Powhatan Elementary School

Today we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible educators at Pocahontas Elementary as part of PCPS’s Teacher Appreciation Week celebrations! 🌟 Their patience, passion, and commitment help our students grow every single day. Let’s show them some love — drop a memory, a thank-you, or a shoutout to a Pocahontas teacher who’s made a difference for your child or family. 💬🍎🧡 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🌟 Teacher Appreciation Week: Celebrating Flat Rock Elementary! 🌟 Last week, our Human Resources team hosted a special Staff Appreciation Luncheon at each school — a thoughtful way to celebrate ahead of the busy energy of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5–9). Here are a few snapshots from the luncheon at FRES — a small gesture for a mighty team. The smiles, laughter, and sense of community say it all. 🙌 You can find more photos on the PCPS Facebook page. To every teacher, assistant, specialist, and staff member at Flat Rock: thank you for the heart, dedication, and excellence you bring to your students each and every day. If you haven’t yet, scroll back and share your favorite memories or shout-outs to FRES staff in this morning’s post. Let’s flood them with appreciation! 💬🍎 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

📣 We're Hiring! 📣 Powhatan County Public Schools is looking for dedicated professionals to join our team. Current Positions: • Assistant Principal – Elementary • Database Analyst • Bus Drivers • Bookkeeper – High School • Lead Teacher – Middle School Visit the PCPS website for more information and to apply. Join us in making a difference every day in the lives of Powhatan children! ✨ #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🎭 Opening Night is TONIGHT! The wait is over — Hadestown: Teen Edition hits the stage at Powhatan High School starting tonight at 7 p.m.! The cast, crew, and staff have poured their hearts into this unforgettable musical, and these rehearsal shots are just a glimpse of the magic they’re about to deliver. They are going to do Powhatan High School and Powhatan Middle School proud. Come experience the myth, the music, and the power of live theatre. 🎟️ Tickets just $10 — available at the door. 📍 PHS Auditorium 📅 May 2 @ 7 p.m. 📅 May 3 @ 1:30 & 7 p.m. 📅 May 4 @ 1:30 p.m. Recommended for ages 8+. Join us and be part of the story. #HadestownTeenEdition #wearepcps #teampowhatan #openingnight

🏃‍♀️ Lace up your running shoes for a great cause! 🏃‍♂️ Join the Morgan's Message: Powhatan Chapter for the First Annual May Miles Event this Saturday, May 3rd from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the Powhatan High School Stadium! This community event is all about completing laps to raise funds for Morgan's Message, an incredible PHS club supporting mental health awareness. 🌟 👉 Here’s how it works: • There’s no entry fee – just find one adult sponsor who will pledge a donation for each lap you complete! • Donuts, drinks, and snacks will be provided! 🍩🥤 • PHS students, staff, and community members are ALL invited to participate! Just make sure to sign up using the Google form in the comments. ✍️ Morgan's Message was founded by the Roger's family after the tragic passing of their daughter, Morgan, who died by suicide. Morgan’s Message: Powhatan Chapter was created in 2023 at Powhatan High School and has hosted a plethora of dedication games, information booths, and fundraisers to spread awareness throughout the student athlete community. See you on the track! 🏅 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

PCPS welcomes two new principals for 2025-2026 school year Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS) is pleased to welcome two dynamic educators to lead two of its schools in the 2025-2026 school year. Mr. Michael Pierce has been hired as Principal of Powhatan High School, and Dr. Jason Gill will serve as Principal of Powhatan Elementary School. Both men were approved at the School Board’s April meeting and will assume their new positions effective July 1, 2025. Mr. Pierce to lead PHS Mr. Michael Pierce brings more than two decades of service in education and the military to his new role at Powhatan High School. Most recently serving as Principal at James H. Cary Intermediate School, Mr. Pierce said he strives to be a collaborative leader focused on instructional excellence and student success. His career spans 11 years in public education and 10 years of distinguished service in the U.S. Army. “I’m excited to assume my role as Principal of Powhatan High School and apply the lessons I’ve learned over the past 20 years as an Army leader, teacher, coach, and administrator,” Mr. Pierce shared in a letter to the PHS community. “My guiding philosophy - the thread I can trace through the diverse journey that brought me here - is the paramount importance of building relationships and maintaining a servant’s heart.” When working with PHS staff, Mr. Pierce said he will endeavor to provide the outstanding leadership they deserve through collaborative and data-driven decision making, ensuring that teachers have the information, tools, and time they need to accomplish their important work. Regardless of his title, Mr. Pierce said he will always view himself as a professional educator, adding his primary place of duty is in the classrooms and common areas of PHS, working alongside its talented staff to educate the young adults of this community. Mr. Pierce holds two master’s degrees in education from Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Drury University. He will be joined in Powhatan by his wife, Pamela, and their three children. “Our family is excited to become part of this community, and Pamela and I are thrilled to place our children’s education in the capable hands of Powhatan’s teachers and coaches,” he said. “We look forward to playing an active role in the community and meeting new friends and neighbors.” The role of interim PHS Principal is currently being filled by Aaron Boughner, who stepped into the position this spring and has done a wonderful job leading the high school. Mr. Boughner will transition to his new role as Assistant Director of Student Services and Interventions on July 1, 2025. Dr. Gill to lead POWES Dr. Jason Gill joins Powhatan Elementary with 24 years of educational experience, including 11 years in leadership roles within Chesterfield County Public Schools. He is currently serving as Associate Principal of Falling Creek Elementary School, where he provides instructional leadership, guides professional development, and oversees special education services and school-wide attendance initiatives. In a letter to the POWES community, Dr. Gill emphasized his commitment to building strong relationships with staff, students, and families. He plans to spend his first 60 days meeting with school leaders to better understand the needs and strengths of the school community. He also announced plans for summer engagement opportunities, including weekly chat sessions with parents and community members, as well as a back-to-school picnic in August. “My personal vision as a member of the Powhatan community is to provide a safe learning environment where all of our students feel loved, welcomed, and are pushed to be the best student he or she can be,” Dr. Gill said. “We can do this by working collectively to ensure we are using the most up-to-date and research-based instructional practices, making sure we have the necessary materials for our staff to use with our students, understand the social and emotional well-being of our students, and inviting parents and community partners into our school to share in this journey.” A graduate of Virginia Tech with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Dr. Gill also holds a master’s degree from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s from Longwood College. Dr. Gill emphasized his commitment to instructional leadership, relationship building, the ability to form community partnerships as well as knowing how to make a school a fun learning environment. Mrs. Constance Deal has helped lead Powhatan Elementary as an administrator for almost 30 years, first as Assistant Principal and then in her current role as Principal. Mrs. Deal’s outstanding 37-year career in education has taken place at Powhatan Elementary, and she has touched the lives of generations of Powhatan children in her career. She will retire as of June 30, 2025.

We want to make our PCPS families aware of an important update for the 2025–2026 school year. The School Board has approved adding 10 minutes to the school day, and adjusting bell schedules across all schools to better coordinate transportation. The new daily schedule will be as follows: Elementary students may be dropped off at 8:25 a.m., with classes starting at 8:40 a.m. and dismissal at 3:30 p.m. Middle School drop-off begins at 7:20 a.m., classes start at 7:35 a.m., and dismissal is at 2:25 p.m. High School students can be dropped off at 7:25 a.m., with a 7:40 a.m. start time and dismissal at 2:30 p.m. In addition, the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year will begin with staggered start dates to help key grade levels ease into the new school year with extra support. For elementary students, Grades 1–5 and Pre-K/Kindergarten students with last names A–M will start on August 18. Pre-K/K students with last names N–Z will begin on August 19, and all Pre-K/K students will attend together starting August 20. For secondary students, only Grades 6 and 9 will start on August 18. Grades 7–8 and 10–12 will join them on August 19. We encourage families to review the dates and times closely and mark their calendars now! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

📚🎲 Earlier this semester, a group of engineering students from Powhatan High School created an awesome game to help Powhatan Elementary third graders in Mrs. Beach’s class practice their math facts—and they’ve been loving it ever since! One of the students visited the classroom to teach the students how to play. All of the students got a chance to try it out, and they were so excited. The best part? The game is adaptable for any subject—not just math! 💡🎉 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Time to turn in those aluminum pop tabs! 🧡 This week, all five schools are collecting tabs to recycle for the Ronald McDonald House. Don’t forget to bring them in. Which school will come out on top? #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Today at Powhatan Elementary, our amazing third graders made Earth Day extra special! 🌍🌱 Students from Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Beach’s classes took it upon themselves to help clean up the playground. Mrs. Beach had just finished a lesson about Earth Day this morning, and these young environmentalists were so motivated, they decided to pick up trash all on their own. We are so happy they were inspired to take action to do something for their school and for the Earth. 💚 🧡 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

The latest School Board Recap Newsletter is now available! Catch up on the highlights from the April 15 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

Reminder: Powhatan County Public Schools will be closed on Monday, April 21. We hope all of our students and staff and their families have a safe and happy three-day holiday weekend.

🎤✨ TONIGHT at 7 p.m.! Come join us in the Powhatan High School auditorium on Friday, April 18 for an unforgettable evening of laughs, creativity, and a little unexpected glamour at the Mr. Powhatan 2025 competition! Tickets are just $5, and every single one helps raise money for Relay for Life, supporting the fight against cancer. 🎗️💜 Our brave contestants are ready to put on a show you won’t want to miss — think talent, personality, and some serious school spirit! If you're free tonight, come cheer them on and support a great cause. We promise, it'll be a night to remember! 🙌 🧡 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

The Stone Age Meets the Tech Age! Learning was on the move right before spring break in Mrs. Dillon’s fifth grade class at Powhatan Elementary! In a fun and engaging collaboration with Mr. Wolfgang, the Innovating Learning Coach, students explored the rock cycle using Ozobots — tiny, programmable robots that brought science concepts to life. As part of the ACES grant initiative, this hands-on activity highlighted the power of integrating technology into the classroom. Students worked together to code, problem-solve, and visually diagram the rock cycle in a creative and interactive way. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

🎉 B-I-N-G-O and bingo was... YOUR name! 😄 Join us Saturday, April 26th at Powhatan High School for a night of fun, food, and PRIZES — all to support PHS Football! 🏈 🕔 Doors open at 5 p.m. 🎉 Games start at 6 p.m. 🎟️ 12 Games for $25 🍽️ Grab dinner, your dauber, and get ready for some laughs (and maybe a win or two)! 🎂 Don’t miss the baked goods auction & 50/50 raffle! Jonathan will be calling the numbers — all we need is YOU! Tag your bingo buddy and we’ll see you there! 🙌 #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Big surprise at Powhatan Elementary on Monday! 🎉 Longwood University staff members Amber Litchford and Jennifer Whitaker stopped by to present student teacher Emily Boeckle with the Tamara Bird Jones Outstanding Student Teacher Award! Ms. Boeckle, an elementary ed major at Longwood, has been student teaching in Mrs. Lewis’s 5th grade class since January—and clearly making a big impact. This award honors future educators who go above and beyond with creative teaching, thoughtful planning, a strong commitment to student growth, and promoting appreciation and respect for students’ differences. Congrats, Ms. Boeckle—we’re so proud of you! 👏🍎#wearepcps #teampowhatan

The Powhatan High School Annual Plant Sale got off to a great start this morning! Thank you for those who already came out in the first hours of the plant sale to support the amazing Horticulture Program and the FFA (Future Farmers of America) and get some fantastic deals on beautiful plants to brighten up your garden. From delicious veggies to vibrant flowers and everything in between, we’ve got something for every garden enthusiast. Mark your calendars: April 14th - 19th Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Cash or Check only!!! Check out the QR code in the flyer for the full list of plants and more details! A link will also be placed in the comments. Every purchase helps fund the incredible work of our Horticulture students and supports the FFA. Thank you for your support! Located at the PHS Greenhouse: Take Judes Ferry Road to Old Church Road. Turn by the tennis courts and follow the road to the greenhouse behind the school. Contact emilee.meinhard@powhatan.k12.va.us with any questions!

🎉 Shoutout to our Honor Roll Stars! 🌟 We're so proud to recognize the students who made the PCPS Third Nine Week Honor Roll. 📚✨ You’ve put in the work, and it shows—way to go! Check out the full list on the PCPS website under "Spotlight on Instruction" — or just click the link in the first comment! Let’s give these students a big round of applause in the comments! 👏👏👏

We missed the official Paraprofessional Appreciation Day that fell during Spring Break, but we still want to take the time to appreciate the incredible paraprofessionals who support our schools every day. 🧡 From helping students stay on track to supporting teachers in and out of the classroom—you are vital to our school communities. Thank you for all you do, day in and day out. We’re so grateful for you! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

While we celebrated our incredible assistant principals Wednesday, we also want to give a special shoutout to Janet Raychouni, Dean of Students at Pocahontas Elementary School! 🌟 As the only Dean of Students in Powhatan County Public Schools, Mrs. Raychouni plays a unique and vital role in supporting her school community. Her dedication, leadership, and care for students and staff make a lasting impact every day. Thank you, Mrs. Raychouni, for all you do to help Pocahontas Elementary—and PCPS—thrive! 🧡 #wearepcps #teampowhatan