Upper School Updates

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We had a busy and productive week in the Upper School, which included our Third Annual National HBCU Breakfast, commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, and celebrating our five National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists from the Class of 2025: Mac F., Ben R., William B., Jeffrey L., and Citlali A. S. (pictured above). These five students scored in the top 1% on the PSAT exam and will have an opportunity to compete for $2,500 National Merit Scholarships.

Picture Day
Upper School students (Grades 9-11) will take pictures on Monday, October 7, and are asked to go to Gwynette during free periods, study halls, community time, or lunch. All students should wear polo shirts and uniform bottoms to school. Please click here for additional information. 

Student-Led Groups Applications
Today we launched the student-led group application. You can find a detailed description of the groups, the application process, and the community agreements at this link. All applications are due on Monday, September 23, at 8:20 a.m. All group leaders are required to attend a Lunch and Learn in the Upper School Library on Tuesday, September 24.

From the Nurse's Office
We have seen respiratory viruses, strep, and cases of walking pneumonia circulating around campus. As a reminder, please review the following: 

• Illness/Sick Policy: We follow the Department of Public Health’s school exclusion criteria to prevent the spread of illness. 
  • Stay home if you are feeling unwell. 
  • Any students who are ill must stay home until symptoms have improved, are fever-free (temperature < 100)  for at least 24 hours without fever-suppressing medication, have no diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24 hours, and are well enough to participate in a full day of classes. 
  • The most effective defense against the spread of germs is hand washing. Using antiseptic soap for at least 20 seconds is best; however, hand sanitizer can be used when there is a time constraint.
• Upcoming Flu Vaccine Clinics:  Save the date for these upcoming on-campus clinics. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children 6 months and older receive a flu vaccine prior to Halloween to be protected for the upcoming flu season.  
  • October 7: Parkwood Pediatrics (All Parkwood patients of Parkwood are able to bill medical insurance directly). 
  • October 17: Dottie’s Pharmacy. More details to follow. 
  • October 26: The Department of Public Health will offer flu shots and the flu nasal mist.  Consent forms will be emailed out by the end of next week. All consent forms must be completed by October 7 to participate.

Week Ahead Email
At the beginning of each week, Upper School students receive the Week Ahead email from Mr. Hilpert with important announcements and a summary of upcoming activities. This email is now also accessible to parents and caregivers as well in the “Important Links” area of this landing page. 

Ninth Grade College Kickoff
The Ninth Grade College Kickoff is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18 at 7  p.m. in Gwynette Auditorium. All ninth-grade students are required to attend and we strongly encourage parents and guardians to join us as well. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Name Pronunciation Tool
One of the specific ways we strive to show that we respect and appreciate our students is by pronouncing their names correctly. To help assist our faculty and staff in building positive relationships with their students, we use a software tool that enables students to voice record their names. Seniors are recording their full names and all 9th graders and new students will record their names over the next few weeks. Faculty and staff can then playback the recordings throughout the year to help prepare for award ceremonies, graduation, and other school events. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Shannon Page at spage@portergaud.edu.

From Our Chaplains
Click here to read reflections from our chaplains, access recommended resources, and request prayer. 

From the PGPA

• Holiday Festival: Save the date for the Holiday Festival on December 7. More details to come. 
• Spiritwear : New PG gear is available at our online store! Please review the uniform guidelines for your division here for details on when and how these items can be worn to school. 
• Concessions Sign Up: Fall concessions are underway! Please click here to sign up for shifts and support our athletics teams. 

Dining Update from Taher
To access menus and learn more about Taher’s Dining Services, please click the links below. You can also follow us on Instagram (@taherpgdining).

• Food4Life Belief Statement
• Wellness Reference Guide
• Menus
• Food for Life App

Service Projects Next Week

• Tuesday: Special Olympics volunteers are needed at Patriots Point driving range. Only four student volunteers are allowed each Tuesday afternoon. Transportation can be provided. Sign up HERE. 
• Thursday: Charitable snack sale to raise money for James Island Outreach. Snacks can be donated to the sale or students can shop outside Ms. Tate's office during the 11:20 a.m. break.  
• Saturday: Nationwide Beach Sweep Saturday! Meet at Folly Beach at 2 p.m. to help clean up litter. 

College Visits
We are fortunate to have a wide variety of colleges visit PG. Below is a list of upcoming visits: 

Friday, September 13:

• University of Richmond, 9:05 a.m.
• George Mason University, 2 p.m. 

Monday, September 16:

• Elon University, 8:35 a.m.
• University of Rochester, 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, September 18:

• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), 11:40 a.m. 

Friday, September 20:

• University of Denver, 11:40 a.m.

Wednesday, September 25: 

• University of Miami, 9:05 a.m.

Thursday, September 26:

• Tufts University, 10 a.m.

Important Calendar Dates for Planning Purposes

• September 18: Ninth Grade College Night
• September 23-27: Spirit Week
• September 27: Homecoming
• October 7 & 8: Picture Day
• October 11: End of Quarter - No School for Students - Teacher Workday
• October 14 and 15: Fall Break - School Closed 
• November 1: Parent/Teacher Conferences - No School for Students
• November 13: Junior College Night
• November 15: Make-up Picture Day
• November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break - School Closed
• December 14: Lessons and Carols (Church of the Holy Communion)
• December 17-20: Upper School Fall Semester Exams
• December 23 - January 3: Christmas Break - No School for Students
• January 6: Faculty Workday - No School for Students
• January 7: Classes resume for the Second Semester