Powhatan Elementary School

Each year, the Powhatan Education Foundation (PEF) awards Innovative Classroom Grants that present ideas for achieving the county’s curricular goals, enhancing students’ personal development, and/or encouraging links with the community. This year, PEF fully or partially funded six grants for a total investment of $16,146.28, and we are going to take time over the next few weeks to highlight how those projects are going. First up is Cheri Ashman’s project, “Clay in the Classroom: Shaping a New Future for High School Anatomy Education.” ANATOMY IN CLAY® reimagines how Powhatan High School students learn human anatomy by using tactile clay models, allowing access to the subject matter in a way that flat, 2D diagrams simply can't achieve. Ms. Ashman pooled resources from the PEF grant and her Curtis funds to provide enough materials to thoroughly pilot the program. The materials were also a big hit at the recent PCPS STEM Expo, where they were used to introduce children to the human anatomy. #wearepcps #teampowhatan @anatomyinclay

Bright Star Theatre visited @powhatanelementary_pcps last week and staged an informative production of “George Washington Carver & Friends” for Black History Month. All children from prekindergarten to fifth grade attended one of two shows, learning about African Americans who laid the groundwork for some of the most amazing discoveries of the modern era, especially when it comes to science, technology, engineering, and math. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

While participating in the American Heart Challenge, Mrs. Woodson and Mr. Daniels had second graders in Mrs. Severson and Mrs. Simon’s classes rotate between seven Kids Heart Challenge stations. Students got their hearts pumping with the long rope, short rope, hands only CPR, ninja belt challenge, jump rope, target throwing, and The Impossible Shot. Powhatan Elementary School also showed kindness by raising money for the American Heart Association. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

In November 2023, the PCPS School Health Advisory Committee sponsored a panel discussion called “Unmasking the Hidden Threats of Vaping.” The school division continues to hear from parents asking about vaping, so we thought it would be good to reshare the Youtube link to the recording of that panel discussion again as an additional source of information. The link is in the first comment.

Virginia Preschool Initiative and Head Start Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are available on the PCPS homepage as of March 4, 2024. When considering applying for these programs, children must be 3 or 4 years of age by September 30, 2024. See the division website for additional information. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Prince at 804-598-5700. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Today is National Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day. We are so very grateful for all of our facilities staff here at Powhatan County Public Schools. PCPS is fortunate to have such a dedicated team working to keep our buildings running and ready for students, staff, and community members. Not pictured is Director of Facilities Bob Benway, who leads this amazing crew. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Monday, March 4 kicks off Kindergarten Registration in Powhatan and around the region. Registration forms and parent sign-up for appointments and screening go live on this date. Appointments will begin April 11 and 12. We are asking for your help in reminding anyone with a child that will be age 5 by September 30, 2024, to begin enrolling now. This is a special time for schools to welcome their newest students. It is also important to get students screened and on the rosters as soon as possible to be better prepared for the start of the new school year. In addition, the preschool (VPI/ Head Start) application process for children turning age 3 and 4 by September 30, 2024, is also now available online. Check the Powhatan County Public Schools website for information or contact your local school with Kindergarten Registration or Preschool Application questions. We are so excited and cannot wait to get these students on the PCPS team! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

For its fourth year, PCPS’s biggest pop culture event, the PCPS Comicon, was a huge success. In addition to being the largest event yet, the Comicon held on Feb. 24 at Powhatan High School also had the highest turnout of patrons and cosplay contestants. The exciting costume contest drew a wide variety of entrants recreating their favorite characters in pop culture. A total of $400 earned for PCPS’s five school libraries came from attendees and donations. It was a great day for literacy! #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Youth Art Month kicks off today, and to celebrate, PCPS is holding a Youth Art Month Art Exhibit opening from 2 to 4 p.m. this Sunday, March 3 at the Pocahontas Landmark Center. Come see beautiful artwork created by students from all five schools and curated for this year’s show, Experience PCPS. This exhibit, which shows the new generation of artists and creatives, will be on display through April 30 and is open to the public during PLC hours. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Young minds are always soaking up knowledge. This preschool student in Mrs. Rakes’ class at Powhatan Elementary was fascinated by the "habitats" the third graders made. The preschool class walked by the habitats in the hall every day going to and from the bus loop and talked about the word habitat when they read a story about a penguin in the Arctic. This student was so inspired by the older kids’ projects that he went home and asked his mom if he could make his own habitat and bring it in to show his class. He was so proud of it (as well he should be!), and asked to put it in the hallway like the third graders did. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Students in Mrs. Simon’s second grade class at Powhatan Elementary presented posters about famous Black Americans to their class. The students researched and created posters for the project. Many of the students even dressed like the person they researched and reported on for their presentation. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

We are back again with another installment of the Powhatan County School Board Recap. As always, the goal of this newsletter is to help people who don't have the time to come to or watch full school board meetings still stay abreast of what is going on in our school division. The newsletter link is in the first comment.

We are back again with another installment of the Powhatan County School Board Recap. As always, the goal of this newsletter is to help people who don't have the time to come to or watch full school board meetings still stay abreast of what is going on in our school division. The newsletter can be found at https://www.smore.com/13sxz.

Goochland Powhatan Community services is hiring open positions for School-based clinicians. CSB, a partner of Powhatan County Public School, has openings for several school-based mental health clinicians. To apply, click the link in the first comment.

Throughout January and February, 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 seven free swimming lessons per second-grade class 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 those seven 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 Pocahontas Elementary students. #wearepcps #teampowhatan #swimmingtime

It’s time to gear up for PCPS’s biggest Pop Culture event. PCPS Comicon is only two days away! This awesome family event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, February 24 in the Commons area at Powhatan High School, 1800 Judes Ferry Road. This is a NEW LOCATION. Admission is only $1! All ages welcome. The Costume Contest begins at 2 p.m.

The Powhatan School Board is seeking volunteers from Districts 1 and 3 to serve on a Book Review Committee that will serve on a five-member committee to assist with the review of specific books from the secondary school libraries that may contain sexually explicit content. Each of the five members of the assigned Book Review Committee will have one vote, and a strong majority vote (5-0 or 4-1) is required to remove a book from the library/media center(s). Applications are due by 5 p.m. on March 4, 2024. School Board members will review applications and make the final selections. To fill out an application, scan the QR code, follow the link in the first comment, or find the link on the PCPS homepage.

Students in Ms. Daniel’s first grade class at Powhatan Elementary practiced creating algorithms by coding a Robot Mouse to get to the correct shape and color. They also used Ozobots to figure out the color-coded algorithm the Ozobots needed to complete the track. #wearepcps #teampowhatan

Just a reminder that Monday, February 19, 2024, is a student holiday/staff work day. We hope our PCPS have a great three-day weekend!

Today is School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. PCPS appreciates the support of the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office and especially our own SROs: Powhatan High School: Jason Homer and Bridget Withers Powhatan Middle: Foster Miles Pocahontas Elementary: Ron Sadler Powhatan Elementary: Maurice Tovar Flat Rock Elementary: Tim Wright