Dates to Note
Tuesday, September 30th - End of our School Fundraiser
Thursday, October 2nd - Student Holiday - Yom Kippur
Friday, October 3rd @ 9 AM - Pocahontas 8th Grade Parent/Guardian Info Session - High School Options
Monday, October 13th - Student Holiday; Staff Professional Learning Day
Monday, October 20th - Student Holiday - Dinwali
Wednesday/Thursday, October 22rd/23rd - School Picture Day (students will take pictures during their Health/PE Block)
Thursday, October 23rd - Spirit Night at Panera and Strings Concert
Friday, October 24th - End of the First Quarter; Student Half Day
Monday, October 27th - Friday, October 31st - Spirit Week
Thursday, November 6th - Fall Parent Teacher Conferenes
Tuesday, November 11th - Veterans Day Assembly and Veteran Reception
Fundraiser Incentives
We need your help! If everyone joins the fundraiser and donates just 20 dollars, we will meet our goal! Our fall fundraiser closes on Tuesday, September 30th. Let's get to our goal!!
Students who raise $60 or more will attend our Glow Party! Students who raise approximately $120 will earn a trip to the Kona Ice Truck. We hope to see your student there!
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.
Support to Succeed
Included in the syllabi is the revised HCPS Support to Succeed. Teachers will be in communication with families of students who qualify for remediation/retesting.
Support to Succeed Policy
The School Board of Henrico County is committed to ensuring the success of all students in grades PK-12. The Board recognizes circumstances may arise that prohibit students from functioning at their highest level. Therefore, Support to Succeed has been created to help students understand the impact of failure and how to correct mistakes.
1. Retest for Success
Any student in grades 2-12 who earns a D or an F on a test can remediate with the teacher and opt to be reassessed one time per test. The reassessment can be done in a multitude of developmentally appropriate ways as determined by the teacher. Reassessment methods may include, but are not limited to, taking a different test, submitting a project/alternative assignment or a writing sample, conducting a formalized test correction procedure, etc. This re-test procedure does not apply to diagnostic assessments (which are not counted as part of a student grade), semester and/or final exams.
2. Marking Period Success: Middle and High School
In an effort to keep students from becoming discouraged and succumbing to failure, students who approach the end of the marking period with an overall grade of less than 65% will have the option to raise their marking period grade based on the remediation plan that is established by the teacher. Students transferring within and into HCPS schools and programs mid-course are eligible for this opportunity.
There are limits on how many marking periods students may avail themselves of this option, which are as follows:
a. In high school credit-bearing courses in middle or high schools, students successfully completing remediation requirements may raise their course grade to 65% in one marking period per course.
b. In non-high school credit-bearing courses in middle school, students successfully completing remediation requirements may raise their course grade to 65% in up to two marking periods per course.
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!
Save the Date - Fall Growth Assessment Testing
All students will participate in Fall Growth Assessment Testing on October 29-30 from 9:00-12:00 (please try to avoid early dismissals and late arrivals during this time). Details coming soon!
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 help us plan accordingly by filling out this RSVP form.
All 8th grade students received a similar presentation last week
HCPS High School Applications Open This Week
It is almost time! Applications for several high school programs will open this week. Click the chart linked below for additional details:
Specialty Centers – Online application opens Mon., 9/29
ACE Center Programs – Online application (Google link) opens Mon., 9/29
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School – Online application opens Wed., 10/1
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 |
Hallway Reminders
This week, please discuss hallway safety with your students. Students should walk to the right of the hallway, and they should avoid congregating and stopping in the middle of the hallway during transition. Computers should be closed and storred either in their backpack or securely in their arms while they move from class to class.
Students have four minutes to transition between classes. They do not need to run.
Kindness is important. Please remind students to be patient with their peers as they move through the building. Excuse me and thank you are important phrases to be used when interacting with peers.
ID Reminders
Most of our students are doing a wonderful job of meeting our expectation of having their IDs visible daily. The IDs are being used as the students enter and exit buses, as they pay for their lunch, and as they checkout library resources.
Important information about IDs:
Each student will wear their ID on their HCPS lanyard for the entirety of every school day.
Students should have their IDs visible throughout the school day. IDs/lanyards are removed for PE, science labs, and at the teacher's discretion during other activities.
If a student needs a new lanyard, they should visit our main office to request a new lanyard.
If a student needs a new ID, the first replacement is free. Any ID replacements beyond the first one are assigned a five-dollar, non-refundable charge.
ID replacements will be requested during Advisory in the library. Any student needing a new ID will be directed to the library. The replacement ID will be given to the student on the nearest Wednesday or Friday to when it was requested.
When a new ID is printed for a student, their old ID is no longer active. If the old ID is found, it should be confiscated.
If a student does not have their ID for four consecutive days, they will be sent to the library to order a replacement.
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.
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
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!
Wrestling Coach Needed
Pocahontas Middle School needs a wrestling coach for our team. The wrestling season runs from about November to January. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Felcia Schooley at faschooley@henrico.k12.va.us and/or Leah Wiedenhoft at ldwiedenhoft@henrico.k12.va.us.
Theatre Auditions - Once Upon a Mattress
Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition auditions are happening soon! Auditions are open to all Pocahontas students and will take place after school on October 6-9. To sign up, students must get a paper permission form from Ms. Justice AND complete a Google Form online. T
The Google Form lets students select the specific days they will stay after school to audition. Students should choose to do their singing audition either Monday 10/6 or Tuesday 10/7 and their acting audition either Wednesday 10/8 or Thursday 10/9. (We are not dividing auditions into a girls' call and a boys' call like in previous years.) Invited callbacks will take place after school on Friday 10/10.
Dates to keep in mind when auditioning: Saturday, February 28th, is a mandatory technical rehearsal for all cast and crew; the show runs March 6-8.
All audition information, materials, and sign-up links are located at tinyurl.com/pocadrama.
Optional audition review dates: Tuesday 9/30: girls' music review, Wednesday 10/1: boys' music review.
*Please note: this musical requires a smaller cast than last year. Being cast in a previous Pocahontas Players musical does not guarantee a role onstage in this production.
Please email Ms. Justice at mljustice@henrico.k12.va.us with questions.
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 linked the trip itinerary here, with all the details, the dates, the cities and the cost of the trip. Click here 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
support@forumbyprometour.com. Sign-ups for this trip will close on Tuesday, September 30th. Please email Madame Snyder if you are interested or have any questions hisnyder@henrico.k12.va.us. Vive la France!!!
Panera PTA Spirit Night
Our Next Spirit Night is Thursday, October 23rd at Panera Bread! Visit the 11703 W Broad St location from 4:00-8:00 and use the code FUND4U when placing your order at panerabread.com, on the app, or at the in-store kiosk. Panera will donate 25% of the proceeds back to Pocahontas.
The proceeds from this event will all go to our Strings Department at Pocahontas to offset costs for Instrument Stands and other needs so go warm up your soul and the music room with soup from Panera :)
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!
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!
Save the Date - Veteran's Day Assembly
Our annual Pocahontas Veterans Day Assembly will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 11th. We are inviting veterans who are family members of our students and staff to attend the event. Details will be shared soon!
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
3:3 Basketball Tournament
Glen Allen Girl’s Basketball Program presents our first annual 3 on 3 basketball challenge. This event is open to all 2nd - 8th grade boys and girls.
Girl’s Division: Elementary (2nd/3rd)
(4th/5th), Middle (6th -8th)
Boy’s Division: Elementary (2nd/3rd)
(4th/5th), Middle (6th -8th)
Registration Fee: $15.00 per player ( 4 Player Max per team) Registration is now open HERE
📅 - Saturday, October 25th, 2025
⏰ - 10:00am - 2:00pm
📍- Glen Allen High School
For more information please contact: jaycoach942@gmail.com