Pocahontas Elementary School

Quick Updates

• Highlights of Our Learning Journey

• Class Pictures (with optional individual pictures) are on March 20th.

• For our annual Kindness Week Challenge, we donated 747 pounds to the food pantry! Thank you for the donations to support our community. 

• Tab collections are up and running! Pocahontas took the trophy in the Fall, can we keep it? Tab collection is through April 25th to benefit Ronald McDonald House.

• Helping Hands Award - Do you know a Powhatan County Public Schools employee who is Inspiring, Empowering, or Innovating?  Nominate them for the Helping Hands Award! Tell us about any staff member who is making a difference in the lives of our children by inspiring, empowering or innovating.  Use this link and click on the “Nominate someone” button to tell us about a Powhatan Schools staff member who deserves to be recognized. We welcome suggestions from students, families, co-workers or community members.

• Join our dynamic team of substitute teachers and help shape the future of Pocahontas Elementary School. Enjoy a flexible schedule, weekly pay, and free training. Visit www.ESS.com to join our team today!

• 2024-2025 Parental Opt Out Forms

Powhatan County Housing Needs Survey

• Your voice matters! PCPS encourages our staff and families to take the Powhatan County Housing Needs Survey to help guide important decisions for our community—and our schools.

• This anonymous survey, led by a local steering committee, will help guide important decisions about housing in Powhatan. As a school division, we know how housing affects PCPS students and families. Your feedback will also help ensure our schools are prepared for the community’s needs.

• https://questionpro.com/t/AREnnZ5g6a.

Dress Up for Reading Month!

• Wednesday, March 19th: Wellness Wednesday

• Friday, March 21st: World Down Syndrome Day - Wear Bright, Crazy Socks

• Monday, March 24th: We pawsitively love to read, wear animal print or shirt with an animal on it. 

• Thursday, March 27th: Wear red because we have read all month!

5th Grade Family Life.

• 5th Grade Family Life Education takes place from March 21st - 28th.  Information and opt-out letters were sent home last week. Please reach out if you have any questions.

  Yearbooks are on sale from now through March 26th for $28! How to pay: online at--https://powhatan.schoolcashonline.com/ or Cash/check to Pocahontas Elementary School. Reach out to Charlotte Muscat 804-598-5717 or charlotte.muscat@powhatan.k12.va.us with questions. 

Spring Pictures!

• This Thursday 3/20/25 is picture day. All students will be participating in class pictures. Individual pictures are optional. If you would like to have your child’s picture taken, please send back the individual picture form.

• Even if you choose to pay online, please return the form to indicate that you paid online. Forms came home with students last week. Please let your child’s teacher know if you need an additional form. 

Important information for 5th Grade Families

• Unfortunately, the snow and ice caused PMS to cancel the rising 6th grade night with our families. Due to the pending weather forecast for next week, we recorded our presentation for our families. Our middle school counselors will be visiting elementary schools starting next week, so we wanted all families to have this information upfront.

• Please view this recording to learn about classes, extracurricular activities, how to be a middle schooler, and more. We will also talk more about the scheduling process and how students pick classes in middle school.

• Reach out to our counseling coordinator, Terry Baldwin (terry.baldwin@powhatan.k12.va.us) or our principal, Colin Innes (colin.innes@powhatan.k12.va.us) with any questions. If you'd like to learn more about the schedule, school, and potential classes, check out our Powhatan Middle School Scheduling Website.

March is Reading Month!

• Mrs. Crump, our reading coach, has organized an incredible lineup of events that you don’t want to miss. Click HERE to view the calendar of the many fun activities on the horizon. We hope you will join us for the events we have planned including:

  • Richmond Flying Squirrels Go Nuts for Reading

    • Students who participate in the Go Nuts for Reading program this year will earn a free ticket to the game, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15th. Families can purchase tickets in advance with a portion of ticket sales being returned to Pocahontas Elementary. Click HERE for more information about the Go Nuts for Reading program. Nutsy will be coming to visit the school on March 3rd for a reading month kick off assembly. 

  • Guest Readers

    • We love having families actively engaged in our school community. If you would like to be a guest reader in your child’s classroom during the month of March, please reach out to our Reading Coach, Carla Crump, via email (carla.crump@powhatan.k12.va.us) or by returning the form linked HERE.

• We have gone nuts for reading (and Reading Month) at Pocahontas! We look forward to enjoying it with you and your family!

Kids Heart Challenge

• Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do to support Pocahontas Elementary School. This year, we want to once again participate in the Kids Heart Challenge, which will give our families the opportunity to learn Hands-Only CPR and become LIFESAVERS. About 70% of cardiac arrests happen in homes and many – far too many – family members are not prepared for a cardiac emergency. That is why our school is supporting the Kids Heart Challenge. It’s a service-learning program that raises awareness and funds for the mission of the American Heart Association while teaching our families how to save a life.

• Our school will participate in the Kids Heart Challenge from 2/24/2025 through 3/21/2025. If you would like to participate, please get a head start by registering today and be on the lookout for the Kids Heart Challenge Flyer coming home this week.  Additionally, during Physical Education, we will engage in a variety of activities to strengthen the heart and help students understand the relationship between exercise, nutrition, and heart health.

• Register: http://www2.heart.org/goto/PocahontasElementary and download the free “AHA Schools” app. Complete Finn’s Mission: Complete all 7-steps, learn Hands-Only CPR, and be entered to win two Super Bowl tickets!

Future Chefs Challenge

• Calling all future chefs! The Sodexo Future Chefs Culinary Competition is looking to see if two more finalists can join the competition to represent Pocahontas. This competition is a fun opportunity to learn new cooking skills, develop creative recipe ideas, and maybe even inspire a future career or passion for the culinary arts.

• If your child is interested, you can use this link to submit a recipe for the theme: "Complete the plate with your favorite main dish." Creative ideas, twists on classics, trending dishes or something completely new--a main dish is what we are looking for! The deadline for applications is tomorrow, February 3rd. Winners that will represent Pocahontas in the district competition will be announced later on this week! 

POCA Coat Closet

• Please make sure your child has a coat and cold weather gear to be outside for recess. For recess guidelines, we use this weather guidelines chart.  The yellow caution areas mean to limit outdoor play to 15 minutes. You can also refer to the "feels like" temperature online or on your weather app. Here are the general guidelines. We are outside for the full 30 minutes of recess for 32 and above. Below 32 is limited to 15 minutes. In the rare case that the temps are 15 or below, we would stay inside. 

• Pocahontas counselors are collecting and distributing coats to kids who need one. If you would like for your child to receive a coat, please use the link to submit your child's name. POCA Coat Closet Request

Yearbooks are on sale from now through 3/26/25!

• How to pay: online at--https://powhatan.schoolcashonline.com/ or Cash/check to Pocahontas Elementary School.

• Reach out to Charlotte Muscat 804-598-5717 or charlotte.muscat@powhatan.k12.va.us with questions

Calling All Military Kids!

• April is Month of the Military Child. We will be celebrating our military kids at Poca on Monday, April 14th. Students will read a story, decorate cookies, and create a banner for our school. Pickup will be at 4:45. 

• If you have a military child please fill out the form here by Friday, March 21st so that we can send a permission slip home with them. If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Meaker carissa.meaker@powhatan.k12.va.us) or Mrs. Crump (rebekah.crump@powhatan.k12.va.us). 

FROM THE PTO -

• Mother/Mother Figure & Son Event. Save the date for our mother/mother figure and son event for all of our Pocahontas boys. This event will take place on Friday, April 25th in the evening. More details to follow.

• Pocahontas Spirit Wear: Spring sports are starting up and the weather is getting warmer, so it is a great time to refresh your Pocahontas Spirit Wear items! New items are added weekly. Don't want to pay shipping?? Get in on a bulk order with friends! Check out the store: 1st Place Spirit Wear

• School Supplies for 2025-2026: There is still one quarter of the school year left, but it's never too early to start thinking about next year. Take some new school year stress off by pre-ordering your school supplies! School supply lists for the 25-26 school year should be finalized in the coming weeks and the PTO will once again be offering school supply boxes. Order your entire list, or pick and choose what you need. Supplies are delivered over the summer and will be waiting in your child's classroom on Supply Drop Off night!