Dates to Note
March 3rd - March 26th - 20-minutes added to the instructional day
Tuesday, March 18th - The Anxious Generation Book Study Discussion at Pocahontas (see details below)
March 21st - End of Quarter 3 - Full Day of Instruction
Friday, March 21st - Huskie Hawk Egg Hunt for PreK and Kindergarten students
Tuesday, March 25th - Pocahontas PTA Spirit Night at Gelati Celesti
March 31st - April 4th - Spring Break - Schools Closed
April 4th - April 11th - Spirit Week
Friday, April 11th - Senior Walk at Pocahontas
Friday, April 11th - Rally Day (alternative schedule) and Spring Fling (ticket information coming soon)
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
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.
For our first session, please RSVP using this Anxious Generation Book Study Form. Even if you cannot attend, the form allows for you to request information to be shared after the discussion.
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
Thank you to everyone who made our field trip to the National Museum of the Marine Corps successful. It was a beautiful day filled with lots of learning experiences for the students.
Opportunity for 8th Graders - Online Dual Enrollment - Econ and Personal Finance
Economics and Personal Finance is a required class for high school graduation. This option allows a student to take the course online. over the summer
Longwood’s Summer 2025 Dual Enrollment Economics and Personal Finance course will run from June 23 to July 26.
Registration is scheduled to open on Monday, March 17, and closes on June 6. $50 Summer 2025 Longwood Dual Enrollment Flyer (includes a registration link and contact information).
Additionally, [LU] will once again offer a Fall 2025 course option. Fall registration opens in June, and the online course will run from August 25 to December 12. $50. Additional details will be available in late Spring.
Dress Code Reminder
Two dress code reminders:
1) Pajama pants cannot be worn to school unless it is a part of a school-sanctioned Spirit Week
2) Open backed/backless tops are not to be worn as they expose undergarments.
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
Clothing for Cash
As you are cleaning out closets during Spring cleaning?!?! 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.
Spirit Night - Gelati Celesti
Support our school and get some ice cream along the way! Stop by Gelati Celesti on the evening of Tuesday, March 25th, and as you order, tell them you are with Pocahontas Middle School.
20% of the proceeds from orders tied to Pocahontas will come back to the PTA and our school!
Spring Sports - Have a Great Season
Congratulations to everyone who is participating in one of our Spring sports. We look forward to cheering on our boys tennis, softball, baseball, girls soccer, and track teams! Lots of Hawks to see in action this spring.
The first competition of most of the teams will be at Pocahontas on Monday, March 24th! Be sure to check out our teams! Go Hawks!
History Day Competitors Advance to States
Huge congratulations to our National History Day team!! The team competed on Saturday in the regional competition. Three of Pocahontas's projects placed first and are advancing to states, which will take place on April 26th.
We are so proud of the team! Thank you to the students, families, and Ms. Wardrop for your efforts and commitment.
Congratulations to Advanced Band
The Pocahontas Advanced Band took home STRAIGHT SUPERIOR RATINGS at concert assessment on Thursday! These scores are the highest students could have earned, and were earned for both the prepared stage performance AND sight reading! Our Hawks went above and beyond and rocked all parts of their performances! Round of applause to all of the advanced band students and to our director, Ms. Cassidy Spruill.
Pocahontas's FCCLA Website Places First
Our FCCLA chapter is a national Finalist for our website. Students from all over the United States competed and only the top 15 are invited to Nationals in Orlando, Florida. Check out the website here! Congrats to Ms. Preston and our entire FCCLA chapter!
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
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!
Spring Spirit Week - April 7th - April 11th
Monday 4/7 - Jersey Day
Tuesday 4/8 - Neon Day
Wednesday 4/9 - Pattern Day
Thursday 4/10 - Favorite Color Day
Friday 4/11 - Hawk Pride
Summer Camp Offerings
HCPS offers LOTS of opportunities for students over the summer. Please review the two websites below for details about AWESOME opportunities for HCPS students!
Visit tinyurl.com/HenricoSCC for information of Henrico CTE Summer Career Camps.
Visit https://cte.henricoschools.us/o/hwcd/page/teen-summer-fire-academy for more information of the Henrico Teen Summer Fire Academy.