Dates to Note
March 3rd - March 26th - 20 minutes added to the instructional day
Monday, March 3rd - payment and permission slips for 7th-grade field trip due
Wednesday, March 5th - Spring Picture Day
Friday, March 7th - Sunday, March 9th - Pocahontas Players presents Little Mermaid
Monday, March 10th - Spring Sports Tryouts begin
Wednesday, March 12th - 7th Grade Field Trip to Marine Corp Museum
March 21st - End of Quarter 3 - Full Day of Instruction
Friday, March 21st - Huskie Hawk Egg Hunt for PreK and Kindergarten students
Extended School Day Information
Thank you for all your patience and support as we have navigated several school closures this winter! From March 3rd - March 26th our school day will be extended by 20 minutes. The 20 minutes will be used for academic support on Quarter 3 materials, intervention, and/or remediation.
The bell schedule we will follow from Monday, March 3rd - Wednesday, March 26th is below.
Pocahontas Extended School Day Schedule
8:35 - 8:50 AM - Advisory (15 mins)
8:54 - 10:15 AM - Block 1/5 (81 mins)
10:19 - 11:40 AM - Block 2/6 (81 mins)
11:44 - 1:30 PM - Block 3/7 (106 mins - 25-minute lunch, 81 mins of instruction)
• 6th-grade lunch 11:50 - 12:15
• 7th-grade lunch 12:25 - 12:50
• 8th-grade lunch 1:00 - 1:25
1:30 - 2:10 PM - SOAR - Extended Intervention (Students stay with their 3rd/7th-period teacher OR move to assigned intervention/remediation location)
2:14 - 3:35 PM - Block 4/8 (81 mins)
At Pocahontas, we will shorten Advisory to allow for more time later in the day. Students will still report to their Advisory for attendance, announcements, and Hox News. All other instructional blocks have remained their normal amount of time.
SOAR, an extended intervention period, will occur after 3rd/7th period. The purpose of SOAR is to provide students with additional time to master previously taught and Quarter 3 content. Our goal is for students to expand their knowledge so they are prepared for the upcoming Quarter 3 Benchmarks and SOLs. No new instructional content will be covered during this time.
During SOAR, students will either remain in their 3rd/7th period class for large group activities or they will participate in small group remediation and intervention efforts.
Large Group Activities:
• We will follow the schedule below for large group practice and remediation: Math Mondays (IXL activities), Read and Write Wednesdays (Actively Learn reading and annotation), Science Fun Friday (Students will need headphones to complete science activities)
• Tuesdays and Thursdays - Students will work on assignments specific to their individual needs. Time will be allotted for finishing assignments, working on projects, studying for assessments, or making-up work from days they were absent.
Small Group Activities:
• Math, English, and some Science teachers will form strategic groups of students to work with 1-2 times per week.
• Exceptional Education and ESL teachers will continue providing services and support to their designated students.
• Counselors/Administrators will work with targeted groups of students needing academic support
• Already established staff and/or tutor-led small groups will continue their weekly meetings
We thank you for your continued support and flexibility. Together, we will SOAR!
Pocahontas Book Study
I am so excited to share that we had significant interest in our Anxious Generation Book Study! We have reviewed the interest survey data, and we are ready to move forward with our plans. For now, please SAVE THESE DATES:
Tuesday, March 18th from 4:45 – 6:00 PM – In-person at Pocahontas – Book Focus = Introduction and Part 1
Tuesday, April 8th from 4:45 – 6:00 PM – Virtual – Book Focus = Part 2
Tuesday, April 29th from 4:45 – 6:00 PM – In-person at Pocahontas – Book Focus = Part 3 and 4
We will create a pretty visual and official RSVP with all of this information soon, but we wanted to get the dates to you ASAP. If you are unable to attend one or two of the sessions, please still join us when you can. We will share information after the discussions with anyone who is interested.
From the survey, participants are hoping to gain:
• Resources and Ideas about how to support their students in their mental and emotional development
• Ideas of how to limit screen time/social media interaction to limit the impact on mental health
• Ways to reduce anxiety and ways to develop students’ coping strategies
• Community and connection with other parents/families
The purpose of our study will be to learn from the author’s research, share ideas amongst participants, and connect about how to support teenagers as technology becomes a bigger and bigger part of their lives. Members of our school-based mental health team will be present to participate and offer school-specific guidance where possible.
Your next step – pick up a copy of Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and begin reading! If you need assistance with purchasing the book, please do not hesitate to reach out as we can provide financial assistance, as needed.
7th Grade Field Trip
We are excited to announce that the 7th grade field trip to the National Museum of the Marine Corps is coming up on Wednesday, March 12th, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM! This will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to explore Marine Corps history, interact with museum volunteers, and engage with hands-on exhibits.
Permission slips and payments should be returned before March 3rd.
HCPS Survey
Each year, Henrico County Public Schools surveys families, staff members and students about their experiences in their school and within the school division. Your input is important to help us identify what we are doing well and what we can do better.
The survey window is now open! We want each family to complete the survey so your voice can be heard. You can also complete the survey directly by going to the Surveys page on the HCPS website.
Students in grades 3-12 will have the opportunity to complete a student version of the survey during the school day.
• Preview the English version of the student survey
• De una vista preliminar a la versión en español de la encueste de estudiantes
If you don’t wish for your student in grades 3-12 to participate in the survey, please contact our main office.
When you complete the survey online, you can choose to enter a drawing for prizes! At the end of the survey, parents can enter their contact information to be entered in a prize drawing. At least one family from each magisterial district will be randomly selected for a prize bag from the HCPS Division of Family and Community Engagement.
Thank you in advance for completing the survey and for your continued support of our school!
Career Day Volunteers Needed
Pocahontas Middle School’s Annual Career Day offers a unique opportunity for parents and community members to visit our school and talk to 7th grade students about their jobs. Parents, if you are willing to spend a couple of hours with us the morning of Thursday, May 15th (from 8:30 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.), we would love to hear from you.
Career Day speakers are asked to talk for approximately 20 minutes to three different groups of students. Topics to share may include: your journey & what led you to this career, the degree/schooling required, responsibilities of a typical day, your challenges, your favorite perks, and how information students are learning now relates to the world of work.
If interested or need more information, please contact Ms. Debra Milby, 7th grade School Counselor drmilby@henrico.k12.va.us
Support Our Library w/ Pizza Purchases
Pizza for you = Money for the Pocahontas Library with POCAPIZZA!
Treat yourself to Papa John’s pizza and enter the code POCAPIZZA. A portion of your purchase will benefit the Pocahontas Library.
Use the POCAPIZZA code when ordering online at any Papa John’s in Central VA, and don't worry – the code still works with all Papa John's coupon codes and discounts.
Thank you for supporting our library!
Clothing for Cash
As you are cleaning out closets this winter, we encourage you to bring donations to our Clothing for Cash Bin.
Do you have clothing items you are ready to donate? Please use the Clothing to Cash bin located in the Pocahontas Middle School parking lot. The Clothing to Cash School Program is designed to fundraise for our school by collecting new and gently used clothes, shoes and textiles. For each pound of materials donated to the program, the school earns money that is put towards student and staff recognition and incentives.
HCPS Partnership with Care Solace
When you, your child, or a family member needs help, it’s hard to know where to turn. In an effort to ease the burden of finding the mental health care and/or substance use treatment services you need, HCPS has partnered with Care Solace, your new confidential mental health care coordination service.
With a network of over 560,000 providers and services, Care Solace will help you find the right help at the right time, 24/7/365, at no cost to you. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance.
You can access Care Solace services in three ways:
• Call 888-515-0595 at any time. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated Care Companion will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.
• Search the Care Match website anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at https://caresolace.com/site/henricocps
• Contact a school-based mental health professional at your school (school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker), and they will submit a referral on your behalf.
No matter what you’re experiencing, there is hope and help. We are confident that our new partnership with Care Solace will help us build a healthier, more vibrant school community.
If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider.
PTA Spring Membership and Hawk Fund Drive!
The PTA encourages you to consider becoming a member of our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) today. Today kicks off our Spring membership drive. Please (click here) to join.
With a contribution of just $8.50 for one parent, or $15.50 for a family membership, you will be helping us deliver programs that enhance the cultural, social, artistic, and educational experiences for all children at Pocahontas Middle School!
You can also combine your PTA membership with a tax-deductible donation to our Hawk Fund. This is our whole-school fundraiser that helps fund classroom grants, educational technology, parent programs, and teacher appreciation events.
Suggested donations start at $50 per child per year, and this year all donors of $100 or above will be entered in a raffle to win prized parking for an event of your choice! Is your child in the band? Parking for the spring concert can be hard to find but with your donation, you will be entered to win front row parking! We will be raffling off parking spaces for the school play, spring music concerts, and sporting events!
We hope you will consider a membership and a gift to the Hawk Fund. CLICK HERE TO MAKE DONATIONS!
Pocahontas Players Present - The Little Mermaid
It's almost debut night for Little Mermaid! BREAK A LEG to all of our cast, crew, directors, technicians, and supporters! We cannot wait to see everyone on stage this weekend!
Tickets for The Little Mermaid Jr. are now on sale! They can be purchased online at our.show/PMSMermaid.
This year we are doing four performances, and the Saturday afternoon show features our understudy cast. Please come support the hard work and talent of the Pocahontas Players on March 7, 8, and 9!
Over half of our tickets have been sold! Please purchase tickets soon so you can be sure to enjoy the performance! REMINDER :: No tickets are available for purchase at the door. All tickets must be purchased prior to the shows!
Spring Sports Tryouts
IT'S TIME!! Spring sports tryouts will start Monday, March 10th.
Our Spring sports include: boys tennis, girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track.
Springs sports will kick-off amid our extended day schedule. Athletes are released with our bus riders and will head to their designated areas when the announcement is made. Baseball, Soccer, Softball, and Tennis will end at 5:30 PM. We will communicate the pick-up time for track in next week's update (it will either be 5:30 or 5:45).
For more information about Spring Sports and all the forms that are needed for tryouts, visit our athletics website.
Cookie Dough THANK YOUS
Thank you to everyone who participated in our music department's cookie dough fundraiser! We know the parking lot was congested as people made their way in to pick up their goodies, but we are so appreciative of everyone's effort, support, and flexibility!
Because of the fundraising efforts, our music department continues to thrive!
Supporting Pocahontas's PACK Club
There’s a new coffee shop in town and it wants to support Pocahontas and our humane education club, The PACK, and its mission of helping animals in our community. Starting on January 19th, Foxtail Coffee in West Broad Village will be raising funds for Richmond Animal Care and Control. To participate, just bring your pup into the shop, the staff will take their picture and put it up on our Pup Board, and for each picture, Foxtail will donate $5 until we reach $1,000. Simply share with us that your pup is part of the Pocahontas family. We need a lot of pups! There is absolutely no purchase necessary. Thanks for helping out! Contact Ms. Milby, PACK sponsor, with any questions. (drmilby@henrico.k12.va.us)
This is the link to their Instagram reel announcing it: Foxtail Coffee (West Broad Village) (@foxtailwestbroadvillage) • Instagram photos and videos
Spring Picture Day - Wednesday, March 5th
Due to the weather, our Spring Picture Day was postponed to Wednesday, March 5th. Preorders are required for Spring pictures; all orders must be placed before picture day.
To review order information and pay online, go to www.strawbridge.net. Click Order Pictures and enter code: FM459354.
Save the Date - Huskie and Hawk Egg Hunt and Crafts
Our Pocahontas FCCLA is teaming up with Holman's FCCLA to host an Egg Hunt and Craft Event for PreK and Kindergarten students! The special event will take place on Friday, March 21st at 5:30 PM at 600 Concourse Blvd.
Spread the word! Families attending with PreK and Kindergarten students should RVSP at tiny.cc/hmsegg
We are looking for donations of candy, eggs, and baskets. If you are able to donate, please sign-up here! Donations should be delivered to the main office at Pocahontas by Wednesday, March 19th. THANKS FOR HELPING!