Dear Parents,

When I walked out of my office this morning, I saw a group of 8th graders sitting the "8th Grade Couch"- it looked like there were too many kids there.  When I was about to ask someone to get up, I realized it wasn't that there were too many kids, but the kids have gotten too big!  Having known these students for almost three years, it was bittersweet sitting in with them for their first Upper School scheduling meeting last week and helping them select courses for the Upper School.  Although we adults say this all the time, it is so very true how quickly time goes by.  With six weeks remaining in the school year, I know summer will be here before we know it.  We have several events coming up, including our Student-Faculty Quiz Bowl this Wednesday morning, our Battle of the Books team competes in the State meet, and class trips are right around the corner. Add ERBs into the mix, as well as Spring athletics, and it is a busy time indeed!  Although some kids may be starting to exhibit a bit of Spring Fever, there's still a need to stay focused and finish out the year in a strong manner!  

I spent the end of last week at the Mission Skills Assessment conference.  We partner with Independent Middle Schools across the country to examine the non-cognitive development of our students.  Through surveys administered to students and faculty, we have data that allows us to examine the strength of our school outside of the academic curriculum.   These surveys look at six main constructs, resilience, teamwork, ethics, creativity, curiosity, and time management.  The three years of data is helpful in how we direct our programming in Life 101 as well as through advisory.  Also, having the opportunity to meet with other Middle School administrators and teachers to see how they "teach" these non-cognitive skills was incredible! 

We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at our student-led advisor conferences!

Internet Safety Workshop: Follow-Up 

Last week, Joe Ryan, Education Coordinator for the S.C. Arttorney General's office was on campus meeting with students (Tuesday) and parents (Thursday) about online safety, personal information, social media, online predators, and cyberbullying. Below is a list of resources Mr. Ryan sent following his parent session. If you have specific questions or need further resources, please email Mr. Ryan at jryan@scag.gov. 

Common Sense Media – App and website reviews, age limits, current online content.

GCF Learn Free – Numerous training modules on computers, technology, and social media. Great for beginners and experienced users.

NetSmartz – Great resource with information about how to talk to kids/teens about Online Safety.

Connect Safely – Current trends in online safety plus tips and tricks for talking to your children.

The Smart Talk – An easy way to talk to your kids about digital citizenship and online safety!

Family Online Safety Institute – More ideas for staying up-to-date and learning about digital parenting.

South Carolina 4-H Engineering Challenge 

This weekend, science teacher Amy Flynn and six teams of eighth graders headed to the South Carolina 4-H Engineering Challenge in Orangeburg. The teams built model homes to be judged on beauty, creative design, repurposed objects, energy efficiency, cost effectiveness and garden. Robbie Prentice and Spencer Roskill won 3rd in the state (pictured below). David Chaleris, Ian Symonds, Leland Hills and John Galloway won 5th. 

The SC 4-H Engineering Challenge is an opportunity for students 9-19 to learn, have fun, demonstrate their science, technology, engineering and math skills, and compete for individual and team honors. The event is sponsored by Clemson University, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, and S.C. STEM Schools. 

Dean Tate and Bikes for Humanity in NAIS Independent School Magazine

Dean Chris Tate's article about the Bikes for Humanity program was featured in the 2016 Spring issue of NAIS's Independent School Magazine. Bikes for Humanity is conducting a bike drive all of April and May. If you have an old kids or adult bike, please email him at ctate@portergaud.edu. The link to the article is below: 

http://www.nais.org/Magazines-Newsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/Students-change-world-bicycle.aspx

Clash of the Titans: Our Chess Champions

Congratulations to Ethan Alderson, 7th grade (below and seated center in group), winner of the Middle School Chess Competition, which took place earlier in the year. The chess titans are Peyton Derr and Christian Weichsel (seated left and right), Robbie Prentice, Adrien Lemmel, Henry Lee, (standing left to right) and Edward Thompson (not pictured - he was probably off playing chess).

Arts Festival / Spring Concert is April 24th 

The PG Performing and Fine Arts Department invites you to the 2016 Arts Festival and Spring Concert on April 24th starting at 1:00 p.m. Below is the schedule for the afternoon's events: 

· 1:00 - AP ART SHOW begins and continues throughout the day

· 1:30 – 2:30 PM LS CHOIRS / CLASS ENSEMBLES

· 2:45 – 3:30 PM HANDBELL CONCERT

· 3:30 – 4:00 PM MS CHOIR and LEADING TONES US AND MS WILL COMBINE

· 4:00 – 4:30 PM US CHOIR/CHAMBER SINGERS/SIX LEAF CLOVERS/QUARTER POUNDERS

· 4:30 – 5:00 PM STRING ENSEMBLE/JAZZ ENSEMBLE

· 5:00 – 5:30 PM ***ART and MUSIC AWARDS CEREMONY (US & MS)

· 5:30 PM End of Festival (Time is approximate)

Please note the following:

~~Immediately following Awards Ceremony-all award recipients will stay for a short photo session. ~~There will be light refreshments served outside Gwynette throughout the day’s events.

~~***All MS & US Students are required to stay for the Awards Ceremony!

MS Photo of the Day: 12:45 p.m. in Washington Hall

Look who's working the lunch line today - Headmaster DuBose Egleston! 

B Week

April Reminders

• April 14: FIELD PASS at PG: Come out and support FIVE VARSITY teams in action - boys tennis, girls lax, baseball and boys and girls soccer starting at 4:00 p.m. The Fathers Association will have the grill firing for delicious food and cold drinks. 
• April 16: 5th annual Alumni Soccer Game. The Varsity boys soccer team vs. Alumni soccer players at 11 a.m. on Singleton Field. The rivalry is tied 2 - 2 so this year serves as a tie breaker. Come out and enjoy the showdown!
• April 24: Porter-Gaud Arts Festival is from 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 
• April 26: Senior/Alumni Luncheon and Senior T-Shirt Day
• Graduation Invitations ARE IN - seniors and/or parents may pick them up in the front office! 

Spring Break Rewind: Viva Italia! 

Twenty-one students packed their bags for Italy for a Spring Break full of culture, Roman architecture, and history. Faculty members Aaron Lipka, Jessica Schenkel, and Chris Tate were chaperones. The itinerary included: 

Day 1: March 26. Arrival in Rome/ drive to Campania/ Cumae archaeological site/ Sorrento.
Day 2: March 27. Pompeii excavations/ drive to Rome.
day 3: March 28. Capitoline Museums/ Campus Martius walk/ Pantheon/ Campo di Fiori/ Piazza Navona/ Ara Pacis and Masoleum of Augustus.
Day 4: March 29. Roman Forum/ Colosseum/ Church of the Capuchin Monks.
Day 5: March 30. Circus Maximus/ San Clemente/ Baths of Caracalla/ Via Appia and catacombs of San Sebastiano. Evening Tour of Trastevere/ Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Day 6: March 31. Day trip to Tivoli/ Hadrian's Villa archaeological site/ Villa d'Este gardens.
Day 7: April 1. Tour of the Vatican museums/ Sistine Chapel/ Saint Peter's Basilica/ Trevi Fountain.
Day 8: April 2. departure from Rome and return to Charleston.

"This trip was such a great experience. I loved getting to know these kids. Their knowledge of the history of Rome combined with their Latin skills were truly impressive. I even got to share some of my passion and teach the students about ellipses at the Coliseum! Thank you Aaron for planning such a great trip and allowing me to be a part of it." Jessica Schenkel, math faculty member

Visiting Playwright Brennen Reeves 

Over the last few weeks, students in Ashley Stock's public speaking class have been working with playwright Brennen Reeves. Brennen was a theatre major at the College of Charleston and has cystic fibrosis. Several years ago, he had a double lung transplant. His one-man show, Breathe, is about his journey, and will be a part of Spoleto this year. It is heartbreaking, hilarious, startling, honest and amazing. For more information, visit http://brennenreeves.com.

"I had the privilege of teaching Brennan at the College of Charleston.  I have also had the joy of seeing his one man show.  While I have already covered the basics of playwriting in Intro to Theatre this semester, I thought that it would be valuable for the students to learn about writing an autobiographical show.  Brennan has wonderful performance experience and has helped cultivate a safe writing environment for the students as they develop their own short autobiographical pieces." Ashley Stock 

Porter-Gaud Arts Festival is April 24th

The Porter-Gaud Performing and Fine Arts Department invites you to the Spring Arts Festival. The afternoon of performances and art includes:

· 1:00 - AP ART SHOW begins and continues throughout the day

· 1:30 – 2:30 PM LS CHOIRS / CLASS ENSEMBLES

· 2:45 – 3:30 PM HANDBELL CONCERT

· 3:30 – 4:00 PM MS CHOIR and LEADING TONES US AND MS WILL COMBINE

· 4:00 – 4:30 PM US CHOIR/CHAMBER SINGERS/SIX LEAF CLOVERS/QUARTER POUNDERS

· 4:30 – 5:00 PM STRING ENSEMBLE/JAZZ ENSEMBLE

· 5:00 – 5:30 PM ***ART and MUSIC AWARDS CEREMONY (US & MS)

Immediately following Awards Ceremony-all award recipients will stay for a short photo session.

Light refreshments served outside Gwynette throughout the day’s events.

***All MS & US Students are required to stay for the Awards Ceremony!

AP Art submissions above from Claire Lawrence and Gettys Moore (left to right)  

Spring Spanish Proficiency Testing

As part of our ongoing commitment to a proficiency based language program, all Spanish students in grades 6-12 will be assessed this Spring using the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL). AAPPL is a performance-based assessment of standards-based language learning across the three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) as defined by the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.

AAPPL assesses the ability to engage in linguistic tasks on topics of personal, social, and academic relevance across the three modes of communication. Each task, such as writing an e-mail message, video-chatting in the target language, or making selections based on the understanding of something heard, read, or viewed, takes place in the context of the language classroom. AAPPL tasks explore a variety of topics that are familiar to learners through classroom instruction or other language learning experiences, such as school, family, and community. 

Señora Hyde's Spanish IV Honors students were the first to take this assessment on March 23rd and 24th. 

PG Team Places Second at Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition, Max Harley named MVP 

Last weekend, PG's Dangling Pointers (Alex Swanson, Tillson Galloway, Max Harley, Cameron Hay, Mark Anastos, and Randolph Dew) finished second at the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition (PCDC)! The team lost by .223 points to defending champs, Palmetto Scholars Academy. Max Harley was named competition MVP! 

PCDC is a three-day Cyber Defense Competition that is held by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic in collaboration with the South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). PCDC promotes cyber security education and awareness. This competition is intended to energize local high schools and colleges to invigorate focused curriculum development for the type of technical skills that are needed in today’s fast paced and challenging cyber environment.

Students were comprised of "Blue Teams" responsible for operating a small network while protecting the infrastructure from "Red Team" (hacker) attacks. Blue Teams were scored for accomplishing administrative and business tasks while maintaining network/service availability (such as mail, database and web servers) as well as their ability to detect and respond to threats. 

Athletics: Cyclone Player of the Week: Eddie Nesmith '16 

Cyclone senior Eddie Nesmith is a blur--and not just on the track. He can be seen jetting all over campus, involved in a multitude of activities. Everyone on campus knows him for his infectious smile and sense of humor, as well as for being an outstanding student.

What many don’t know is that Eddie is an all-state performer in track & field, competing in high jump, sprints, and hurdles. This past week, Eddie ran lifetime personal bests in both of his hurdle events, including the top mark this year in SCISA in the 110 meter high hurdles, leading the Cyclones to a big victory on the road over Heathwood, Hammond, Wilson Hall, and Orangeburg Prep. He is currently the high-point scorer on the boys’ track team, and is one of the keys to the team’s quest to win a sixth consecutive state championship.

Upcoming Days in Rotation

Friday, March 25^th – Sunday, April 3^rd – Spring Break

Monday, April 4^th – Classes Resume – Day 1

Tuesday, April 5^th – Day 2

Wednesday, April 6^th – Day 3

Thursday, April 7^th – Day 4

Friday, April 8^th – Day 5

Reminders

• On Monday, April 4 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Upper School Library, we will offer sexual abuse prevention training facilitated by Cindy McElhinney from our community partner,Darkness to Light. The program features a combination of expert advice and practical guidance, and shares a simple, 5-step approach to keeping your children safe. RSVP to Jennifer Lorenz at jlorenz@portergaud.edu. Child care is available, and drinks andlight snacks will be provided.
• Tuesday, April 5^th – We will host a Lower School Parent Coffee in the cafeteria from 8:00 to 9:00am. 
• We will host a third grade parent meeting on Thursday, April 7^th at 6:30pm.  We will be discussing the transition from third grade and fourth grade.
• Thursday, April 28^th - Family Math, Science and Technology Fair from 6:00-7:30 pm.  1st-5th grade families are invited to pre-register for this evening of fun-filled activities!  Families participate in 3 different explorations together.  Information will be sent out the first week in April.  
• Friday, May 6^th - Girls Gathering for 1st-5th grade girls 3:00-5:00 pm.  Lower School girls are invited to join teachers to explore leadership.   Through teamwork activities and service projects, the girls will spend the afternoon building valuable skills and bonding with each other.

Easter Egg Hunts!!!!

Wax Museum

Third graders became wax figures of famous South Carolinians in their very own wax museum on Thursday.  Students came to school dressed as South Carolinians from past and present.  One only had to push the sticker on their hand to watch them come alive and tell their personal history.  

First Grade Performance

First graders performed for residents of Bishop Gadsden and parents on Friday morning.  They performed classic songs from different eras and genres.  We were so very proud of the preparation and their fabulous performance!

Force and Motion

Fifth graders spent the last day before spring break enjoying a force & motion extravaganza as the culminating activity to their science unit.  The students rotated through various stations set up to exhibit Newton’s Laws.  They finished off the fun with a student vs. teacher tug-of-war.  Students won of course!

Biography Book Reports

First graders had a terrific time presenting their Biography Book Reports in character!

Special Visitor in 4^th Grade

Meredith Hoover, current 11th grader, visited the 4th grade science classes to share her love for coding. The students experienced Scratch, Jr and created their own projects. Meredith is a wonderful mentor!!

Learning About Percentages

This week the 5th grade was treated to a shopping spree provided they could calculate the percentage off of original prices. They enjoyed spending their earnings on special items. 

Second Grade Learning

Second graders are learning about different genres in reading. Here students are identifying the different genres in books and sharing them with the class. 

Students wrote steps to catch a leprechaun in writer's workshop last week. 

Science Lab in Grades 1-3

First grade learns about rotation, balance, and gravity using LEGOS

Second grade students led a demonstration of how a storm forms.  They learned about the properties of water by playing with droplets on plastic.  Students are also beginning construction of their weather stations.

Third graders are beginning to build their imaginary ecosystems in science using LEGO robotics

Upcoming Days in Rotation

Monday, April 18^th – Day 3

Tuesday, April 19^th – Day 4

Wednesday, April 20^th – Day 5

Thursday, April 21^st – Day 6

Friday, April 22^nd – Day 7 

Reminders

• Family Math, Science & Technology Fair will be held on the evening of Thursday, April 28!  The 1st-5th grade families are invited to join us from 6:00pm-7:30pm to explore science, math and technology together.  Pre-registration is required and offered through this Sign-Up Genius link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/508084AADA92BA75-2016  .  If you have any questions regarding the registration process, please contact me at jclair@portergaud.edu.

The Lion King

What an amazing show!! The Lower School choir performed The Lion King three times this week to awe struck audiences. Everything from the costumes to the choreography was beautifully executed, and the singing was fabulous.  The talent of our students blossomed under the direction of our very own Todd Monsell.  Thank you to everyone who was involved in the show.  It was truly a special event.

 A Day at Drayton Hall

The first grade went to Drayton Hall for Plantation Games Day.  The students learned colonial games played by children of similar ages in the eighteenth century.  The students also learned about the Drayton family and how their life on the plantation differs from life today.  An unexpected highlight of the trip was a bald eagle being chased by a hawk and the bald eagle dropping a catfish twenty five yards from the first graders.  The day was a wonderful success thanks to twenty Porter-Gaud parent volunteers.

Star Lab

Lower school students enjoyed finding stars, constellations, observing cells, and more in the Star Lab last week!

Visiting Author

Amey Lewis, author of the book, Nipper of Drayton Hall, visited third graders and talked about the adventures of the playful pup, Nipper, on the historical plantation over a hundred years ago. She shared her journey as an author, spending 8 years researching and collaborating to produce the nonfiction picture book. Students learned to never give up on their dreams!

Learning About the Stock Market

Mrs. Evans’ math classes enjoyed a special visitor on Friday, Mr. Eric Strickland, (father of Jackson in fifth grade).  As part of a 10 day project that requires them to follow two stocks, Mr. Strickland shared his knowledge of the stock market with the students. They had a great time learning from an expert!

Cruising the Caribbean

Flik's annual Traveling Flavors Program hit our shores on Friday.  We enjoyed great food from various ports of call: Miami, Mexico, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas! Washington Hall was turned into a cruise ship and the students (and faculty) had a great time taking pictures at the wheel of the ship! 

Cyclone Morning Show

In the Lower School, we have started producing a Monday morning show called the Cyclone Morning Show.  It is produced each week by groups of fifth graders and is shown in all homeroom classes each Monday morning.  The show helps us get our week started in a positive way.  Please enjoy this week's show!

A  Week

Excellence Virtue Quote of the Day  

 “No student ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him: it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction.”
Charles Kendall Adams

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”

Mahatma Gandhi

Upcoming Days in the Rotation

Monday, April 25^th – Day 1

Tuesday, April 26^th – Day 2

Wednesday, April 27^th – Day 3

Thursday, April 28^th – Day 4

Friday, April 29^th – Day 5

Reminders

• Thursday, April 28^th – Family, Math, Science and Technology Fair for 1^st – 5^th grade families from 6:00pm to 7:30pm  Pre-registration is required and offered through this Sign-Up Genius link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/508084AADA92BA75-2016  .  If you have any questions regarding the registration process, please contact me at jclair@portergaud.edu.

Butterfly Parade

Our second graders participated in an adorable "butterfly parade" to celebrate their study of the monarch butterfly. 

Essay Contest Winners

Fourth graders, Amber Wilsondebriano and Brady Lyden, won second and third place in the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History annual essay writing contest.  Students from across the nation wrote letters telling President George Washington what they thought he should focus on in his first term as president. Congratulations Amber and Brady!

Opera

The College of Charleston brought their children’s opera, Jack and the Beanstalk, to our Lower School students this week.  The children were mesmerized! A big thank you goes out to Todd Monsell for arranging this special musical performance.

Science Class

1st grade investigates balance, mass, and weight.

3rd grade is beginning to film their imaginary LEGO ecosystems to create iMovie trailers of their food chain!

Fun and Learning in Spanish

Students in Mrs. Rounds' 3rd Grade Spanish class were invited to shop at a market hosted by Ms. Cipriani's 7th Grade Spanish class.  Students were given a shopping list and money.  The idea was to get everything on the list spending as little as possible and by negotiating the find in Spanish.  If there was money left over, the students were allowed to buy delicious treats!!  

Fourth graders taught second graders about food in Spanish this week.  They presented a video they created and then the second graders shared a video they created about Animals in Spanish.

Students in 5th Grade Spanish classes are working on a project to share information with 5th Grade students in a school in Honduras, Los Corderitos.  Our technology department is working with us to use the Voicethread app to exchange information in a controlled and safe environment.

Instrument Encounter

Third graders learned about the harp during today's instrument encounter!

 Celebration

Mrs. Sallee's class celebrated their virtuous behavior with popsicles and playing on the playground! 

Let’s Play Chess

Twelve students from Porter Gaud played chess in the Addlestone Team tournament.  Two of the teams won trophies, the Porter Boys (Kevin Fan, William and Anderson Berger) and the Rockers (Paulo Hitopoulos, Fletcher Aylor, and Leo Li).  Also, first graders Waverly Lansford and Drew Savage played their first ever tournament! 

Parent Talk

 Mrs. Jennie has posted an interesting article entitled, Where Helicopter Parents Need to Hover.  Click below to read

http://www.portergaud.edu/groups.cfm?groupID=1294   

  Good Morning Cyclones Show for 4/18-4/22

Please make note of the dates listed above.  We have posted a date for our final social, the 8th grade celebration, and our exam schedule.  Students will leave next week for their grade level trips, and then summer will be here before we know it!  

We completed our first day of ERB testing this morning, with three more sections of testing ahead.  We emphasize the importance of working carefully and thoughtfully so students will do their best on these assessments.  We will send test results home the first week of June.  

This week, we are celebrating Stand Against Racism.  Today, students will sit by advisory and enjoy a meal together.  We'll have a bake sale on Wednesday, with proceeds to be donated to the Mother Emanuel AME Church.  Our Life 101 program for Wednesday morning will combine music and history and explain the importance of the Blues in American History.  Students may purchase a $2 dress down day pass for Friday.  Students are encouraged to wear Black or Orange, the colors associated with Stand Against Racism.  The proceeds from the bake sale and the dress down day will be presented to Rev. Dr. Betty Deas Clarke, the pastor of Mother Emanuel AME, who will talk with our students during our Friday Morning Meeting.  

It is a busy time of year!  I hope you take some time to enjoy your families, especially with the beautiful weather.  As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. 

Thank you,

Maureen

Hercules!

Each year, the Latin 8 students re-write the story of Hercules to be appropriate for a first-grade reading level. This year many of them included hand-drawn illustrations along with their text. Each section then presents their book to one of the sections of first graders. The eighth graders enjoy the process of creating their own books, complete with dedication, title page, and an about the authors section, but the best part by far is seeing the faces of the first graders as they listen to the story. This year the eighth graders had an especially good time answering the first graders questions after reading the story. 

Battle of the Books

Congratulations to Mrs. Chander and the Middle School Battle of the Books team!  After competing successfully in November, the team advanced to the SCISA Finals in Sumter, South Carolina.  The team survived 18 rounds of prelimary questions, then advanced to the finals with two other teams, eventually placing 3rd.  The collaborative efforts of the team were impressive, demonstrating an in-depth and detailed understanding of the twenty novels that were the basis of the competition. Students met regularly over lunch to prepare for the Battle! The list for the 2017 Battle of the Books will be posted in the end of May. Any students intertested in participating next year should contact Mrs. Chandler.  

This year's team members included: 

Thomas Allen, Sarah Allen, Sophie Levenson, Wilkes Cramer, Isobel Meroe-Epes, Ananya Chag, Gavin Milligan, Conolly Burgess, Grace Baronowski, Esther Adelson, and Elena Hardiman.  

Porter-Gaud in CBS's Hidden Heroes Segments To Air in May 

We are excited to share that Porter Gaud, its students, faculty and families will be showcased in two upcoming episodes of the CBS television series “Hidden Heroes”,  produced by Porter-Gaud parents Bryan and Jill Curb. The segments feature Philanthropy Week and Bicycles for Humanity, a local charity organized by Dean Tate and supported by the students. The Philanthropy Week episode will likely air at 8:30 a.m., May 8, on CBS, and the Bicycles for Humanity segment will air at 8:30 a.m., May 15.  Please note these are the scheduled airdates, but the dates and times can be adjusted by the local stations. Please check your local listings to confirm dates and times.

Middle School Talent Show

On Friday of last week, we held our annual Middle School Talent Show! Our student councl members hosted the event, with 8th graders on hand to provide some entertainment between acts.  Congratulations to all of our students who participated - it takes a great deal of courage to perform in front of one's peers!

Talent Show Winners: 

1st Place:  6th Grader Kevin Fan (piano)

2nd Place:  8th Graders Bradley Palles and Jackson Payne (guitar and drums) 

3rd Place:  6th Grader Drew Dupps (piano)

 "A" Week Tuesday Schedule just for today - B, C, D, E, F, G, A 

Excellence Virtue Quote of the Day  

“If you don't have time to do it right,

when will you have the time to do it over?” 
                      ― John Wooden           

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish”

John Quincy Adams

Upcoming Days in Rotation

Monday, May 2^nd – Day 6

Tuesday, May 3^rd – Day 7

Wednesday, May 4^th – Day 1

Thursday, May 5^th – Day 2

Friday, May 6^th – Day 3

Reminders

• Parents of fourth graders, please remind your children that Monday, May 2^nd is the deadline for Hollingsworth Grant applications.  The applications can be brought to the Lower School office.
• Summer is almost here and that means camps. Don't forget to register your child in one or more of PG's programs. To see what we offer and to register, visit the Porter-Gaud homepage and click on Camp Cyclone in the upper right corner.
• Friday, May 6^th – First Grade Mother’s Tea – 1:30 to 2:30pm in the first grade building.
• Friday, May 6th - Girls Gathering for 1st-5th grade girls 3:00-5:00 pm.  Lower School girls are invited to join teachers to explore leadership.   Through teamwork activities and service projects, the girls will spend the afternoon building valuable skills and bonding.

Fifth Grade Science

Fifth graders have been busy investigating cells and body systems.  After learning about the organelles that make up a cell, they used oil pastels and water colors to create plant and animal cells.  Then, to celebrate National DNA Day, they worked in teams to assemble a model of DNA.  It was a challenge that they tackled with joy!

Mini Meteorologist

Second grader, Ella Betros, joined the News 4 ABC team as a “Mini Meteorologist” on Wednesday evening. Way to go Ella!!

Mining Van

Fourth graders had a visit from Del Allen and his mining van this week.  Wonderful mining treasures were found, examined, and categorized!

Family Math, Science, and Technology Fair

On Thursday evening, more than 125 people joined faculty members for an evening of engaging STEM activities.  Students and their families built towers and balloon rockets, experimented with probability, and separated ink using chromatography - just to name a few!  We are appreciative of our families who braved the traffic and weather to enjoy this fun-filled event with us.