Middle School Updates

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Weekly Updates

After a strong start to the first few weeks of school, students, faculty, and staff are looking forward to a long weekend. We would like to thank everyone who was able to come to the Middle School Back-to-School Night last night. It was wonderful to reconnect with you, and we hope you found the time informative and useful.

Life 101 and Clubs
This week, Mr. Weaver led the first half of the session to continue his discussion on self-efficacy and linked it to being true to oneself and being honest. At the end of his talk, he challenged the students to do three things: 

• Challenge yourself to share one thing with a teacher or friend that you are proud of that they don’t know about.
• Be truthful with yourself about one habit that needs work — and take one small step to change it.
• Notice when you’re tempted to cover up the truth, and instead choose honesty.

We encourage you to continue the discussion at home this week as an opportunity to build a stronger connection and relationship with your child.

The second half was dedicated to rolling out club choices for the students. This year, we have carved out more time for clubs. Rather than meeting during community, which came with some challenges regarding time and attendance, we have moved club time to alternating weeks with Life 101 and are asking all students to join only one club. This will allow more time for the students to meet and build stronger relationships. You can view the club choices here: Middle School Student Clubs. 

A form will be sent to the students tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., and they will have until Thursday, September 4, at 3:10 p.m. to complete it. Students are asked to select their three top choices. While no spots are guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate everyone’s top choice. 

Student-Parent/Guardian Handbook
We ask parents and guardians, as well as students, to review the policies and procedures contained in the Middle School Student-Parent/Guardian Handbook by Friday, September 5. 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 MyPG and clicking on the yellow banner at the top of the page. Once one parent/guardian signs the form, it will automatically submit, and the yellow banner will disappear. 

Picture Day: Monday, September 8
Middle School students will take yearbook pictures on Monday, September 8, during their history classes. All students should wear polo shirts and uniform bottoms to school. If students have PE, they should not wear PE uniforms but are encouraged to wear gym shoes. If students are absent, there will be a retake day on Friday, October 3. 

Service Opportunities
The Middle School Service Program encompasses the Service Club, as well as off-campus opportunities open to all Middle School students. To see detailed information, please check the "MS Off-Campus Service" tab under Resources when you log in to MyPG. Below are opportunities that have been scheduled for the first semester. Opportunities are posted on the resource document, in the morning announcements, and in weekly parent updates. Space is limited and registration is required, as we must ensure that all paperwork is completed by all participants. An adult should complete the sign-up so that we can communicate with the person who is transporting the child to and from the service project.

• September 21: Beach Sweep/River Sweep, Gadsden Creek, 2 - 4 p.m. (sign-up will be posted in early September)
• October 4: Lowcountry Food Bank, 9 - 11:30 a.m. (signup will be posted in late September)
• November 8: Charleston Miracle League (Buddy On the Field), 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (signup will be posted in late October)

Winterim Reminders
Winterim is a required part of the school year for all Middle School students and counts as instructional days. Not participating in Winterim is considered a school absence. This year’s program runs from Wednesday, February 18, to Friday, February 20, with the exception of the Costa Rica and Puerto Rico travel programs, which will run Monday, February 16, to Saturday, February 21.

Key Notes for 2025–2026

• Eighth-grade students are the only grade eligible for overnight travel (Costa Rica or Puerto Rico). Should space allow, these trips may open to seventh-grade students at a later date, and seventh-grade families will be notified separately if this occurs, so there is no need to select Costa Rica or Puerto Rico if you have a seventh-grade student.
   
• All fifth-grade students automatically participate in the Fifth Grade Winterim (no registration required).
   
• Each program requires minimum enrollment and available chaperones to run.
   
• Selections for students in grades 6-8 are due Friday, September 5, at 5 p.m. Placement is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Winterim 2025–2026 Experiences

You can preview the experiences before registering here: 2025-2026 Winterim Activities. 

Estimated Costs

We work to keep Winterim experiences affordable while ensuring that each program is self-sustaining. Costs reflect program expenses such as entry fees, meals, transportation, and vendor charges. At this time, all costs are estimates. Final pricing may vary depending on vendor contracts and student enrollment.

• 5th Grade Winterim – No Cost
• Adventure Quest (6-8) – $230
• Costa Rica (8) – $4,165
• Disconnect to Reconnect (6-8) – $250
• Echoes of the Gullah Geechee (6-8) – $230
• Exploring Ecosystems (7-8) – $230
• Lights, Camera, Winterim! (7-8) – $230
• Pirates and Spirits of the Lowcountry (6-8) – $230
• Puerto Rico (8) – $3,799
• Roots and Shoots (6-8) – $230
• STEM Explorers (6-8) – $150
• Super Active Charleston (6-7) – $530

Travel Programs

Puerto Rico: February 16 - February 21
We have partnered with WorldStrides to coordinate this program. All registration, booking, travel insurance (highly recommended), and payments will be handled directly through WorldStrides. We ask families to please complete the form for selecting Puerto Rico. Please also go directly to the WorldStrides registration link below and begin the process as soon as possible, as there is a 35-spot maximum. This will be on a first-come, first-served basis.  [Puerto Rico WorldStrides Registration ]

Please note: the mention of potential high school or college credit on the WorldStrides site does not apply to Porter-Gaud students.

Costa Rica: February 16 - February 21
Led by Ms. Pannucio, Middle School Chaplain, this mission-style trip is coordinated through Black Mountain Expeditions. Payments will be made directly through the school. More information on this trip can be found here. Please complete the Form, and we will follow up with the next step of registration once students and families have been notified of their students' placement on the trip. There is a limit of 30 students for this trip.

Cancellation Policy

Due to the extensive planning required, cancellations or changes for Winterim experiences must be made at least 60 days before the first day of Winterim in order to receive a refund. Please note: the two travel experiences are run by separate companies, and as a result, have different cancellation policies. Please contact WorldStrides or Black Mountain Expeditions for more information. 

Registration

Please use this link to select your child’s top three choices: Winterim 2025-2026 Parent Registration. Please also go directly to the Puerto Rico WorldStrides registration link below and begin the process as soon as possible, as there is a 35-spot maximum.

• Registration closes Friday, September 5, at 5 p.m.
• Placement is first-come, first-served.

Lands End Labor Day Sale
One of our uniform vendors, Lands End, is offering discounts on select uniform items from August 27-September 2. Click here to learn more. 

Grandparent Mailings
If your student 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!
• Volunteer Opportunities: Click here to learn more about PGPA Volunteer Opportunities.