Academic calendar
School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 17, 2026 – May 28, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- School Year 2026-2027Relevant now
Campus language
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Showing 49 of 49 terms
A
- AA
- Athletic Association, the student organization that coordinates the Purple and White team competitions.
- AHA
- Ashley Hall Alumnae Association.
- AHAS
- Ashley Hall After-School, the program providing extracurricular activities and care after the standard school day.
- AHS
- The common abbreviation for Ashley Hall School.
B
- Big Sister/Little Sister
- The mentorship program pairing older students with younger students for campus guidance.
- Big/Little
- The Big Sister/Little Sister program that pairs older students with younger students for mentorship.
- BSS
- Big Sister/Little Sister, the school's mentorship program between grade levels.
C
- CAB
- Community Action Board, the student organization focused on service and volunteering.
- Class Day
- A major annual tradition and formal ceremony held at the end of the school year.
G
- Gazette
- The student-run newspaper covering campus news and events.
- Georgie
- The legendary 'friendly ghost' said to inhabit the attic of McBee House.
- GSP
- Global Student Program, the residential and academic program for international students.
H
- Hanging of the Greens
- A major winter holiday tradition involving the ceremonial decoration of the campus.
I
- IB
- International Baccalaureate, referring to the school's global curriculum framework and status as an IB World School.
L
- Lane
- Lane Hall, one of the residential houses on campus.
- Lewine House
- The Elizabeth Rivers Lewine '54 House for Global Studies, a restored historic mansion used for student residence and global programming.
M
- Mabel's
- Mabel's House, the primary on-campus residence for the school's boarding program.
- McBee
- The historic McBee House, which serves as the primary residence for boarding students.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, a common academic organization on campus.
P
- PAC
- Parent Action Committee.
- Panther Pride
- The collective spirit associated with the school's mascot, the Panther.
- Panthers
- The official mascot of Ashley Hall athletic teams.
- Pardue
- The residential area for Upper School boarders located on the upper floors of Pardue Hall.
- Purple and White
- The two intramural teams that every student is assigned to for life for school competitions.
R
- Ring Ceremony
- A major junior year milestone where students receive their school rings.
- Rutledge
- Rutledge House, a residential facility used for upperclassmen boarding students.
S
- Senior Patio
- A designated outdoor space on campus reserved specifically for members of the senior class.
- Senior Stairs
- The front steps of McBee House, which are traditionally reserved for use by the senior class only.
- Senior Will
- A tradition where graduating seniors 'leave' humorous legacies or items to underclassmen.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary student leadership body.
- Spiral
- The student-produced literary and arts magazine.
- Spiral
- The name of the Ashley Hall annual yearbook.
- SPIRIT
- The student-led committee responsible for school spirit and organizing traditional events.
T
- The Acanthus
- The school's student-run literary magazine and newspaper.
- The Bear
- The school mascot, often referenced during spirit weeks and athletic events.
- The Bear Cave
- The student lounge and snack bar located in the lower level of McBee House.
- The Big House
- McBee House, the historic Regency-style villa that serves as the school's iconic main building and former boarding residence.
- The Bistro
- A smaller cafe-style dining area on campus for quick snacks and drinks.
- The Close
- The traditional name for the gated and secure campus grounds.
- The Commons
- The Dining Commons, the central facility for student meals and boarding dining.
- The Dining Hall
- The central campus facility where students gather for meals, often referred to simply as the dining hall in student life contexts.
- The House
- The on-campus boarding residence, primarily housed within the upper floors of the historic McBee House and surrounding buildings.
- The Ring
- The iconic oval shell-shaped class ring awarded to seniors, a major symbol of the school.
- The Shell
- The name of the Ashley Hall annual yearbook.
- The Shell
- The official name for the Ashley Hall yearbook staff and publication.
- The Spiral
- The iconic free-standing spiral staircase located inside McBee House.
- The Spiral
- The student-led literary and arts magazine.
- The Well
- The campus wishing well, a popular meeting spot and landmark on The Close.
W
- Woods
- Woods Hall, a boarding residence.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- ashley_hall_dining_commons
- Ashley Hall Dining Commons
- Big Sister/Little Sister
- The formal mentorship program pairing older students with younger students for campus navigation and traditions.
- Blackbaud
- The online student information system used for checking grades, schedules, and school announcements.
- Bridges
- The official orientation program designed to welcome and integrate new students into the Ashley Hall community.
- Burges
- The Burges Center for Media and Technology, the campus library and tech hub.
- Class Day
- The traditional end-of-year ceremony celebrating the student body's achievements.
- Davies
- Davies Auditorium, the primary venue for school assemblies and performances.
- Davies Auditorium
- The primary venue for school assemblies, performances, and presentations.
- Formal Uniform
- The specific dress code required for special events, ceremonies, and Class Day.
- Jenkins
- Jenkins Hall, the facility housing the Lower School.
- Jenkins Hall
- The building housing the Lower School classrooms.
- Lane
- Lane Hall, the campus building dedicated to science and mathematics.
- Lane Hall
- Part of the Lower School complex housing early childhood and elementary grades.
- Lane House
- The administrative building housing the Admission and Advancement offices.
- Late Start
- Scheduled days where classes begin later than usual to allow for faculty professional development.
- McBee
- McBee House, the historic administrative hub and centerpiece of the campus.
- McBee House
- The central historic building on campus housing administration and boarding.
- Muti House
- The Muti House for Performing Arts, a historic property dedicated to the school's arts programs.
- Pardue
- Pardue Hall, the main academic building for Upper School students.
- Pardue Hall
- The academic building dedicated to the Upper School (grades 9-12).
- Rutledge
- Rutledge House, a campus building used for various school functions and offices.
- Smith Center
- The Smith Center for Health & Wellness, the campus gym and athletic facility.
- Smith Hall
- The facility for the Intermediate School (grades 5-6).
- Smith House
- The building that houses the Admission and Institutional Advancement offices.
- Smith Street
- The back entrance of the campus, commonly used for athletic access and secondary student drop-off.
- Smith Street Gate
- The main pedestrian and vehicle entrance to the campus.
- Spirit Shop
- The on-campus store where students can buy uniforms, books, and school gear.
- Team Cup
- The trophy awarded annually to either the Purple or White team based on points earned in academics, arts, and athletics.
- The Bear Cave
- A unique campus structure originally built to house a pet bear, now used as a backdrop for traditions like fossil hunts and commencement.
- The Bear's Den
- The on-campus school store where students can purchase uniforms, supplies, and snacks.
- The Boutique
- The on-campus store where students purchase uniforms, books, and school gear.
- The Gate
- The main security entrance to the campus located on Smith Street.
- The Gazebo
- A central campus landmark on the lawn often used as a meeting spot for students.
- The Loop
- The designated traffic pattern and driveway for student drop-off and pick-up.
- The Portal
- Common shorthand for the Veracross student and parent login page.
- The Rutledge Gate
- The main security entrance to the campus located on Rutledge Avenue.
- The Shell
- The outdoor amphitheater used for graduation and school events.
- The Shell
- The Blackbaud-based online portal used by students and parents for grades, schedules, and assignments.
- The Shellhouse
- The library and learning resource center.
- The Smith
- The Smith Center for Health & Wellness, the main athletic and gym facility.
- The Smith Center
- The Smith Center for Health & Wellness, which includes the gymnasium and pool.
- The Spiral
- The historic spiral staircase inside McBee House, a central architectural feature and common photo spot.
- The Spiral Walk
- A graduation tradition where seniors take a final walk through campus while the student body sings to them.
- The Spirit Shop
- The on-campus store where students can purchase required uniforms and school-branded gear.
- The Spirit Store
- The on-campus shop where students purchase required uniform items and school merchandise.
- The Van
- The shuttle service provided for boarding students for weekend trips and local transportation.
- Veracross
- The online portal used by students and parents to access schedules, grades, and assignments.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- School Year 2026-2027 runs Aug 17, 2026 – May 28, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 49 approved campus terms and 47 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.