Pocahontas Elementary School

We recognize that not all secondary roads and neighborhoods have been fully cleared. For this reason, Powhatan County Public Schools will be closed for students on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with all after-school activities canceled.
PCPS is working on a transportation plan that may include alternate pickup and drop-off points to safely transport students. Families should monitor communications for updates regarding reopening on Wednesday with transportation adjustments.
PCPS remains committed to getting students back in school as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and support.

We are a little overdue in giving a shout out to the amazing business and industry partners who work with Powhatan High School to give students in its Building Trades 2 and Electricity 2 classes an opportunity to gain real-world experience through Youth Registered Apprenticeships (YRA).
As part of these partnerships, seniors work on the job two days a week, with some students beginning as early as June before their senior year and others starting later in the summer or fall. All participating students were registered with the Department of Labor, allowing their hours to count toward future state-registered apprenticeships if they choose to continue in their trade.
This year marks the first time Building Trades 2 students are participating in the YAR program, and it has highlighted the powerful connection between classroom learning and hands-on experience. We are incredibly grateful to our business and industry partners for investing their time, expertise, and trust in our students. These partnerships are essential to the success of our Career and Workforce Development programs as the combination of curriculum and on-the-job training helps students gain employability and occupation specific skills. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Persistent below-freezing temperatures have limited melting from last weekend’s snow and ice, making many secondary and neighborhood roads still unsafe. Despite continued work by our Facilities team and outside contractors, some PCPS parking lots also remain unsafe. There are also neighborhood roads that are not safe for school buses, vans, and other vehicles to navigate.
As a result, Powhatan County Public Schools will remain closed on Monday, February 2, 2026. All after-school activities are canceled.
Since schools are closed, Monday will be the perfect time for students to work on the practice/review packets their teachers provided the week before the snow.
We understand that prolonged closures place a burden on families, and we do not make this decision lightly. These steps are necessary to ensure the safety of everyone we serve, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding.
Please take care and stay safe.

This is a notice of Reschedule for the Powhatan County School Board Budget Work Session. Pursuant to Virginia Code 5 2.2-3707: Due to hazardous road conditions and school closures, the Budget Work Session scheduled for Friday, January 30, 2026, has been rescheduled to:
DATE: Monday, February 2, 2026
TIME: 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Pocahontas Landmark Center
4290 Anderson Hwy, Powhatan, VA
This notice is being provided in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
This meeting will be open to the public.

Behind the scenes, our Facilities team has been working tirelessly to clear snow and ice across our schools in challenging and frigid conditions. The photos shared here, taken earlier today at several of our buildings, show some of the clearing that has been done and just how much work remains. We’re grateful for their dedication and for the support of the Virginia Department of Transportation as we continue working to restore safe conditions for our school communities. Thank you for taking care of our schools and our people. 💙🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Last call for PCPS-Early Childhood Preschool Program-Role Model Student applications for the 2026-2027!
Families interested in enrolling their child in preschool must apply and receive acceptance into the preschool program before completing registration with Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS).
Please note: submitting a preschool application is a required first step and is separate from PCPS student registration.
Please use the link in the comments to apply.

Despite the vital efforts of our Facilities teams and the Virginia Department of Transportation, parking lot and road conditions have not improved sufficiently to return to school this week, requiring Powhatan County Public Schools to remain closed on Thursday, January 29, and Friday, January 30, 2026. All after-school activities are canceled.
Be safe and stay warm.

Throughout the year, Powhatan County Public Schools recognizes outstanding employees through our Helping Hands Awards. This program honors staff members who inspire, empower, and innovate for making a difference in our school division. Before the recent snow, we had the opportunity to recognize four incredible staff members who were nominated for making a difference:
* Joseph Hodges – Transportation
* Laura Huggins – Powhatan High School
* Sarah Robinson – Finance Department
* Lyndsay Stout – Pocahontas Elementary
We are grateful for their dedication and for everyone who takes the time to nominate a PCPS employee through the Helping Hands program. If you want to nominate a staff member for being inspiring, empowering or innovating, the link is in the comments.🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Extreme low temperatures overnight, with more expected tonight, have not allowed conditions to improve sufficiently following this weekend’s storm, requiring Powhatan County Public Schools to remain closed on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. All after-school activities are canceled.
Because of the closures caused by snow and ice this winter, our students have missed much more instructional time than was ever anticipated. While weather-related closures are sometimes unavoidable, they do have real impacts on learning. To help recover critical learning time for our students, the School Board will consider making an adjustment to the 2025-2026 School Calendar at its planned budget workshop at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 30.

Mrs. Morin’s fourth grade class at Pocahontas Elementary wrapped things up before winter break with a festive activity by building gingerbread houses together. It was a sweet way to celebrate their hard work and end the semester on a joyful note. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Powhatan County Public Schools will remain closed on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. All after-school activities are canceled. While the winter storm has passed, lingering ice and snow combined with low temperatures have prevented conditions from improving.
Safety remains our top priority. We will continue to monitor conditions and communicate updates as they become available.
We also want to thank our facilities staff and partnering agencies, who are working diligently to clear parking lots and sidewalks under difficult conditions.
Please take care and stay safe.

Due to the accumulation of snow and dangerous icy conditions from the overnight event, Powhatan County Public Schools will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026. All activities scheduled for January 26th in school facilities are canceled, including school and non-school activities.
The safety of our students, staff, and families remains our top priority. We will continue to communicate updates as conditions evolve this week.
Please take care and stay safe.

Good evening PCPS Families. As everyone is aware, a winter storm is moving into our area tonight and ice accumulation poses a significant risk of power outages. Your students should have come this week with snow day learning packs to help keep them engaged in review and learning in the event of extended school closures. Please know that families should not feel pressure regarding these educational materials. Safety and well-being must come first. As conditions evolve and we better understand the storm's impact, decisions on school closures will be communicated as quickly as possible. Please take care and stay safe. For more information, check your email.

Much like everyone across our region, Powhatan County Public Schools are closely monitoring the forecast for potential impacts to school operations. Our team is monitoring weather reports and road conditions, as well as reviewing guidance from local officials. No final decisions have been made at this time.
In the event of delayed openings or closures, we will share official closure announcements as soon as decisions are made via:
*SchoolMessenger Email/Text/Phone Alerts
*Powhatan.k12.va.us
*PCPS Official Facebook and Instagram accounts
*Local News stations (WRIC, WTVR, WWBT)
Please stay tuned for updates. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us keep everyone safe.

Notice of a Powhatan County School Board Budget Workshop
Pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.2-3707, please take notice that the Powhatan County School Board will hold a budget workshop on: Friday, January 30, 2026, at 2:00 PM at the Pocahontas Landmark Center, 4290 Anderson Hwy, Powhatan, VA. This notice is being provided in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
This meeting will be open to the public.

Miss Stech’s first grade students at Pocahontas Elementary recently created sun trackers as part of a science lesson focused on observing the sun’s movement. This hands-on activity helped students see how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west as a lead-on for a unit about the sun. ☀️
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

We’re excited to share the results of our Fall PCPS Pull Tab Contest – and they’re something to celebrate! 🎉
Together, Powhatan County Public Schools collected 516 pounds of aluminum pull tabs, resulting in a $356 donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Richmond. This is the largest collection total yet since the contest began in 2022.
Here’s how our schools contributed:
• Pocahontas Elementary: 242.12 pounds
• Powhatan Elementary: 101.3 pounds
• Powhatan Middle School: 92.4 pounds
• Flat Rock Elementary: 51.67 pounds
• Powhatan High School: 28.51 pounds
Congratulations to Pocahontas Elementary for winning the Tab Trophy!
Since the contest started, PCPS has collected 2,602 pounds of tabs, donating $1,778.69 to support families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Richmond. Pull tabs are recycled, and the proceeds help fund operating costs for families with sick children.
This contest began as a heartfelt way for a retired PCPS employee to give back after her family experienced the support of the Ronald McDonald House firsthand. Today, it continues as a meaningful, real-world learning experience for students – combining service, math, teamwork, and a little friendly competition.
📌 The next PCPS Pull Tab Contest starts today, January 20, and runs through April 30. Tabs are collected year-round at all schools. Fun fact: it takes about 1,267 tabs to make 1 pound!
Thank you to our students, staff, families, and community for pulling together to make a difference. Let’s see if we can beat our record next round! 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

REMINDER: Powhatan County Public Schools will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is an official day of service and celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy.

In Mrs. Burgess’s third grade class at Pocahontas Elementary, students recently explored ancient China through a hands-on sorting activity that helped them identify human, capital, and natural resources. This lesson encouraged students to think critically about how different types of resources contributed to early civilizations. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

First grade classes at Pocahontas Elementary held their annual Colonial Day last semester. Students explored life in the colonial period through hands-on activities, including making orange pomanders, candles, butter, satchels, corn husk dolls, and punched tin ornaments, bringing history to life through traditional colonial crafts.
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan