Powhatan County Public Schools -

History is coming to life at Powhatan High School, and they need the community’s help.
Rho Kappa, the National Social Studies Honor Society, has opened the Powhatan High School Archive, bringing together three historical collections focused on Powhatan High School, Powhatan County, and U.S. and Virginia history.
Housing the three archival collections will give students opportunities to work directly with primary sources and make historical materials available for use in history, science, and other classes. It also creates an opportunity to preserve the stories and artifacts that help tell the story of Powhatan.
Community members are invited to help grow the archive by sharing historical items and participating in oral history interviews. Do you have a story about Powhatan’s past or an artifact that could contribute to the collection? To learn more about sharing your story or contributing materials, please contact Garrett Hall at garrett.hall@powhatan.k12.va.us or Amanda Henderson at amanda.henderson@powhatan.k12.va.us.
Let’s work together to preserve Powhatan’s history for future generations! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

REMINDER: Friday, October 23 is a Student Holiday/PCPS Teacher Work Day and Monday, October 26 is Student Holiday/Professional Development Day.

During the regular October meeting, the School Board recognized Powhatan High School junior Ryan Urban, who recently completed his Eagle Scout project by organizing and customizing nine sensory carts. One cart was donated to Flat Rock Elementary School. Others were distributed to Powhatan County Public Library, a church, and several schools in the Richmond metro area. Ryan raised about $5,000 through local donors and fundraisers to complete the carts, which cost about $600 each. From start to finish, the project took about a year, and Ryan said he couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. He was inspired by his brother’s godmother, an elementary special education coordinator, and by friends with sensory needs whom he knew could benefit from access to resources on a sensory cart. Seeing how sensory tools can help people feel more comfortable and supported was a big part of what motivated him to create the carts.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

During the regular October meeting, the School Board recognized Powhatan High School FFA members, who represented their school at the June 2026 Virginia Future Farmers of America (FFA) State Convention. Students earned 1st place in Junior Agricultural Mechanics. Additionally, the Turfgrass Management team placed 5th in the state, and this year was our 100th FFA group attending! Pictured with the School Board are PHS student winners Waylon Burns, Hayden Columbo-Powell, Charles Jamerson, and Hunter Kantzler and student advisor Chris Whitlow.

Good morning PCPS Community. The Powhatan County School Board Recap for the October regular meeting is ready to view. As always, the goal of this newsletter is to help people who don't have the time to come to or watch full School Board meetings still stay abreast of what is going on in our school division. The newsletter link is here: https://app.smore.com/n/ad431.

Bailey’s Cafe is back in business! Powhatan High School’s student-run cafe opened today for the first time this school year, continuing a strong tradition of giving culinary students hands-on experience running a small cafe for PHS staff.
Under the guidance of new culinary teacher Mr. Peyton, students prepared ingredients, set up the cafe, cooked the food, and served their customers. Mr. Peyton said he was proud of the work they put into making the cafe’s first day a success.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

We are a little late in sharing, but these moments from Pocahontas Elementary’s Open House are still worth celebrating. Families came together before the start of the school year to meet teachers, visit classrooms, and help students get ready for the year ahead. Thank you to everyone who joined us and to the staff members and volunteers who helped welcome families into the building. We’re happy to finally share a few photos from the evening and celebrate the Pocahontas community that helps make our schools special. 🧡🖤 See more photos on the PCPS Facebook page.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Learning to work with animals starts with knowing how to handle them safely! Earlier this semester, students in Ms. Smith’s Small Animal Care class at Powhatan High School got hands-on experience with Chubs the guinea pig and met two goats, Bonnie and Clyde. Through these introductions, students learned about safe animal handling while getting a closer look at the work involved in caring for animals. These experiences help connect classroom learning to real-world careers in the animal industry. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a nationwide campaign dedicated to raising awareness, educating communities, and uniting to end bullying and cyberbullying. The Powhatan County School Board and all of Powhatan County Public Schools ask our community to come together to do your part and join us in teaching our children to help prevent bullying.
Bullying manifests in four primary ways: physical, verbal, social/relational (such as spreading rumors or exclusion), and cyberbullying. While physical behavior leaves visible signs, verbal and relational harm can be just as damaging to a child's well-being. Children don't always ask for help directly, making it important to watch for subtle behavioral changes.
* Emotional Signs: Unexplained anxiety, loss of confidence, mood swings, or withdrawal.
* Physical & Academic Signs: Frequent stomachaches or headaches, sudden drop in grades, or reluctance to go to school.
* Action Step: Reach out to your child's teacher or school counselor early if you notice sudden changes in their social habits or mood.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan #stopbullying

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library Board, in conjunction with ACG Hospice, will be sponsoring a Color Run and Family Fair at Powhatan High School on October 17th at 9:00 a.m. Proceeds from this event will support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for Powhatan. Funds will be used to put books in the hands of children ages 0-5 years old in the county. We hope everyone can join us for this fun event in support of a great cause!
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Students in Mrs. Ayers’ and Ms. Smith’s class at Flat Rock Elementary recently rotated through language arts stations, working individually and in groups to read decodable texts, practice heart words, use those words in sentences, and work with words ending in -all, -oll, and -ull. Each station offered another opportunity to practice the foundational skills that help young readers grow! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

REMINDER: The Powhatan County School Board’s next meeting is on October 13, 2026 at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 Anderson Highway, Powhatan, VA 23139
4:00 p.m. Regular Meetings will begin with a scheduled closed session
6:00 p.m. Regular Open Meeting Begins - Streamed Live on YouTube
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

A familiar face in the school building can make a student’s day! 🧡🖤
Powhatan Elementary recently welcomed its first Watch D.O.G.S. volunteer of the 2026–2027 school year, a proud grandfather who spent time supporting students and staff. The program gives dads, grandfathers, uncles, and other father figures an opportunity to volunteer, connect with students, and make a positive difference in their school community.
All PCPS elementary schools offer this opportunity to get involved. If the men in your family are interested in participating, reach out to your child’s elementary school to learn more about its Watch D.O.G.S. program and how to sign up. Those extra hands and familiar faces are always appreciated!
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

As Fire Prevention Week comes to a close, what better time to look back on a recent visit from Assistant Fire Chief Pat Schoeffel to Powhatan Middle School? 🚒 Mrs. Mesco’s Family and Consumer Sciences students learned about kitchen safety, how fires develop, and what to do if a fire breaks out. Chief Schoeffel also explained how fire extinguishers work and when they may be used and let the students practice using a fire extinguisher.
Thank you to Chief Schoeffel for sharing important fire safety knowledge that students can carry with them beyond the classroom! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Earlier this week, preschoolers enjoyed an evening of reading, music, and dance at Literacy for the Littles, led by children’s librarian Miss Emily. Along with stories and activities, each child received a goodie bag that included a copy of The Rainbow Fish, one of the stories shared during the event. A special thank-you to the Powhatan County Public Library for partnering with PCPS to promote literacy, and to the Powhatan Imagination Library for helping foster a love of reading among our youngest learners. 🧡🖤 Stay tuned throughout the school year for more events aimed at engaging our Powhatan’s preschool-age children.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Mrs. Heinike’s honors biology class recently conducted an investigation to determine if digestive enzymes were responsible for breaking down complex carbohydrates to simple carbohydrates using Benedict’s Solution as an indicator. The results didn’t turn out exactly as expected, but that’s part of doing science. As Mrs. Heinike pointed out, investigations don’t always go according to plan, and unexpected results can be part of the learning process.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

A milestone worth celebrating

Today, the Virginia Department of Education released accountability results for the 2025–26 school year, and Powhatan County Public Schools has plenty to celebrate: PCPS earned full accreditation, and ALL FIVE of our schools earned the state’s highest performance category, Distinguished. 🎉

This recognition reflects the hard work of our staff and students and the families who support them. It represents the countless moments each day when teachers challenge students, students rise to those challenges, and families partner with our schools to help their children learn and grow. We are proud of what this achievement says about the commitment of our entire school community.

At the same time, we know a strong result is not a reason to stop growing. Distinguished does not mean perfect, and it does not mean there isn't more work to do. We know there are students who need additional support, opportunities we can strengthen, and ways we can continue improving the experience and outcomes for every student.

So today, we celebrate the achievement and the people behind it. Tomorrow, we keep moving forward.

Congratulations to our students, staff, and families on this accomplishment. We are proud to be PCPS, and we are always working to be better for every student.

#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

There are many reasons families may not have the time to volunteer in the ways they’ve traditionally been asked to. But supporting your child’s school and community doesn’t have to mean committing to a regular schedule or taking on a big role.
So, what are the possibilities? Join the next Powhatan Strong: Family Connection Series session Tuesday at noon to learn more about opportunities for families and community members to get involved with Powhatan County Public Schools.
Whether you have a little time, a lot of time, or something specific you’d like to contribute, there may be a way to make it work. ☕🧡🖤
Scan the QR code on the graphic or click on https://bit.ly/PowhatanStrong26-27 to join the online discussion.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🎨 PCPS students, we want to see what the holiday season means to you!
Students in pre-K through twelfth grade are invited to submit artwork inspired by the theme “What does the holiday season mean to you and your family?” One or more student submissions will be selected to appear on the PCPS official holiday card!
Submissions are due October 30, 2026. Artwork can be turned in to your school’s front office or emailed to Stacey Pafford at stacey.pafford@powhatan.k12.va.us.
Check out the flyer for all the details and start creating! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Third graders in Mrs. Trigg’s class at Powhatan Elementary recently worked on language and writing skills with some hands-on activities, with help from Mrs. Reid. Students worked in groups to play games focused on prefixes before turning their attention to writing. Then they brainstormed ideas for a prompt about how to stay out of trouble and used a graphic organizer to plan their ideas into structured paragraphs. A little wordplay, a little writing, and plenty of practice! 📝🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan