Powhatan Education Foundation -

This week, Powhatan High School students have been participating in Red Ribbon Week, raising awareness about making healthy choices and living drug-free. Each day is featuring special announcements focused on the importance of staying substance-free, and today the HOSA Club hosted a table during all lunches where students could sign a pledge to be drug free – with some fun giveaways to celebrate! 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Every great plan includes reflection. PCPS is reviewing the division's strategic plan, Charting the Path to 2030, to measure our progress and ensure we remain on the right path. We are looking for people to join the Strategic Plan Steering Committee to help guide this next phase of our work. Applications are due November 10.
Steering committee dates:
12.8.25 9:00 a.m.– 3:30 p.m.
1.16.26 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
2.17.26 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
7.28.26 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Scan the QR code or use the link in the comments to apply. #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Mrs. Dillon’s fifth graders at Powhatan Elementary were recently busy investigating whether mass affects motion! 💡 Students worked like real scientists – collecting and analyzing data, creating graphs, and writing conclusions based on their findings. 📊 We love seeing hands-on learning in motion! ✨ #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

October is National Principals Month, and we’re celebrating the incredible leaders who guide our schools every day! Our principals do so much more than manage buildings – they inspire teachers, support students, build community, and help make Powhatan County Public Schools a place where everyone can learn and grow. From morning greetings to late-night events, our principals go above and beyond. Thank you for making a difference every single day with your leadership, compassion, and commitment! #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🎃 It’s almost time for Trunk or Treat at Powhatan High School! 🎃🍬 Join us tonight from 5:00–6:30 p.m. in the bus loop for candy, games, music, and fun with our student-run trunks. Costumes welcome! 👻
Stick around after for the football game. It’s going to be a great night of community and school spirit. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Students in Mrs. Duncan’s AP Human Geography class at Powhatan High School explored the theme of population migration through a series of engaging, hands-on stations in the library earlier this month. 🌍 Stations included participating in a refugee simulation and using VR goggles to compare rural and urban landscapes – even taking a virtual trip to Antarctica. Students also examined examples of forced and voluntary migration, both past and present. Special thanks to librarian Mr. Smartschan for organizing the interactive stations that brought geography to life! 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Good afternoon PCPS Community. 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. We wish you a safe and happy weekend!
Link to School Board Recap: https://secure.smore.com/n/m6bjw
#WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Several of Mrs. Hazelwood’s Cosmetology II students at Powhatan High School competed in the SkillsUSA competition at the Virginia State Fair. The students competed in several categories: Total Fantasy Look, Total Fashion, Competition Promotional Bulletin Board, and Fantasy Mannequin. Thank you to our amazing students for representing PHS in this state competition. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

First graders in Mrs. Bean’s class at Powhatan Elementary recently engaged in a thoughtful storytime with “Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie” by Laura Rankin. 📖 After reading, students connected the story’s message about honesty to their daily school pledge to “Be respectful. Be responsible. Be kind.” It’s a great reminder that character counts every day! 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Miss Stimpson’s kindergarteners at Pocahontas Elementary recently enjoyed a storytime full of fun and learning! 🍎 After reading “Apple Trouble” by Ragnhild Scamell, students practiced sequencing by putting the objects that fell on the hedgehog in the story in the correct order. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Powhatan High School’s SPEAR and ARROWS teams kicked off their robotics season in September with fun, hands-on activities to get the creativity and teamwork flowing! 🤖💡 Led by club sponsor Mr. Beasley, students geared up for another exciting year of building, problem-solving, and competition. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

In September, Powhatan Middle School held its first Scholastic Book Fair to encourage students to read. 📚 Mrs. Long and Ms. Moore’s English classes enjoyed exploring the many titles on display and discovering books that sparked their interest. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Students in Mrs. Long’s dual enrollment English 12 classes at Powhatan High School recently spent SPEAR time hearing a special presentation on using college databases from a Reynolds Community College librarian. The visit helped students strengthen their research skills, which is an essential part of their college-level coursework. 📚🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Kindergarteners in Mrs. Renaud’s class at Pocahontas Elementary, with help from Mrs. Rowe, spent time working through stations to reinforce key literacy and math skills. From heart words and journals to counting and “roll and read” activities, students practiced important concepts in hands-on ways. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

🔬 At Powhatan High School, students in Mrs. Stump and Miss Adams’ Ecology class recently practiced their observation and inference skills by dissecting owl pellets, uncovering bones like skulls, scapulas, and even a spinal column. From their findings, students made inferences about where the owl may have lived and what it had eaten. #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

✨ Love working with little learners? Powhatan County Public Schools is hiring a VPI Teacher for 3-year-olds! 🧡 Join us in helping our youngest students grow, explore, and shine. Must hold a valid Virginia teaching license. Apply today at on the PCPS website. #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Watershed program receives statewide award
POWHATAN, VA – Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS) is proud to announce that its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) has been named a 2025 Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Achievement Award winner. This award recognizes innovative programs that make a lasting impact in communities across the Commonwealth.
Since 2018, the MWEE program has engaged all fourth-grade students – about 350 each year – in a two-day outdoor learning experience at Fighting Creek Park. The annual MWEE event for the 2025-2026 school year will occur this fall.
What makes this initiative unique is its peer-led model: Powhatan High School students from AP Environmental Science and Ecology classes serve as instructors.
Through hands-on science stations, fourth graders explore watershed health, human impacts on ecosystems, and environmental stewardship, while their high school mentors develop leadership, confidence, and communication skills.
This impactful experience is made possible through strong partnerships with the Powhatan Extension Office, Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District, James River Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, and the Virginia Department of Forestry.
PCPS extends a special thank-you to Mrs. Stump and Mrs. DeHart for preparing high school students to lead this award-winning program.
PCPS is proud that the MWEE program reflects the division’s Strategic Plan by advancing Academic Excellence through authentic, hands-on learning and strengthening Family and Community Engagement through meaningful partnerships.
PHOTOS: Photos were taken during the 2024 MWEE event in Fighting Creek Park.

Fifth graders in Ms. McArtan’s class at Flat Rock Elementary recently enjoyed snack time with a good book. 📖 As their teacher read aloud, a couple of students even helped act out the actions in the story, making reading time interactive and fun! 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Fourth graders across Powhatan County Public Schools have been starting their watershed unit with support from STEM coach Mrs. Adcock. 🌊 At Pocahontas Elementary, Mrs. Morin’s class and later Mr. Covais’ class joined Mrs. Adcock at her demonstration tables to begin learning about the importance of a healthy watershed. The lessons also serve as a precursor to the division’s Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) later this month. 🧡 #WeArePCPS #TeamPowhatan

Powhatan County Public Schools would like to share an important update regarding the structure of School Board meetings.
Until now, the board has held two separate monthly meetings: a workshop session at 4:00 p.m. used primarily for closed session items and a regular business meeting at 6:00 p.m. Beginning with the October 14, 2025, meeting, the board will move to a single combined meeting format.
The meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m. with time reserved for closed session (from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted). At 6:00 p.m., the board will reconvene in open session and continue with the remainder of the meeting.
This change is intended to improve transparency, clarity, and the overall flow of the School Board’s work. With one meeting instead of two, the agenda will use an improved structure designed to make it easier to follow discussions and decisions.
Agendas will continue to be posted the Thursday before each regular Tuesday meeting, and moving forward there will also be a single YouTube recording of the meeting, which we hope will reduce confusion.
We appreciate your attention to this change and your continued engagement with the important work of the School Board.