Powhatan High School

We’re still smiling from our Kindergarten Registration days last week! Thank you to all of the families who came out and to our amazing staff who made it such a fun and welcoming introduction to school for our future learners. It was a great couple of days across all three elementary schools.
We also want to thank Caring for Creatures, a sanctuary and rescue for dogs and cats, for bringing some cute, cuddly canines to Flat Rock Elementary, whose theme was “Get Ready for a PAWSOME School Year!”
If you weren’t able to attend, it’s not too late to get started. Families can still visit the Powhatan County Public Schools website, click Register/Enroll/Plan, and complete the New Student Registration form. School staff will follow up to schedule an appointment to finish the process. 🧡🖤
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This week, we celebrate National Assistant Principals Week and recognize the incredible impact our assistant principals have on our schools each and every day. From supporting students and staff to helping create safe, positive learning environments, assistant principals play a vital role in the success of our schools and the achievement of our students. Thank you to all of our Powhatan County Public Schools assistant principals for your leadership, dedication, and commitment to our school communities. 🧡🖤
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Earlier this semester, Powhatan High School hosted its Senior Teacher for a Day event, giving students the opportunity to step to the front of the classroom. More than 25 seniors from the Math, Science, English, and History honor societies, along with students in Teachers for Tomorrow, planned and delivered lessons across a wide range of subjects, including math, science, English, history, French, business, PE, culinary arts, administration, and chorus.
The experience gave students a firsthand look at what it takes to teach, from planning lessons to adapting on the fly – something they experienced this year when a two-hour delay meant adjusting their plans. It was a great opportunity for seniors to build confidence and leadership skills while learning from the teachers who mentored them along the way. 🧡🖤
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Seniors in Mrs. Tolley’s class at Powhatan High School are practicing professional handshake skills as part of their English coursework. As they begin their interview unit, students are developing essential communication skills, including maintaining proper eye contact, demonstrating appropriate etiquette, and presenting themselves confidently and professionally.
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Paula Duncan named Region 1 Teacher of the Year
POWHATAN, VA – Powhatan County Public Schools is proud to announce that Powhatan High School teacher Paula Duncan has been named the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Region 1 Teacher of the Year by the Virginia Department of Education.
Mrs. Duncan, who was named the Division Teacher of the Year in December, now advances as the Region 1 representative in the statewide Virginia Teacher of the Year program.
Mrs. Duncan serves as the Social Studies Department Chair at PHS, where she teaches AP Human Geography and World History II. She has spent 25 years with Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS) – all at the high school – and has more than three decades of experience in education.
Virginia Superintendent of Instruction Jenna Conway honored Mrs. Duncan during a surprise ceremony held April 7 at the high school.
“Mrs. Duncan sets a standard of teaching that inspires students every day through their passion, creativity, and dedication to learning,” said Superintendent Conway. “Her ability to connect history to students’ lives while challenging them to think critically about the world around them reflects the very best of the teaching profession.”
Superintendent Beth Teigen lauded Mrs. Duncan for exemplifying the very best of the Virginia teaching profession through her mastery of content and unwavering commitment to students.
“Mrs. Paula Duncan brings learning to life in ways that leave a lasting impact on students, colleagues, and our entire school community,” Dr. Teigen said. “Her extraordinary dedication, instructional excellence, commitment to lifelong learning, and leadership at every level make her a shining example of what it means to be Virginia’s Region 1 Teacher of the Year.”
Mrs. Duncan’s leadership extends beyond her classroom to both the 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.
She has contributed to curriculum and assessment development through her service on multiple Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) committees, including helping design the World History II Standards of Learning and serving on World History I test design and question development teams.
Principal Mike Pierce said Mrs. Duncan is widely recognized for her enthusiasm in the classroom, her deep content knowledge, and the strong relationships she builds with students and colleagues. Several of her former students have gone on to become educators themselves, with some returning to PHS as colleagues in the Social Studies Department.
“Mrs. Paula Duncan’s impact on Powhatan High School is both profound and far-reaching, built over three decades of exceptional teaching, leadership, and service,” Mr. Pierce said. “Her ability to inspire students, mentor colleagues, and bring global perspectives into the classroom makes her an extraordinary educator and a true embodiment of the Regional Teacher of the Year.”
Throughout her career, Mrs. Duncan has also pursued global learning experiences that she brings back to her students. She has participated in educational travel and research in countries including Japan, China, Israel, South Africa, India, and Nepal, and has led multiple student trips to Europe.
PCPS congratulates her on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her decades of dedication to students and the teaching profession.

Recently, Powhatan Middle School librarian Rebecca Smartschan spent the day at Flat Rock Elementary as part of her work toward earning her school librarian certification. Through the program, she had the opportunity to shadow librarian Kelly Terri and library assistant Roseanne Rini, gaining firsthand insight into the day-to-day work of supporting young readers. It was a great mentorship opportunity and a chance to share knowledge across our schools. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Good evening PCPS Community. The Powhatan County School Board Recap is usually intended to give highlights from School Board meetings, but much of what is discussed during budget season at the Board of Supervisors meetings directly relates to the schools. In those instances, special issues of or additions to the newsletter will give highlights of school-related matters to help people unable to attend or watch full board meetings. The latest newsletter covers the school-related discussion from the March 26 budget workshop.
The newsletter link is in the comments.

The Powhatan Strong: Family Connection Series continues with an important upcoming session focused on suicide prevention.
PCPS is partnering with Goochland Powhatan Community Services to offer Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training. This free course will help participants recognize common warning signs of suicide, understand possible causes of suicidal behavior, and learn how to appropriately question, persuade, and refer someone who may be in crisis.
📅 April 9, 2026
⏰ 6:00–8:00 p.m.
📍 Powhatan High School
Space is limited to 30 participants, so be sure to sign up using the QR code or link on the flier. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

PHS Theatre Classes will present an Evening of One-Act Plays at 7:00 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 25 in the auditorium of Powhatan High School. PHS student Caroline Speight will make her directorial debut with the student production of “Twitch” by Stephen Gregg. Students will also perform “The American Revolution in 40 Minutes or Less” by Eddie McPherson. Admission is free and open to the public.
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🌱 🌿 🍃 SAVE THE DATE! 🌾 🌸 🌼
The spring preview we recently enjoyed got many gardeners in our community ready to start planting. Keep that excitement going, because we are less than a month away from the Powhatan High School Annual Spring Plant Sale. The window is shorter this year, so plan ahead. The sale will be held at the PHS Greenhouse from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 and Friday April 17, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 18. Take Judes Ferry Road to Old Church Road. Turn by the tennis courts and follow the road to the greenhouse behind the school. Cash or Check only. The plant list is coming soon. For questions, contact emilee.meinhard@powhatan.k12.va.us.
All sales benefit the PHS FFA and Horticulture programs. Horticulture Science and Greenhouse Production Management students do a fantastic job growing the plants for the sale, as you can see in these photos.
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Eighth graders in Mr. Raychouni’s Intro to Game Design & Robotics classes at Powhatan Middle School were recently joined by AP Computer Science students from Powhatan High School, who stepped into the role of “student teachers.” 💻 Over two days, Mr. Wilson brought his high schoolers to offer lessons exploring game development while serving as coding coaches . The initiative, supported in partnership with Mr. Acevedo, gave younger students a glimpse into future coursework and career pathways they can take when they reach high school. 🧡🖤
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In Mrs. Vallent’s AP Biology class at Powhatan High School, students are getting hands-on with biotechnology by using the same types of techniques found in research labs, law enforcement, and industry.
They conducted a gel electrophoresis lab where they made agarose gels and submerged them in a conductive buffer solution that is hooked up to a power source, resulting in the proteins separating by their size and charge.
They also conducted a bacterial transformation lab, introducing a small piece of DNA (a plasmid) into E. coli bacteria. This plasmid included instructions to produce a glowing protein originally found in jellyfish, resulting in visible, glowing bacteria in their lab samples. Impressively, every student successfully saw their transformation results! 🧡🖤
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🎸 Rockin’ With Dolly is almost here! 🚚
On March 21 from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., swing by Luck Stone in Powhatan and fill your pickup or single axle trailer for just $20 – all while supporting the Powhatan Education Foundation and Powhatan’s Imagination Library.
Choose from 57’s or 21A (perfect for driveways), and don’t forget to bring a tarp for transport.
Great deal, great cause, and a great way to help put books in the hands of our community’s youngest learners. 🧡🖤
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

A big thank you to our School Bus Drivers and Transportation Team for safely getting our students to school today. With last night’s storm bringing damage and road closures, your dedication, flexibility, and care for our students truly stood out. 🧡🖤
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Due to road closures, several buses will be picking up at alternative locations. An email has been sent to all transportation riders. Please check your email to see if your route is impacted.

All Powhatan County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delay today, March 17th, due to road closures following last night’s storms. While all schools have power, the delay will allow for improved visibility for safer navigation for our drivers.
We understand this may cause inconvenience for families, and we appreciate your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our school community.

Check out this lovely photo school bus driver Liz Steigman captured on Thursday while waiting for the end of the school day at Flat Rock Elementary.
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REMINDER: Friday, March 13 is a Student Holiday and Teacher Work Day. Monday, March 16 is a Full Instructional Day for Staff and Students.
Additionally, the School Board voted this week to return Monday, April 6 as a Student and Staff Holiday. It was previously reclaimed as a snow make-up day.
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PHS students offer free tax preparation through VITA program
POWHATAN, VA – Powhatan High School accounting students are offering free income tax preparation to qualified individuals and families through the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Under the supervision of their teacher, students who earned IRS certification are providing basic tax return preparation for households with an annual income of less than $60,000. This is the high school’s second year offering a hands-on learning opportunity that allows students to apply their accounting knowledge while helping members of the community.
Two tax preparation sessions remain this year. Services will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 14, and Saturday, April 11 at Powhatan High School, 1800 Judes Ferry Road.
Walk-ins are welcome, or appointments can be made by calling 434-480-1744.
Individuals planning to use the service should bring Social Security or ITIN cards for all individuals listed on the return, a photo ID for the taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly, income documents such as W-2s or 1099s, and other relevant tax documents. Bringing a copy of last year’s tax return and bank account information for direct deposit is also recommended.
The VITA program has helped provide free tax preparation services to communities for more than 50 years while giving students valuable real-world experience.