visits: Following the administrative session, parents will follow a specific grade-level schedule to visit classrooms, hear grade level presentations, and meet special area teachers.
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 7. 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. 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 24, 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 31, when enrichment activities begin. Thank you for your continued patience.
Lower School Carpool & Extended Day Procedures
Afternoon Dismissal Times
- Lower School car riders: 2:50–3:10 p.m. Families should plan to arrive between 2:40–2:50 p.m. to avoid MS/US dismissal traffic.
- Lower School and Middle School/Upper School siblings: 3:10–3:20 p.m. Please do not enter the line until 3:10 p.m. so that Lower School dismissal can conclude smoothly.
Transition to Extended Day
- At 3:10 p.m., any remaining Lower School 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.
- Lower School and Middle School/Upper School 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 for 3:20-3:30 p.m. The first two weeks we will have a grace period, and families will not be charged the $5 fee. Starting at 3:30 p.m., a “drop-in” rate of $25 is charged if families are not on a monthly plan.
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).
- OR Call/ text: 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 Lower School Office by 2:30 p.m.
- If plans change after 2 p.m., please both update SchoolPass and 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 faculty and staff will be in meetings, we cannot accommodate students who arrive after 7:45 a.m.
From the Nurse’s Office
As we return from summer break, it is common to see cases of head lice following summer camps, travel, and other activities. Please click here for information about detecting, treating, and preventing head lice. We recommend carefully checking your child’s hair and scalp, particularly behind the ears and near the neckline.
Virtue Shirts
New Lower School students and all first-grade students will receive a Porter-Gaud Virtue Shirt during the first few weeks of school. If your child has outgrown their Virtue Shirt and needs a larger size, please contact Mr. Wey at dwey@portergaud.edu.
Celebrating Birthdays
Students get a dress down day on the day of their birthday (or their half birthday for summer birthdays). We ask that no food or other treats be sent in by parents and caregivers as all students are celebrated in class on their special day. Please also remember that if invitations are being brought to school, we ask that all students in the class are invited.
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
- 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
August 19: Back to School Night (5:30 p.m.)
August 21: Cyclonetown
September 7: Labor Day - No School
September 14: Picture Day
October 5: Picture Retake Day
October 9: End of Quarter 1 - Faculty Workday - No School for Students
October 12-13: Fall Break - School Closed
October 20: Quarter 1 Report Cards Published
October 28: Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences - No School for Students
October 29: Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences for Fourth Grade - School is in Session
October 30: PGPA Halloween Carnival
November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break - School Closed
December 18: Half Day - Lower School Dismissal at 11:45 a.m.
December 21-January 1: Christmas Break - School Closed
January 4: Faculty Work Day - No School for Students
January 5: Classes Resume
We would love to discuss your place at Porter-Gaud.