Powhatan County Public Schools -

The day before Winter Break, the Polar Express made a special stop at Pocahontas Elementary for first graders! 🚂❄️ Students enjoyed a magical experience inspired by the beloved story and each received a brand-new book to take home. A big thank-you to “Conductor” Carol Crump for helping make this memorable day special for our young readers. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

In the last few months, second graders from all three PCPS elementary schools traveled to the Elizabeth Randolph Lewis Powhatan YMCA to participate in the Learn to Swim program. The free swimming lessons are supported by fundraising efforts of YMCA donors with the goal of saving lives through water safety education and swimming instruction. At the end of the program, students receive a certification of achievement and a Learn to Swim T-shirt. Throughout the lessons, the kids learned critical water safety skills such as asking permission to enter the water, swim-float-swim, dog paddling, and how to save someone who is drowning without putting themselves in danger. PCPS thanks the YMCA and the amazing instructors who make this important skill so fun and engaging for our second graders. Check out some of these fun Learn to Swim moments with Flat Rock Elementary students in Ms. Tyson’s and Ms. Korté’s classes right before Winter Break. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Students in Mr. Raychouni’s classes at Powhatan Middle School stepped into the role of broadcast meteorologists as part of a Weathercast Production unit earlier this semester. Students wrote scripts, practiced on-camera delivery, and used green screen technology to film their forecasts before editing their final videos using digital production tools. Along the way, they built skills in communication, problem-solving, creativity, and media production – learning how technology and storytelling come together to create a polished broadcast. 🎬🌦️
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Students in Mrs. Schwartz’s kindergarten class at Flat Rock Elementary recently spent a special day creating handmade keepsakes for their families and friends. With help from parent volunteers, students rotated through several craft stations before wrapping up the day with a holiday party – complete with decorating Mrs. Schwartz as a Christmas tree. 🎄🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Powhatan Middle School eighth graders in Mrs. Phinney’s Physical Science class put Newton’s Laws of Motion to the test earlier this semester through a hands-on station lab. Students rotated through experiments designed to help them describe, predict, and explain how forces affect the motion of objects.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

On the last day before Winter Break, Mrs. McCue’s first graders at Pocahontas Elementary put their imaginations to work during a creative writing activity centered on the prompt, “If I were an elf…” ✏️🧝‍♂️ Students created their own elves and wrote stories to match, proudly sharing their finished work together as a class. #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Mrs. Cable’s kindergarten class at Powhatan Elementary got into the holiday spirit earlier this month with a hands-on craft project. Students created festive fabric wreaths, practicing fine motor skills while expressing their creativity.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Ms. Yates, Ms. Phillips, and Ms. Plazola’s preschool class at Flat Rock Elementary recently started their school day by making cards for their Teach for Tomorrow student teacher, a Powhatan High School senior, to show their love. A sweet moment of reading, gratitude, and connection across grade levels. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Pocahontas Elementary kindergarteners took a community helper field trip earlier this semester to learn more about the people and places that help keep their community running. From grocery stores and banks to the courthouse, fire department, sheriff’s office, an animal hospital, and even a sweet stop along the way, students got a firsthand look at how different helpers serve others each day. We’re grateful to our local partners for welcoming our curious young learners and helping make these connections come to life. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

During Mrs. Henley’s technology class at Powhatan Elementary, Mrs. Hall’s kindergarten students received a hands-on introduction to coding. 🐭💻 The students learned the basics of programming by building simple algorithms to guide a Robot Mouse to its target. Through trial, error, and teamwork, students practiced sequencing and problem-solving in a fun, age-appropriate way. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Sixth graders in Mr. Johnson’s and Mr. Bookbinder’s exploratory music classes at Powhatan Middle School got creative earlier this semester in the Innovation Lab with Dr. Spott. Students engineered models of musical instruments designed to change pitch, then explained how those changes would work if the instruments were real. A great blend of music, engineering, and problem-solving as students explored how sound is created and manipulated. 🎶🔧
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Merry Christmas! Powhatan County Public Schools wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday. We can't wait to see everyone in 2026!
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

After reading about the Gingerbread Man, Mrs. Lisa Rakes’ VPI Pre-K students at Powhatan Elementary went on an adventure of their own last week. 🍪👣 The Gingerbread Man had been spotted all around the school, leaving behind clues for students to follow as they tried to catch him. He may have been too fast to catch, but he did leave some special treats for them to find in their classroom at the end of the hunt. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Mrs. Peyton and Ms. Tolley’s senior English students at Powhatan High School recently kicked off their introduction to A Christmas Carol with a hands-on library activity that mixed learning with a little friendly competition. 📚🎄 One station tested students’ tossing skills while they worked together to decide whether various British holiday traditions were true or false.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Second graders at Powhatan Elementary learned the many jobs one little letter can do earlier this month. ✏️📖 In Mrs. Cheatham’s class, students explored the different sounds the letter Y can make depending on where it appears in a word. This structured literacy lesson helped students build phonics skills and deepen their understanding of how words work – one sound at a time.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🎄🏃‍♀️ What a night to move! 🏃‍♂️🎄
Pocahontas Elementary showed up in a big way at the CarMax Tacky Light Run and Twilight 1-Mile Kids Run earlier this month. A total of 45 POCA students represented the POCA Stride Run Club, joining more than 5,000 runners in the festive 4-mile event and 785 kids in the Twilight One-Miler.
Stride Run Club leader Mrs. Britz cheered on students while running alongside participants, celebrating their commitment to healthy habits, confidence, and perseverance. A big thank-you to Sports Backers and Kids on the Move for creating fun, inclusive events that inspire lifelong fitness – 1 mile (and lots of twinkly lights!) at a time. 🌟 Way to go, POCA! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Powhatan County Public Schools recently partnered with Longwood University for the second round of hearing screenings this fall. Graduate students from Longwood’s speech-language pathology program visited both the high school and middle school to conduct screenings, gaining valuable clinical experience while supporting our students’ well-being.
We’re grateful for strong community partnerships like this one that create meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities and benefit students of all ages. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Flat Rock Elementary students sharpened their coding skills in December with no screens required! In Mrs. Osborne’s classes, students explored coding concepts and vocabulary through hands-on, “unplugged” activities. Using puzzles, games, and mazes with Indi Cars and Ozobots, students practiced problem-solving with commands, sequences, and algorithms – all while working together as a team. These engaging tools were made possible through Curtis Grant donations from previous years, and they continue to spark creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking across grade levels. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Winter break is the perfect time to slow down and enjoy a good story. ❄️📚
Some special PCPS readers have recorded storytime videos to help keep the joy of reading going while school is out. These videos are available to watch anytime and are perfect for cozy moments at home.
Scan the QR code on the flier or find the link in the comments to start watching and reading along this winter break. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Paula Duncan named PCPS Teacher of the Year
POWHATAN, VA – Powhatan County Public Schools is proud to announce that Powhatan High School’s Paula Duncan has been named the Division Teacher of the Year fiscal year (FY) 2027.
Mrs. Duncan serves as the Social Studies Department Chair and teaches AP Human Geography and World History II. She has spent 25 years with Powhatan County Public Schools – all of them at PHS – and has 32 years of experience in education.
The announcement was made on Thursday, December 19, during an impromptu staff meeting at the high school. Principal Mike Pierce said Mrs. Duncan is renowned among her students for her enthusiasm and engagement as well as for the strong relationships she builds with them.
Her colleagues – several of whom are her former students – praised Mrs. Duncan for her impact as both an educator and mentor. One colleague shared that her “ability to bring history to life through her energy, unmatched content knowledge and care for her students is one of the reasons I wanted to become a teacher.” Another noted, “She was a tremendous wealth of knowledge and deeply cared about helping me with my students when I was figuring out how to teacher. Without Mrs. Duncan, I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today.”
At the risk of sounding cliché, Mrs. Duncan said she simply loves Powhatan High School – the job, the workplace, and the students and staff.
“I have spent my entire career coming in here and working with phenomenal staff and phenomenal students,” she said. “I think that is what keeps me coming through the door every day and actually loving it.”
Mrs. Duncan said she was amazed and humbled by the honor, both because of the outstanding school-based winners she was nominated with and when she considers the caliber of educators she works alongside at Powhatan High School.
“I walk by some of my colleagues’ doors on a daily basis and see amazing things that they do, and I think to myself, ‘I want to be really good like that. That’s how I want to be,’” she said. “That really is inspiring to me, and that is what really makes me honored, because I am being honored by some of the best of the best.”
Beyond her work in the classroom, Mrs. Duncan has demonstrated leadership at the local, state, and national levels. She is an active member of the Virginia Geographic Alliance and the National Council for Geographic Education and has served in leadership roles with Alpha Delta Kappa. She is also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and volunteers with the Feeding Powhatan Food Pantry.
Mrs. Duncan has also contributed to curriculum and assessment development through her service on multiple Virginia Department of Education committees, including helping to design the World History II Standards of Learning and serving on World History I test design and question development teams.
In addition to the Division Teacher of the Year, Powhatan County Public Schools is proud to recognize the following FY 2027 school-level Teachers of the Year:
• Amanda Henley, Powhatan Elementary School – Serving as Technology Resource Teacher and Innovative Learning Liaison, Mrs. Henley has spent 16 years supporting students and staff by expanding learning opportunities, encouraging creativity, and integrating technology in meaningful ways.
• Cindy Raley, Pocahontas Elementary School – A second grade teacher and team lead, Mrs. Raley has been part of the Pocahontas Elementary community for six years and brings eight years of teaching experience marked by dedication to students, colleagues, and her school.
• Kristen Bentzen, Flat Rock Elementary School – An Innovative Learning Coach supporting both Flat Rock Elementary and Powhatan High School, Ms. Bentzen is in her third year in her current role, year 11 with the division, and has 21 years in education, with a strong focus on innovation and collaboration.
• Mike Morin, Powhatan Middle School – A sixth-grade science teacher, Mr. Morin has dedicated 27 years to PCPS and 28 years to education, making a lasting impact on generations of students through his passion and commitment.
We are deeply grateful for all of our FY 2027 Teacher of the Year nominees, whose commitment to students and passion for education exemplify the very best of Powhatan County Public Schools.