Powhatan County Public Schools -

📣 We're Hiring! Join the PCPS Team 📣
Powhatan County Public Schools is looking for passionate, dedicated professionals to join our team! 🌟
Current Openings:
• Library Media Specialist – Powhatan Elementary
• Math Coach – Powhatan High School
• Behavior Specialist
• Executive Assistant to the Superintendent/School Board Clerk
At PCPS, career, community, and family come together to create something truly special.
📲 Interested? Contact Human Resources at (804) 598-5700 or visit 🌐 www.powhatan.k12.va.us to apply today!

As part of upcoming work at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, demolition of a vacant portion of the building is scheduled to begin next week. We recognize the site’s importance to many and are committed to preserving its history where possible. If you know the site of any time capsules or buried items of historical significance on the former Pocahontas School grounds, please contact Bob Benway at robert.benway@powhatan.k12.va.us.

The latest School Board Recap Newsletter is now available! Catch up on the highlights from the June 24 meeting and stay informed about the important decisions shaping our schools. Your voice matters, and we invite the entire community to engage with the information that affects us all. Read the newsletter to learn more and join the conversation about our students' futures! The link to the newsletter is in the first comment. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🌟 Leadership in Action! 🌟 Last week, five of our Powhatan High School JROTC cadets stepped out of their comfort zones and into a week full of challenges, growth, and inspiration at the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge held at Fort Walker. Alongside more than 250 cadets from high schools across Virginia and North Carolina, our students: ✅ Developed real-world leadership skills ✅ Learned the importance of being a strong team player ✅ Gained self-confidence ✅ Built connections beyond their own school Whether leading a team or learning how to support others in charge, they rose to every challenge—and came back stronger, more united, and ready to lead. 👏 Huge congratulations to these outstanding cadets for representing Powhatan with pride and purpose. The future of leadership is bright—and it’s right here in Powhatan! #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🚍 It's almost test drive time! 🚍 Ever wondered what it's like to drive a school bus? Now’s your chance! Join Powhatan County Public Schools for a Test Drive a School Bus event! 📅 Tuesday, June 24 🕦 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 📍 Powhatan Middle School, 4135 Old Buckingham Road ✅ Free lunch 🎟️ Raffle prizes 🚌 Try driving a real school bus!* 💬 Learn about becoming a bus driver Details 👉 www.powhatan.k12.va.us 📞 804-598-5700 *Must be 18+ and have a valid driver's license to drive. Don’t miss this fun community event!

Summer camp season officially got underway last week with the Youth Cheer Camp! 📣🧡 Led by our amazing PHS Cheerleading Team and coaches, campers spent the week learning the basics of cheerleading: motions, jumps, cheers, dance, and even stunts! These future spirit leaders brought the energy all week and wrapped it up with an awesome final day showcase. Stay tuned… more camps and fun to come! 🧡🖤 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

School might be out for summer, but we are still catching up on some great moments from the past few months! In May, Powhatan Middle School Civics and Econ classes (with Mrs. Garrigan, Coach Winton, and Ms. Oden) had a special visit from a guest speaker with the Richmond Federal Reserve. Students learned about what the Fed does, the wide range of careers it offers, and how to spot counterfeit money. It was a fantastic session that helped bring real-world connections to what they had been learning in class. #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

School may be out, but the work doesn’t stop at Powhatan County Public Schools! ☀️📚 While students and teachers enjoy a well-earned summer break, our school leaders and Central Office staff are hard at work planning for the next school year. Throughout the summer, each school holds a State of the School event to reflect on the past year and plan for an even better 2025–2026. Many classroom teachers also volunteer their time to do this important work. Powhatan Middle School kicked things off right away, diving into planning sessions as soon as the school year ended—leading the way for the rest of our schools. 💪 These summer efforts directly support our Strategic Plan goals, especially our focus on Academic Success. By reviewing what worked—and what can be improved—we’re laying the foundation for stronger instruction, more student growth, and continued excellence across all schools. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes glimpses of how we're preparing for the future... one planning session at a time! 👏📈 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🚍 Ever wondered what it's like to drive a school bus? Now’s your chance! Join Powhatan County Public Schools for a Test Drive a School Bus event! 📅 Tuesday, June 24 🕦 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. 📍 Powhatan Middle School, 4135 Old Buckingham Road ✅ Free lunch 🎟️ Raffle prizes 🚌 Try driving a real school bus!* 💬 Learn about becoming a bus driver Details 👉 www.powhatan.k12.va.us 📞 804-598-5700 *Must be 18+ to drive. Don’t miss this fun community event!

🔐 Innovation in Action Series: Spotlight #8 – Unlocking Student Success with Breakout EDU 🔐 We’re closing out our Innovation in Action Series with a powerful, game-based project designed to build future-ready leaders! Thanks to a Powhatan Education Foundation Classroom Innovation Grant, Kelly Terry and Mary Lisa Watts brought Breakout EDU to Flat Rock Elementary. This engaging, interactive learning experience promotes the 4Cs: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking. 🧠💬🤝🎨 Breakout EDU uses exciting, escape-room-style challenges to reinforce curriculum content while building essential life skills. The program blends both digital and physical experiences—students could tackle Chromebook-based puzzles to "break out" digitally or engage in hands-on problem-solving with real locks, clues, and a physical breakout box. This versatility of these two different formats allows educators to tailor the experience to best meet student needs and challenge learners in different ways. These activities are fully customizable, making them accessible for all learners and adaptable across grade levels and subject areas. Whether solving puzzles, decoding clues, or working as a team to unlock the box, students are having fun and building confidence, problem-solving abilities, and leadership skills that support the PCPS Portrait of a Graduate even at this early age. ‘Huge thanks to Ms. Terry and Ms. Watts for unlocking new ways to learn—and making classrooms more engaging, meaningful, and collaborative! The program was also highlighted as one of the stations at the PCPS STEM Expo this spring. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

💻 Innovation in Action Series: Spotlight #7 – Real-World Coding in the Library 💻 The Powhatan Education Foundation’s Classroom Innovation Grants are helping students turn curiosity into creativity—and that’s exactly what’s been happening at Pocahontas Elementary School, thanks to librarian Tiffany Ray! Through her project, Real-World Coding in the Library, students in grades 3–5 have been diving into authentic JavaScript coding using Bitsbox, a web-based platform that works right on their school-issued Chromebooks. No extra devices needed—just imagination and a willingness to learn! Students build their own interactive apps inspired by topics they’ve researched or stories explored during Library Resource Class 📚💡. With each “coding recipe,” they’re learning essential skills like variables, coordinates, loops, and functions, while also gaining confidence in debugging and creative problem-solving. The best part? These projects are open-ended—designed to grow with each student. From games and drawing tools to stories and simulations, every creation becomes a launchpad for more learning and innovation. The program was on display at this year’s STEM Expo for all children to try as well. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🎉 The countdown is officially on! 🎒✨ Friday, May 30 is the last day of school for Powhatan County Public Schools! Here are the early dismissal times to help you plan ahead: 🕙 PMS – 10:40 a.m. 🕙 PHS – 10:45 a.m. 🕛 All Elementary Schools – 12:00 p.m. Let’s finish the year strong, PCPS! Have a great summer! ☀️📚🎈 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

💬 Innovation in Action Series: Spotlight #6 – Kimochis: Let’s Make Feelings Better Together! 💬 Thanks to support from the Powhatan Education Foundation, another incredible Classroom Innovation Grant is helping students grow—not just academically, but emotionally. This spotlight features the Kimochis Educational Program, a hands-on, playful approach to building emotional intelligence through interactive learning. “Kimochi” means feelings in Japanese, and that’s exactly what this project centers on—helping students develop a rich emotional vocabulary and learn how to express their feelings in healthy, constructive ways. 🧠 🧡 Using soft “feeling pillows” as therapeutic tools, students engage in meaningful activities that promote self-awareness, communication, empathy, and resilience. These lessons are rooted in child development research and social-emotional learning best practices. 👏 Special thanks to Kirsten Lightner, Dianne White, Jennifer Lavimodiere, and Taileah Rich for bringing this powerful resource to PCPS, with plans to expand to all schools. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🎨 Earlier in the semester, Ms. Tyson’s second graders had a colorful time in art class with Mrs. Kunka, working on vibrant landscape paintings using tempera paint! 🖌️🌄 They mixed their own secondary colors like orange, green, and violet 🟠🟢🟣 and learned how to add texture to bring their artwork to life. ✨ So much creativity and hands-on learning happened in PCPS art classes this year! 🖼️ #wearepcps #teampowhatan

The works of students in Powhatan High School’s AP Studio Art class were featured in a special exhibit held this month at the War Memorial Culture Arts and Community Center. AP Art students complete a portfolio of art between September and May. As the final exam, the students submit their portfolio to AP College Board for assessment. These students develop a question to investigate through the art making process. Each question is unique to the student and usually personal in nature. Working with their amazing art teacher, Ms. Wirt, students spend a year developing their art skills as they gain an understanding of how to use their art to answer questions of importance to them. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Powhatan Elementary held its annual Teachers vs. Fifth Graders Kickball Game on Tuesday, and plenty of laughs were had by all! 😄 The teachers may have taken home the win this year 🏆, but the real victory was all the fun, teamwork, and school spirit on the field. Way to go, fifth graders—you gave it your all! 👏💪 Until next year! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🚨 Job Opportunity: Executive Director - Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School 🚨 Are you a visionary leader passionate about gifted education and academic excellence? The Regional School Board invites dynamic, experienced educators to apply for the Executive Director position at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies in Richmond, Virginia — a nationally recognized public magnet school serving high-achieving students in grades 9–12, including Powhatan County Public Schools. Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2025 Salary Range: $150,000 – $170,000 (commensurate with experience) Serving multiple localities across Central Virginia Requirements: * Master’s degree and VA PreK–12 Administration * Licensure as a building-level principal in Virginia * Minimum 3 years of experience as a high school principal * Gifted endorsement or willingness to pursue * Preferred: Ph.D., curriculum development and gifted teaching, and a variety of experience in high school instruction Read the full job description and apply online at: https://powhatan.schoolspring.com/. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of one of Virginia’s premier academic institutions. Join us in fostering a culture of innovation, equity, and excellence. Questions? Contact Terri Allison, PCPS Director of Human Resources: (804) 598-5700 Please do not contact regional school board members directly.

🎓 Just a few favorite moments from Powhatan High School’s beautiful graduation night! 🧡✨Want to see even more photos from the big night? Head over to the PCPS Facebook page for a full three-part series capturing all the excitement, smiles, and celebration! 📸🎉 Congratulations again to the PHS Class of 2025 — we’re so proud of you! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🎓 Tonight’s the big night, Powhatan! Graduation kicks off at 7 p.m., and we know families are getting ready to celebrate their amazing seniors. Before the caps fly, we want to take a moment to recognize two standout students — PHS Valedictorian Claira Lively and Salutatorian Jamison Wallace. Their hard work, dedication, and leadership have inspired their classmates and made our community proud. Congratulations on this incredible achievement — your future is bright! #wearepcps #teampowhatan