• Student and Staff Holidays: Monday, May 25th is a Staff & Student Holiday. 

• Final Week of School:  For your planning purposes, we will have "All Class Days" everyday this week. 

• Last Day of School: The last day of school, Friday, May 29 will be an early release. We will dismiss at 10:40 a.m.

• Student Medications: Medications and supplies in the clinic should be picked up by dismissal time on 5/29/26.  Any medication not picked up will be safely disposed of by the clinic staff.  If your student will require medication at school for the 26/27 school year, please plan to meet with the school nurse during the staff work week of August 17-21st.

• Lost & Found Items: Please have your students check our Lost & Found for any missing items. Any remaining items will be donated at the end of the school year.

We are in need of new leadership for our PTO.  We have been extremely blessed with our current leadership and thankful for everything they have done for our school.  

If you are interested in learning more about the roles and responsibilities, please reach out to Principal Colin Innes (colin.innes@powhatan.k12.va.us) or the current PTO President, Kelly O'Neill (kelly.o'neil@capitalone.com.)

• Student and Staff Holidays: Friday, May 22nd and Monday, May 25th are Staff & Student Holidays. 

• Last Day of School: The last day of school, Friday, May 29 will be an early release. We will dismiss at 10:40 a.m.

• Student Medications: Medications and supplies in the clinic should be picked up by dismissal time on 5/29/26.  Any medication not picked up will be safely disposed of by the clinic staff.  If your student will require medication at school for the 26/27 school year, please plan to meet with the school nurse during the staff work week of August 17-21st.

• Lost & Found Items: Please have your students check our Lost & Found for any missing items. Any remaining items will be donated at the end of the school year.

A Message of Excellence: Celebrating Our PACER Leaders

To our wonderful students and parents,

We are absolutely thrilled to announce and celebrate a truly remarkable achievement within our school community. This year, across our entire student body of 907 students, we witnessed an incredible display of grit, determination, and physical excellence during our annual Pacer Test.

While we are proud of every single student who stepped onto the line and gave their best effort, we want to extend a special congratulations to our Top 10 Pacer Performers: 

• Sam H. - 126

• Dylan S. - 121 

• Grey R. - 112

• Jeremian P. - 102

• Madi C. - 100

• Corbin K. - 100

• Logan S. - 100

• Tavyn R. - 96

• James H. - 94

• Carter J. & Ethan N. - 92

These ten individuals have demonstrated:

• Exceptional Endurance: Pushing past physical limits to reach the highest levels.

• Mental Fortitude: Staying focused and disciplined under pressure.

• Inspirational Leadership: Setting a standard for health and fitness that inspires us all.

To the Parents: Success like this rarely happens in a vacuum. We want to thank you for supporting your children’s health and encouraging them to stay active. Your support at home is the foundation upon which these students build their strength and confidence. You should be incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication!

To Our Top 10 Athletes:  You have reached the "Elite" tier of our fitness program. Whether you beat your personal best or set a new school record, remember that the discipline you showed on the gym floor is the same discipline that will help you succeed in the classroom and beyond. "The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them."

We are so proud to have you representing our school. Keep running, keep striving, and keep inspiring those around you!

With pride and admiration,

The Health and Physical Education Department 

• Student Expectations: We are in the home stretch; however, please help reinforce our expectations that students are safe, respectful, and responsible at all times. We have seen a rise in smaller infractions, like hats and cell phones, and bigger infractions, such as students bringing inappropriate items to school, disrespectful conversations, and not keeping our hands to ourselves. Our expectations remain the same for the entire school year and we appreciate your support and partnership!

• Lost & Found Items: Please have your students check our Lost & Found for any missing items. Any remaining items will be donated at the end of the school year.

TODAY IS THE DAY ~ IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

We have extended our Yearbooks until Monday, May 4th.  But, this is your last chance to get a Powhatan Middle School.

 Important: Yearbooks are NOT available on School Cash Online. All purchases must be made through the Yearbook Order Center online.

📙Yearbooks are $40

🛑Last day to order: May 1

✨Order ONLY through the Yearbook Order Center

#️⃣School Code: #15200

Reminder:  Our Yearbook has an August delivery, to cover a whole year of memories.  Students will receive an autograph book in May 

Please email pmsyearbook@powhatan.k12.va.us with questions. 

Family Updates

• Special Election on April 21: We are hosting a special election on April 21; however, we will have a normal day of school. The polls will be held in the Fitness Room in the back of the gym. Facilities, Emergency Management, Student Services, and the Sheriff's office met to discuss safety and logistics and determined in person learning will be appropriate. 

• Save the Date: Our 8th Grade Spring Dance will be on Friday, May 8 from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold closer to the date! 

• Q4 Interims: Believe it or not, we are halfway through the final quarter of the year! Please be sure to check your student's grades and reach out to us if you have any questions. Our goal is to help all students finish strong!

Family Updates

• Calendar Reminder: Monday, April 6 is now back to a Student & Staff Holiday.

The Week of April 6 will have a slightly different weekly bell schedule:

• Monday, April 6: Student & Staff Holiday

• Tuesday, April 7: All Class Day

• Wednesday, April 8: Odd Day

• Thursday, April 9: Even Day

• Friday, April 10: All Class Day

• Special Election on April 21: We are hosting a special election on April 21; however, we will have a normal day of school. The polls will be held in the Fitness Room in the back of the gym. Facilities, Emergency Management, Student Services, and the Sheriff's office met to discuss safety and logistics and determined in person learning will be appropriate.  

Family Updates

• Calendar Reminder: Monday, April 6 is now back to a Student & Staff Holiday.

• Grades and Scheduling: Report Cards will go home on Friday, March 20th. Attached to all 6th and 7th grade report cards will be their Course Verification sheets for next school year. These are the courses that your student has requested. If you would like to make any changes, please return the Course Verification form to your student's school counselor. (Please note: these are course requests and not their schedule. Schedules are not finalized until later in the summer.)

• Special Election on April 21: We are hosting a special election on April 21; however, we will have a normal day of school. The polls will be held in the Fitness Room in the back of the gym. Facilities, Emergency Management, Student Services, and the Sheriff's office met to discuss safety and logistics and determined in person learning will be appropriate.  

• Lost & Found: Please have your students check Lost & Found for any missing items. Anything left by March 27th will be donated.

• Tabs: Keep sending in those tabs to your first block teacher!

Family Updates

• Calendar Reminder: Monday, April 6 is now back to a Student & Staff Holiday.

• Grades and Scheduling: Report Cards will go home on Friday, March 20th. Attached to all 6th and 7th grade report cards will be their Course Verification sheets for next school year. These are the courses that your student has requested. If you would like to make any changes, please return the Course Verification form to your student's school counselor. (Please note: these are course requests and not their schedule. Schedules are not finalized until later in the summer.)

• Special Election on April 21: We are hosting a special election on April 21; however, we will have a normal day of school. The polls will be held in the Fitness Room in the back of the gym. Facilities, Emergency Management, Student Services, and the Sheriff's office met to discuss safety and logistics and determined in person learning will be appropriate.  

• PMS Reminder: Please help ensure our students are making Safe, Respectful, and Responsible decisions at all times. Often during the Spring, as our students are outdoors more, we need to ensure that inappropriate items for school do not make their way into the school building. Please double-check your students' belongings to help us maintain a safe environment.

• Lost & Found: Please have your students check Lost & Found for any missing items. Anything left by March 27th will be donated.

Family Updates

• Calendar Reminder: Monday, March 16 has now been updated to a full day of school for students and staff. Friday, March 13 is still a student holiday and teacher work day.

Family Updates

• Technology Use: Please help reinforce two important technology related items with our students. These help students stay engaged in class, safe while online, and make responsible decisions at all times. 

• First, cell phones and personal electronic devices should be powered off and stored away for the entire instructional day. If you need to reach your student during school hours, please call the main office at (804) 362-2500.

• Second, we are seeing a rise in unsafe behaviors involving student chromebooks. Chromebooks are PCPS property and are to be used for educational purposes only. Students are responsible for their chromebook use, the websites they attempt to access, and financially liable for any potential damage to the device. 

Family Updates

• Family Partnership - Please take a moment to complete our PowMS School Partnership Survey. We are always looking for new ways to partner with our families and seeking to identify barriers that may impact participation. 

• Did you know that Powhatan County Public Schools has a electronic Parent Resource Center (PRC) on the main website? Click on Parent/Community Resources tab. Once you get to this page, you will see many resources and support that we have to offer.

• Need more information? Click the PRC - Request for information link OR send an email directly to PRC@powhatan.k12.va.us. We will get back in touch with you with a answer OR provide you with the contact person that will be able to get you your answer.

• School Visits: When visiting or picking up your child during the school day, please bring a photo ID, ring the doorbell to the right, identify yourself, and state the reason for visiting the building. In preparation for dismissal, all early dismissal must be before 2:00 p.m. unless extenuating circumstances. Please give additional time for your child to be called down for dismissal. 

• Please remember that students cannot ride the bus home with another student.

Family Updates

• Family Partnership - Please take a moment to complete our PowMS School Partnership Survey. We are always looking for new ways to partner with our families and seeking to identify barriers that may impact participation. 

• Calendar reminder: Monday, February 16 has now been updated to a regular school day. The new calendar has been updated here.

• Transportation reminder: Please enter our car line from the west and enter into the drop off zone at Powhatan Elementary School. Please do not park in the lot at the Red Barn and cut in front of other drivers. The car drop off line moves quickly and efficiently on a normal basis and please respect the other drivers waiting patiently in line.

• Just as a reminder, our official front office hours are 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Upcoming Safety Drill: Lockdown Messaging

In accordance with Virginia Code §22.1-137.2, Powhatan Middle School will be conducting a lockdown drill this week, as part of the mandatory safety drills for the 2025-26 school year. Our teachers will be talking with the students regarding the purpose and procedures of this drill. During the drill, you will receive a practice lockdown message via SchoolMessenger (email and text). This is how a message would appear if this were an actual lockdown event. The purpose of this messaging is for parents and guardians to be familiar with community expectations during an actual event. Another communication will be sent via SchoolMessenger (email and text) to announce the conclusion of the drill. 

Family Updates

• We were thankful and excited to spend two days with our student this past week. Thank you for your patience and flexibility this week as we returned to school. 

• Calendar updates: In case you did not hear already, Monday, February 9 will remain a Student and Staff Holiday. February 16 and March 16 will now be snow make-up days for students and staff. 

• Transportation reminder: Please enter our car line from the west and enter into the drop off zone at Powhatan Elementary School. Please do not park in the lot at the Red Barn and cut in front of other drivers. The car drop off line moves quickly and efficiently on a normal basis and please respect the other drivers waiting patiently in line.

• As we strive to keep our students’ attention on instruction, please support us by not dropping off Valentine deliveries to students at school.

National Kindness Week kicks off this week and is celebrated to focus on fostering empathy and positive actions in schools and communities. What does it mean to be KIND? 

We will focus on one aspect each day this week using the acronym K.I.N.D. to explain and give examples that help us understand how we can make a positive difference in the climate of our community by being KIND. 

K - Kind Words and Kind Actions

I - Inclusion and Belonging

N - Notice and Help

D - Do the Right Thing - Have Integrity and Show Responsibility

Studies have shown that acts of generosity not only benefit the recipients, but also boost happiness and well-being for the person offering kindness. Our Kindness week challenge for everyone is to look for an opportunity at Powhatan Middle School to BE KIND and DO something!

Snow Updates

This week we will have a slight change in schedules due to testing and the snow -

• Monday, February 2 - All Class

• Tuesday, February 3 - Even Day

• Wednesday, February 4 - Odd Day

• Thursday, February 5 - Reading Student Growth Assessment - All Class Day after testing

• Friday, February 6 - Student Holiday, Staff PD Day

Next Week Updates

As we all look ahead to the potential weather that is forecasted for this weekend, our teaching staff created plans to make sure that we have a continuity of learning throughout this storm. Teachers prepared paper materials and sent it home with students on Friday, January 23rd. 

Our teachers worked to prepare materials that are related to the current topics in all your student's classes with a focus on reading and writing. When students return to school, teachers will be giving feedback on the assignments in a variety of ways.  The assignments are meaningful learning activities for their classes.

While we hope you stay safe and enjoy the snow, we hope this provides meaningful learning opportunities at home, as well. 

Family Updates

• Just as a reminder, our official front office hours are 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Family Reminders

• At the December 11, 2025 School Board meeting, the Board approved changing April 6, 2026, from a designated snow make-up day to an instructional day for students and staff. This change was made in response to the four instructional days already missed due to snow.

Family Reminders

• At the December 11, 2025 School Board meeting, the Board approved changing April 6, 2026, from a designated snow make-up day to an instructional day for students and staff. This change was made in response to the four instructional days already missed due to snow.

• Our 8th graders will be visiting Powhatan High School to tour their course offerings on January 15th from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Students will be divided into small groups and led by PHS Student Ambassadors as they explore all the college and career pathways available at Powhatan High School. Please reach out to our 8th grade Assistant Principal, Jennifer Kelley, if you do not want your child to attend. Her email is jennifer.kelley@powhatan.k12.va.us. 

• Next Monday, January 19, is a student holiday.

Interested in CodeRVA for high school?

CodeRVA Regional High School's lottery for the 2026-27 school year is now open.  Interested students can apply on our website at coderva.org.  As a reminder, any rising (first time) 9th grader residing in a partner school division is eligible to apply, and the application only takes 15-20 minutes.  The lottery closes on February 20. If families would like to view recordings of our Open House presentations, those are also accessible via our website.  Additional questions?  Contact us at info@coderva.org or 804-968-1820.

Family Reminders

• 6th and 7th grade students are starting new semester classes when we return from break. Have your student check their PowerSchool to make sure they know where to go when we return from break!

• At the December 11, 2025 School Board meeting, the Board approved changing April 6, 2026, from a designated snow make-up day to an instructional day for students and staff. This change was made in response to the four instructional days already missed due to snow.

• Powhatan Strong Family Connection Series: PCPS’s next Powhatan Strong Series session will be held virtually on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 12 PM. During this session, we will explore ways that parents, guardians and community members can get involved through parent engagement and volunteer opportunities within our PCPS schools. To log in visit bit.ly/PowhatanStrong25-26. If you would like to pre-register to receive a reminder closer to January 15, please fill out this google form. 

• Our 8th graders will be visiting Powhatan High School to tour their course offerings on January 15th from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Students will be divided into small groups and led by PHS Student Ambassadors as they explore all the college and career pathways available at Powhatan High School. Please reach out to our 8th grade Assistant Principal, Jennifer Kelley, if you do not want your child to attend. Her email is jennifer.kelley@powhatan.k12.va.us. 

Family Reminders

• We hope you enjoyed your snow day on Friday! Please send any fun snow day pictures to pmsyearbook@powhatan.k12.va.us so that we can capture our students' fun activities in the snow!

• At the December 11, 2025 School Board meeting, the Board approved changing April 6, 2026, from a designated snow make-up day to an instructional day for students and staff. This change was made in response to the four instructional days already missed due to snow.

Tomorrow, December 15 at 5:00 pm, PCPS is partnering with Goochland Powhatan Community services to host a course on Suicide Prevention. The course will teach you to recognize common causes of suicidal behavior and warning signs of suicide, as well as how to get help for someone in crisis. You will learn how to appropriately Question, Persuade, and Refer someone who may be suicidal.  Click the flyer for more information!  

Flyer for Suicide Prevention

How to volunteer here at Powhatan Middle?

Thank you to all our parents and guardians for everything you do to support our students here at Powhatan Middle. Looking to volunteer? See below for some ways to get involved.

Watch DOGS

• Calling all Dads of Great Students! If you are interested in up our Watch DOGS program please consider signing up here.  If you have any questions, please send a message to one of our counselors, Austen Winkler, at: austen.winkler@powhatan.k12.va.us.

Lunch Buddies

• If you are interested in participating as a mentor for the Lunch Buddies Program, we would be happy to have you! Please apply using the link here or reach out to lunchbuddies@powhatan.k12.va.us for any questions. 

Family Reminders

• We hope you enjoyed your snow day on Friday! Please send any fun snow day pictures to pmsyearbook@powhatan.k12.va.us so that we can capture our students' fun activities in the snow!

• Believe it or not, we only have two more weeks left in the second quarter and the first semester. All students will be working hard as we have some bigger exams/assessments within the last few weeks prior to winter break. 

  • All grade levels have common assessments in their core classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, and English.) 

  • 8th grade students in high school credit classes (Algebra 1, Earth Science, Spanish, French, and Art 1) will also be taking mid-term exams.

Quick Reminders

• We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break with your family and friends. We are ready for an action-packed three weeks until our next break. 

Student Growth Assessment Claim Codes & Parent Portal Access

Parents, please be on the lookout for a message from PCPS on the evening of December 1st containing your child’s claim code for the Fall Student Growth Assessments.

This letter will include your child’s unique claim code along with step-by-step instructions for accessing the Parent Portal.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s claim code, please contact your child’s school directly.

Please note:

• The claim code must be entered exactly as it appears — it is case sensitive.

• Claim codes are different for each testing administration.

• This code allows you to securely view your child’s test results.

PCPS is partnering with Goochland Powhatan Community services to host a course on Suicide Prevention. The course will teach you to recognize common causes of suicidal behavior and warning signs of suicide, as well as how to get help for someone in crisis. You will learn how to appropriately Question, Persuade, and Refer someone who may be suicidal.  Click the flyer for more information!  

Flyer for Suicide Prevention

Quick Reminders

• Thank you to our fantastic PTO and our amazing parents for helping to provide a pie for all of our staff here at Powhatan Middle! We are thankful for our amazing school community!

• Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24 will be "All Class Days" for our students. We are off Wednesday, November 25 through Friday, November 27. We hope you enjoy your time off with family and friends.

Quick Reminders

• Deliveries: We wanted to send a quick reminder that our school is not permitted to accept DoorDash or other outside food deliveries for students.

• School Visits: When visiting or picking up your child during the school day, please bring a photo ID, ring the doorbell to the right, identify yourself, and state the reason for visiting the building. In preparation for dismissal, all early dismissal must be before 2:00 p.m. unless extenuating circumstances. Please give additional time for your child to be called down for dismissal. 

Birthday Marquee

Celebrate your child’s birthday in style! You can create a memorable experience for your student with their name and a happy birthday message on our marquee. Even middle schoolers love this shout out! 

The message will read: Happy (age) Birthday, (student’s first name)!!

Complete this form and submit payment through School Cash Online. Birthday Messages will go live 1 day prior to your student’s birthday and run until the following week (24/7).

Please submit Requests & Payments by the dates listed below

All November & December birthdays due ASAP

All January birthdays due by December 5

Note: Birthdays will still go live during the holidays

🍂🥧 Parents! We need your help spreading some BIG holiday cheer! 🍂🥧

Our PMS PTO is once again treating every teacher and staff member to a full-size pie—a sweet little “thank you” for all they do! This was a HUGE hit last year, and we can’t wait to make it happen again… but we can’t do it without you!

Help us fill our PTO Pie Fund by Thursday, November 20th so we can send our staff into the holidays with something delicious to enjoy, share, or take to a gathering!

 Want to donate? It’s super easy:

•  Venmo: @KellyONeil84

• OR Send cash or check to the PMS front office in an envelope labeled PTO

Thank you for helping us make our staff feel appreciated and loved! 🍂🥧

November Gratitude 

• We are partnering with two organizations during the month of November.

  • First, our PTO is partnering with the food back to sponsor a canned food drive and full Thanksgiving meals. Please see the attached flier below for more information. 

  • Second, our Student Leadership team is partnering with The Powhatan Christmas Mother for stocking stuffer needs. 

• As we enter the holiday season, please consider donating items to those in need and to support these worthy causes.

Quick Reminders

• We are looking forward to seeing our parents in the building on Tuesday for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Please see the previous updates if you'd still like to sign up for a conference.

• All students took pictures during their Health & PE classes this week.  Make-Up Pictures will be December 4th. 

• Our Lost and Found is currently overflowing with sweatshirts, lunch boxes, water bottles and other items. Please have your student check the Lost and Found for any missing items. We will be donating the remaining items after Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 4th.

• Here is our daily schedule for the week of November 3:

  • Monday 11/3 - Student & Staff Holiday 

  • Tuesday 11/4 - Parent-Teacher Conferences; Student Holiday

  • Wednesday 11/5- Odd Class Day

  • Thursday 11/6 - Even Class Day

  • Friday 11/7 - All Class Day

• Our PTO is partnering with the food back to sponsor a canned food drive and full Thanksgiving meals. Please see the attached flier below for more information. 

Birthday Marquee

Celebrate your child’s birthday in style! You can create a memorable experience for your student with their name and a happy birthday message on our marquee. Even middle schoolers love this shout out! 

The message will read: Happy (age) Birthday, (student’s first name)!!

Complete this form and submit payment through School Cash Online. Birthday Messages will go live 1 day prior to your student’s birthday and run until the following week (24/7).

Please submit Requests & Payments by the dates listed below

All November birthdays due ASAP

All December birthdays due by November 7

Upcoming Listening Sessions on Proficiency Cut Score Implementation 

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is hosting a few more listening sessions prior to the November Board meeting to gather input on cut score implementation. Below are email invitations for parents and educators to attend.

 Information for parent listening sessions

On September 25, 2025, the Virginia Board of Education unanimously approved revisions to cut scores for mathematics and reading Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments. Cut scores define the minimum score a student must achieve to reach a performance level on an assessment. By modifying cut scores, the Board ensures that "proficient" reflects the skills and knowledge students need to be ready for success in college, career, or in military pathways. The Virginia Department of Education is currently gathering feedback on the implementation of revised cut scores. We value input from parents to inform implementation decisions.

We are inviting parents to participate in an upcoming listening session. Listening sessions provide the opportunity for parents to receive an overview of the proposed implementation models, share their feedback on the models, and identify supports and resources needed by parents to help their child meet higher expectations. Listed below are days, times, and login information for virtual listening. You can also share your input using the feedback form. To learn more about new cut scores and upcoming stakeholder listening sessions, please visit Raising Expectations in Virginia K-12 Education.

November 5, 2025, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm 

• Join the meeting now

• Meeting ID: 230 998 444 924 3

• Passcode: ui9mv9Nz

PCPS Required Notifications

Each year, Powhatan County Public Schools is required to share certain notifications with families based on federal and state legislation. PCPS sent out the initial list of required notifications on Aug. 20, 2025. Based on Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) and legislative updates that have since been released, PCPS has updated its notifications. Here is a link to a summary of those items: Required Notifications 2025-2026.

Quick Reminders

• Paper report cards went home on Friday, October 24. If your student did not bring one home, please let us know.

• Our Lost and Found is currently overflowing with sweatshirts, lunch boxes, water bottles and other items. Please have your student check the Lost and Found for any missing items. We will be donating the remaining items at the end of October.

• On Monday, October 27, all students will participate in the Fall Reading Growth Assessment. This assessment is similar to an SOL, but smaller in scale. Students will read multiple passages and respond to questions. The data provided from the assessment helps our English teachers align their instruction to meet students' needs. As always, we encourage our students to do their best on any assessment!

• Friday, October 31 is Halloween - we are asking that students do not come dressed in costumes but save the festivities for after school.

Winter sports tryouts are here!  Here are the dates and times for tryouts for cheering and basketball;

CHEERING

DATE - MONDAY, OCTOBER 27th 

TIME - After school - 4:00

*Tryouts will last 3 days

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

DATE - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH

TIME - After school - 3:45 (THE GIRLS TRYOUT WILL BE AT THE PLC GYM (TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED). ALL GIRLS WILL NEED TO BE PICKED UP AT THE PLC BUILDING.)