Excitement is in the Air – Fresh Fest is Almost Here!
The Student Life Office is thrilled that FRESH FEST 2025 is just around the corner! Here are the key details to help everyone be ready for this fun night.

Date & Details

• When: Saturday, September 20, 2025
   
• Drop-off: 7:00 PM at the Huffman Center
   
• Pick-up: 11:00 PM at the Huffman Center (please arrive for pick up by 11:00 PM so day student leaders can be done in time to get home safely before midnight)
   
• Boarding students will walk with house leaders to and from the Huffman.

Important Notes

• Attendance: If your student cannot attend, please email tinman@darlingtonschool.org as soon as possible so we can finalize food orders.
   
• Boarding Students: All 9th-grade boarding students on campus this weekend will attend.

What to Wear & Bring

• Dress Code: Casual—house t-shirt, comfortable shorts/pants, and sneakers.
   
• Swimming Gear: Bring a swimsuit and towel if you’d like to swim later in the evening (optional).

Evening Activities

 After check-in and opening games, students will enjoy:

• Dodgeball Tournament (brother-sister house teams)
   
• Darlington & Class of 2029 Trivia with Mr. Pender
   
• Float Relay Races in the pool (brother-sister house teams)
   
• Pizza, snacks, and cookie cake

All events are team-based—no one-on-one competition. Students may watch and cheer if they prefer not to play, and just showing up earns points for their house. These points count toward the Centennial Cup competition!

TigerFest is happening soon! 

All Pre-K to 8th grade students are invited to join for an afternoon of fun, inflatables, foam, and more on Friday, Sept. 26, at Charlie Davidson Field—immediately following school dismissal (3:15-5 p.m.)

Parents attending TigerFest are asked to park in the gravel lot by the baseball field and walk across Cave Spring Road onto the main campus prior to picking up your child(ren). Regular car line will still take place on Friday, Sept. 26, for those unable to attend TigerFest. Additionally, students who regularly attend extended care will be accompanied to TigerFest by extended care staff. Please note that extended care will close at 5 p.m. on Friday.

The Dar Shop will also join the TigerFest fun! Make plans to visit with the shop and browse new merchandise. 

Things we encourage you to send/bring for your TIGER:

• Swimsuit

• Water-friendly shoes

• Change of clothes

• Towel

• Goggles (optional, but ideal for some of the activities)

TigerFest is sponsored by Tiger Pride and is open to all parents and Pre-K to 8 students. Please check your email for additional details shared by your child’s room reps.

On Friday, September 19, all Pre-K to 8 students will observe a Tiger Spirit Day. Students are encouraged to show their school spirit by wearing Darlington gear or purple and white. Go Tigers!

Picture Day for both divisions has concluded, and your children's official portraits for the 2025-2026 school year are now available for purchase!

As we did last year, we will use SmugMug for portrait ordering and distribution. The link can be found at https://darlingtonschool.smugmug.com/

HOW TO PURCHASE: Once you navigate to the site, complete the following steps to find your child’s portrait:

1. Click the folder that contains photos for the 2025-2026 school year.

2. Click your child’s grade level.

3. Find your child and select his or her portrait (students are listed alphabetically by last name).

4. Choose which way you would like to buy the photo (digital file, physical photos, etc.) – There are many sizes available, and you can buy as many as you would like.

5. If you have multiple children at Darlington, you may buy multiple portraits by navigating back to the home screen and following the above instructions to add multiple children’s portraits to your cart.

NOTE: Purchased photos will be printed without the watermark.

Additionally, if you did not have the chance to purchase your student’s portrait last year, those portraits, along with portraits from recent previous years, are available for purchase, as well!

RETAKES INFO: This year, Kelly Moore will offer photo retakes for students and faculty at his studio.

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 28 (1:30-3:30 p.m.) and Monday, Sept. 29 (3-5 p.m.)
• Location: Kelly Moore’s studio (115 S. Broad St.) (drop-in)
  • Students must arrive in the correct attire.
  • We do have crests and ties. We do not have shirts or blazers.
• Price: $40 flat rate per individual for service only paid to Kelly Moore at the time of portrait sitting (rate set by Mr. Moore)
  • Photo itself must be purchased separately on SmugMug.
• If you sit for a retake, that retake photo will replace your original photo as your official photo for the 2025-2026 school year and will appear in the yearbook, on the Darlington website, on identification cards, for any press releases and articles from the communications department, etc.

If you have any questions, please email Mr. Pender or yearbook@darlingtonschool.org.

The deadline for Senior ad sales for the yearbook is quickly approaching! Each year, parents have the option to purchase a senior ad in the yearbook to celebrate their senior's hard work.

If you would like to purchase a senior ad, visit www.darlingtonschool.org/yearbook to complete the checkout process.

The deadline to purchase an ad is Oct. 1, and all photos/text must be submitted by Oct. 15. Examples from previous years can be viewed here.

If you have any questions, please email Mr. Pender or yearbook@darlingtonschool.org.

The Fine Arts Department is pleased to present our Discover events for the fall season, part of this year’s Art in 3D program. Events will take place across campus throughout September and October. Please see the attached calendar for dates, and watch for additional details from the teachers leading each program and ensemble.

We are excited for the Discovery that will take place this season!

Questions? Contact Kim Tunnell at ktunnell@darlingtonschool.org.

• 2025 Fine Arts Fall Discover Calendar.png (427.96 KB)