Dates to Note
Wednesday, September 17th - Fall Sports Pictures
Wednesday, September 17th - 6th Grade Hawk Hangout w/ PTA
Wednesday, September 17th - HCPS Life Ready Exo at Hermitage High School
Thursday, September 18th (during school) - HCPS Specialty Center presentation to 8th Graders (students only)
Saturday, September 20th - HCPS Resource Fair (see flyer above for details)
Monday, September 22nd - Student Holiday/Teacher Professional Learning Day
Friday, October 3rd @ 9 AM - Pocahontas 8th Grade Parent/Guardian Info Session - High School Options
Interim - Half Way Through the First Quarter
As we enter week five of the school year, we are officially halfway through the first quarter. Now is a great time to check in with your student and discuss their grades. Parents are encouraged to use PowerSchool Parent Portal to review their student's grades. If you have questions about scores or comments in the gradebook, please reach out to the teacher.
Advisory is a great time for students to check their grades, complete assignments, and study for assessments. Please encourage your student to use Advisory time in a manner that increases their academic performance in their classes.
Pocahontas School Fundraiser is COMING!
On Tuesday, will kick off our school-wide fundraiser with FundGive! Students will attend a presentation and bring home directions. Our goal is for ALL students to participate in the process!
Along the way, students will receive incentives for their participation.
Front Office Volunteers
We are always thankful for office volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering in our main office, please complete this Sign-Up Genius.
Before volunteering, please be sure to complete the HCPS Volunteer Form.
VALLSS Information
As part of the requirements set forth in the Virginia Literacy Act, students in grades 6-8 that did not pass their Reading SOL at the end of the 2024-25 school year will participate in the Virginia Language & Literacy Screening System (VALLSS). VALLSS is designed to provide teachers and families with a better understanding of why students may be experiencing reading difficulties. The VALLSS assessment will help to identify relative strengths and weaknesses with code-based and language comprehension skills. The data from this assessment will be used to guide instruction for improved reading outcomes.
VALLSS consists of four required components.
Students will engage in an oral reading fluency task. They will read a short fiction text and a short nonfiction text out loud with their teacher. This will assess the student’s words read correctly per minute.
Students will complete a spelling test which contains 20 words.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of prefixes, suffixes, and base words by completing the 12 item morphology component.
Students will demonstrate their comprehension at the sentence level by completing the 16 item sentence comprehension component.
VALLSS contains two conditional components. These components are given when a student demonstrates weak oral reading fluency. At this time, the teacher would administer a word reading list and a nonsense word reading list.
As part of the Literacy Act, students that take VALLSS will have a Student Reading Plan for the 2025-26 school year. VALLSS data will be shared with families and used to set reading goals for each student’s Reading Plan. We look forward to partnering with you to increase reading outcomes for your child.
VALLSS assessments will begin on Monday, August 25th.
Paying School Fees
Your student may have school fees associated with one or more of the classes they are taking. Paying these fees allows us to maintain the supplies, technologies, and resources needed for these courses.
Please take a moment to log into our Online School Payment (OSP) Website.
When you log in, you can access both required fees (based on a student's schedule) and optional fees (yearbook, etc).
Following these steps will help you see the fees specific to your student:
Visit the online payment system site
Under middle school click, Pocahontas
To access your student's specific payments, you can click where it says "click here." See the small image to the right for a visual.
Log into your account and you can see specific fees for your student.
If you need help accessing OSP, please see directions here. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Family Picture Request - Form Reopened
Thank you to all our families who submitted family pictures for our display board. We would LOVE to add more family pictures to the display board.
The form has been reopened. Check out thisParentSquare messageand form to submit your picture!
Celebrating Security Officer Recognition Week
Mr. Ibrahim and Mr. Henson are the two School Security Officers who support Pocahontas! As you see them around the parking lot, weapon scanners, hallways, cafeteria, and/or bus loop, please be sure to give them a shout out! We appreciate them for all they do!
What is an SSO?
SSOs are trained and certified by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and must seek recertification every two years. While they take their daily assignments from their school principal, they are part of the HCPS Office of Safety and Security. The SSOs are trained in search and seizure, emergency readiness and conflict management. They take classes in suicide prevention, bullying prevention, first aid, CPR, and child abuse and neglect. SSOs are encouraged to develop a positive rapport with the students. The SSOs are often the first school employees a student sees every day, and they are usually the first on the scene of an incident.
Pocahontas - 8th Grade Parent Information Session: Exploring High School Opportunities
Henrico County offers 8th grade students a variety of unique options for high school. While most of our students are zoned for Godwin High School, families should know that students may apply to attend other high schools—both within Henrico County and at regional programs.
Did you know?
Students who apply to and are accepted into an ACE Center are guaranteed a spot beginning in 11th grade. And they still attend Godwin all 4 years!
Eligibility to apply for Maggie Walker Governor’s School is based on specific criteria.
Applications for some programs open as early as the end of September.
We invite you to join us for a 45-minute Parent Information Session on Friday, October 3rd at 9:00 AM in the library.
Ms. Milby, our 8th grade counselor, will provide an overview of these exciting opportunities, including:
Advanced Career Education (ACE) Centers
CodeRVA Regional High School
JROTC Military Science Programs
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School
HCPS Specialty Centers
Please note: all 8th grade students will also receive a similar presentation during school.
HCPS Specialty Centers
Is your 8th grader a student with a concentrated area of interest or special talent? If so, consider attending an HCPS specialty center. The centers, located in each of the division's high schools offer Henrico County students opportunities to focus their learning experiences. The centers offer advanced courses to students with clear interests and specific educational and/or career goals.
In addition to the traditionally strong academic programs offered at each Henrico comprehensive high school, attending a specialty center is an opportunity to concentrate on a specialized interest while completing a rigorous college-preparatory program. Check out this video for details about HCPS Specialty Centers.
All of our Pocahontas 8th graders will attend a session about specialty centers on Thursday, September 18th, during Advisory.
Families and students looking for more information are encouraged to visit the HCPS Speciality Center page .
Specialty Center Open House Dates
The calendar below outlines the dates for individual Specialty Center Open Houses. Events are 6:30-8 p.m. unless noted in parentheses.
HCPS high school specialty centers, ACE centers, I.B. programs and regional high schools:
2025 DATE | CENTER |
Sept. 30 | Maggie L. Walker Governor's School: virtual introduction (5:30-6:30 p.m.) |
Oct. 1 | Advance College Academy for Business Administration at Highland Springs H.S. |
Oct. 1 | Center for Education and Human Development at Glen Allen H.S. |
Oct. 7 | Center for Engineering at Highland Springs H.S. |
Oct. 8 | Center for Environmental Studies and Sustainability at Varina H.S. |
Oct. 9 | Center for Leadership, Government and Global Economics at Douglas S. Freeman H.S. |
Oct. 9 | Center for Cybersecurity at Henrico H.S. |
Oct. 14 | CodeRVA open house (6-8 p.m.) repeated on Dec. 9 |
Oct. 14 | Center for Information Technology at Deep Run H.S. |
Oct. 15 | Advance College Academy Social Sciences at J.R. Tucker H.S. |
Oct. 22 | Center for Communications and Media Relations at Varina H.S. |
Oct. 23 | International Baccalaureate at J.R. Tucker H.S. |
Oct. 25 | Maggie L. Walker Governor's School open house at 10 a.m. |
Oct. 27 | Center for Spanish Language and Global Citizenship at J.R. Tucker H.S. |
Oct. 28 | ACE Centers (all campuses) open house at ACE Center @ Hermitage |
Oct. 28 | Center for Allied Health and Human Services at Hermitage H.S. |
Oct. 29 | Todd A. Phillips Center for Medical Science at Mills E. Godwin H.S. |
Oct. 30 | International Baccalaureate at Henrico H.S. |
Nov. 5 | Center for the Humanities and Civic Engagement at Hermitage H.S. |
Nov, 6 | Center for the Arts at Henrico H.S. |
Dec. 9 | CodeRVA open house (6-8 p.m.) same content from Oct. 14 |
Hawk Huddle Behavior Reminders
After lunch, students are participating in Hawk Huddle. During this time, students are encouraged to socialize with peers, walk around the bus loop, and enjoy some fresh air.
As you talk with your student, please remind them that they should always keep their hands, feet, and objects to themselves. While outside, students should not be pulling on or picking up branches.
Also, please remind your student to always grab their lunchbox and water bottle before coming inside from huddle.
Mental Health E-Books
As part of our continued commitment to student and staff wellness through the Henrico CARES
initiative, HCPS is pleased to announce the procurement of three new digital mental health
resources for students, staff, and families: Cameron’s Camp for Wellness, Cameron’s Collection,
and Educator Wellness. These collections are now available through our partnership with GALE Cengage. They serve as another tool to support the emotional well-being of our school
communities.
All collections offer unlimited, anonymous access to developmentally appropriate ebooks on a wide range of mental health and wellness topics. These resources are designed to reduce stigma, promote awareness, and provide supportive information to students, families, and staff.
Access Details:
● Students and staff can access the collections directly through their Clever accounts.
● Parents and guardians can access the materials via the Student Support and
Wellness section of the HCPS website.
Clinic Medication Reminders
Parents/guardians - please note, students should not be bringing medications to the clinic. All medications need to be brought into the clinic by a parent/guardian. For our clinic staff to administer medication to a student, there are specific forms that must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian.student.
Additionally, students cannot carry any type of medication on them while at school (unless proper documentation is in the clinic). This includes. but is not limited to, allergy medicine, over-the-counter pain or cold medicine, or prescription medicine.
Preventing Illness
With back-to-school season comes lots of germs. Please remind your student to wash their hands regularly. Additionally, reminders about covering their mouths when they cough and sneeze are helpful
Legacy Book Club
The Pocahontas Legacy Book Club lets you honor the birthday of a Pocahontas student in a lasting way while helping expand the Pocahontas library collection. Here’s how it works:
1. Visit the online payment system to pay your $15 donation
2. During your student’s birthday month, they will choose a brand new book that will be added to our school library.
We will place a personalized nameplate inside the book to honor their legacy on our library shelves for years to come!
The student will also receive a birthday goodie bag with a bookmark, waterproof sticker, eraser, and candy.
Please send any questions or comments to Ms. Walker at mawalker3@henrico.k12.va.us. Thank you for supporting our library!
Box Tops for Education
Are you looking for a quick and easy way to support Pocahontas Middle School? The Box Tops for Education app lets you earn cash for our school library by shopping for products you already buy at any store of your choice! Buy participating products, then use the Box Tops app to scan or upload your store receipt (or if you shop at Walmart, just connect your Walmart account directly to the Box Tops app). The app automatically identifies eligible products on your receipt and credits the earnings to Pocahontas. And yes, it works for online pickup & delivery orders, too!
Box Tops earnings really add up when more people participate, so thank you for supporting our school!
Sports Success
Congratulations to our girls tennis team, girls basketball team, and boys soccer teams for their strong performances last week. Each team kicked off its season with a VICTORY! And, thanks for our cheerleaders for their support and involvement!
This week, we have sporting events on several days. Games begin around 5 PM (depending on when teams arrive). Come cheer on our Hawks!
Boys Soccer, Girls Basketball, and Girls Tennis :
Monday, September 15th vs. Tuckahoe @ Pocahontas
Wednesday, Semptember 17th vs. Short Pump @ Short Pump
Football:
Tuesday, September 16th vs. Elko @ Elko
Fall Sports Pictures
Fall Sports pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, September 17th. Teams and students will take their pictures before they leave for their competitions. Coaches should be sending home details.
Annual Page Program
The Virginia House of Delegates administers an annual page program for youths aged 13-14, focusing on civics education, the legislative process, and leadership development.
Applications for the 2026 House Page Program open August 1, and close Friday, October 17, at 5 PM. Each applicant must submit a recommendation letter from their Delegate.
Please see the FAQ provided by the House Clerk’s Office.
French Trip Summer of 2026
If your child or your family is interested in traveling to France with Madame Snyder in June 2026, there’s still time to enroll! This year’s trip is open to all Pocahontas students and their families.
We already have a lovely-sized group going, but there is still room for a couple more families to sign up. I have
here, with all the details, the dates, the cities and the cost of the trip.
to complete the enrollment form online. If you are unable to make the deposit payment in full, please reach out to the Customer Support Team at Forum by Prométour as they may be able to arrange a payment plan that works for you. You can reach them by email
. Sign-ups for this trip will close on Tuesday, September 30th. Please email Madame Snyder if you are interested or have any questions
. Vive la France!!!
6th Grade Hawk Hangouts
The PTA's first 6th Grade Hawk Hangout is on Wednesday, September 17th. Students who have signed up to participate should report to the cafeteria at dismissal.
Thank you to the parent/guardian volunteers who are chaperoning the event!
Message from the PTA President
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Hawk Fund so far this year! If you donated in August, your magnets were sent home with your students on Friday. Please keep in mind that we will have a raffle in early October for either preferred seating or parking at a Hawk performance. You will be entered to win 1 of 20 possible spots! The Hawk fund is a charitable contribution, so keep your receipt!
We're excited to host our September Spirit Night through Marco's Pizza this Thursday, September 11th for back to school night! Please enter POCAPTA at check out for an easy dinner option on a busy night!
Join the PTA! We want to hear your voice and what is important to you and your students! Virginia is $500 million dollars behind where we need to be to support all of our students in any Special Needs programs. This includes the Gifted Program, Special Education, IEP/504 plans, working elevators, and everything in between. More PTA members gives Virginia PTA a larger support to lobby for these big changes! If you want to hear more about what our local Pocahontas PTA is up to, please join us in the Pocahontas Library every 3rd Tuesday of the month, our first meeting is September 16th, all families are welcome!
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns!
Gracie Herbert
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized from September 15th – October 15th.
During this time, HCPS is running a Hispanic Heritage Month Reflection Showcase. Students are encouraged to participate by submitting art that fits the theme: Resilience. The theme invites students to think about how they, their family, or their community stay strong and keep moving forward, even when life feels tough. Submissions can be made through
Check out the 2025 HCPS Life Ready Expo
We invite all students and families to check out the Life Ready Expo to learn about career clusters, Career and Technical Education programs, and employment opportunities.
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2025
STUDENTS & FAMILIES IN GRADES 6-12TH
6:00-8:00 PM
Hermitage High School 8301 Hungary Springs Road Henrico, VA 23228
Community Resource Fair
The Division of Empowerment, Development, & Opportunity (EDO), the Division of Family & Community Engagement (FACE), and the Tuckahoe YMCA are excited to announce the upcoming Fall Resource Fair, a community event designed to welcome and support all families in Henrico County with a particular
emphasis on those who are new to HCPS – including, but not limited to recent immigrant, military, or newly relocated students. This fair provides HCPS families the opportunity to connect with key resources, organizations, and support networks, both within HCPS and in the broader community, to help support their child’s academic, social, and emotional success and to ease their transition into our community.
Event Information
● Date: Saturday, September 20th, 2025
● Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
● Location: Tuckahoe Family YMCA - 9211 Patterson Ave, Richmond, VA 23229