Dates to Note |
Monday, January 5th - Monday, January 19th - Course Selection Window (information above)
Thursday, January 22nd - Rising 7th Grade Immunization Clinic
Thursday, January 22nd - Parent Teacher Conferences
Monday, January 26th - Gymnastics Tryouts Begin
Wednesday/Thursday, February 4th and 5th - Winter Growth Assessment Testing
Friday, February 13th - Q2 Pep Rally
Monday, February 16th - Schools Closed - Wellness Day
Tuesday, February 17th - Student Holiday/Staff Professional Learning
Student Recognition - Light Of Hope Recipient |
We celebrate our Henrico County Martin Luther King Commemoration Committee "Light of Hope" recipient, 8th Grader Channing Chigwada! Channing was recognized during a Martin Luther King Celebration Ceremony on Monday, January 19th. He was recognized for his demonstration of leadership, kindness, and dedication! Congrats to Channing!
Course Selection for 2026-2027 School Year |
Planning for next school year is underway! Prior to Winter Break, core content and Exceptional Education teachers made course recommendations for students for NEXT school year (2026-2027). Additionally, in December, we held our Curriculum Carnival, and school counselors visited classes to talk with students about course offerings for their next grade. These efforts were done to assist students and families in selecting appropriately rigorous and engaging courses for next year.
We are now entering phase two! Families will be able to choose courses for the 2026-2027 school year from January 5th-January 19th via the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you do NOT have a parent portal account yet, you can find the directions to set up an account here.
Teacher Recommendations:
Teachers provided recommendations for core classes as well as some electives. Students and families should select the option recommended by their teacher. If you have questions or disagree with a recommendation, please contact the teacher directly.
Throughout the course selection window, School Counselors will continue working with students to assist them in selecting appropriate courses for next year.
Beginning, Monday, January 5th (around 9AM), follow these directions to review recommendations and assist your student in making their selections.
Our school counselors are available to assist with questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out!
Rising 7th Grade Immunization Opportunity |
It is never too early to start planning for the next school year. If you are the parent or guardian of a current 6th grader (rising 7th grader), Henrico County Public Schools, in partnership with the Richmond/Henrico Health District, will be hosting immunization clinics at every middle school.
Our school’s clinic is being held on Thursday, January 22nd from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
These immunization events will provide the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) and the MenACWY (meningococcal conjugate) vaccines for rising seventh graders. A full list of required vaccinations is available at the Virginia Department of Health website.
You may register for our school’s clinic using the link provided here: POCAHONTAS IMMUNIZATION CLINIC LINK. Please note that each link is unique to the school, so be sure to sign up only for your child’s school clinic.
Important registration details:
Once your form is completed and submitted, you will receive a confirmation email with additional details.
If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse.
Winter Parent Teacher Conferences |
Parent Teacher Conferences will occur on Thursday, January 22nd, from 4:00-7:00 PM. To schedule a meeting with a teacher, please click this link. After the page opens, enter the teacher's name with whom you would like to meet. On the calendar, find January 22nd, and you will see which time slots are available. Sign-ups will close on Wednesday, January 21st.
Each 10-minute conference occurs with one teacher and the parent/guardian. If you wish to meet with multiple teachers, you will need to schedule multiple conference times. When registering for a conference time, parents/guardians will choose an in-person or virtual option.
We hope the parent-teacher conferences are helpful and productive. See you on January 22nd!
SAVE THE DATE - Winter Growth Assessment Testing
Winter growth assessment testing is right around the corner. The reading test will take place on Wednesday, February 4th, followed by the math test on Thursday, February 5th. All students will be testing in the morning on these days, so please make sure your child is present and on time.
Purchase a Yearbook
We encourage everyone to purchase a 2025-2026 yearbook for your student. The yearbook is a great keepsake. Our student-led yearbook staff is working hard to capture moments that make this year special. Please visit the Online School Payment site to make the purchase! Our final yearbook order will be made at the end of January, so now is a great time to make your purchase!
Our final yearbook count will be submitted to the company on January 30th. To guarantee your student receives a yearbook, purchases must be made by January 30th.
Additionally, our Hawk Herald is an online publication with articles written by our Hawks about our Hawks. Check out the articles that have been published this year!
Great job to our yearbook and newspaper staff!
Attention 8th Grade HCPS students & families, We invite you to review the 2026 Summer Academy Hybrid-Online Health & Physical Education information site: https://tinyurl.com/hcps-SA26-ohpe Attend the optional Q&A sessions, which provide an opportunity for families to explore the course framework and requirements, meet our coordinator, and learn more about the tentative Summer 2026 calendar: JANUARY 20, 2026 at 7:00pm - TEAMS Meeting Link JANUARY 28, 2026 at 7:00pm - TEAMS Meeting Link The Lottery Application opens after the January 20 Q&A session and closes on February 13. Application links are available on the information site, linked above. |
Dear 8th Grade Families, We are excited to share that our 8th grade students will be heading on a field trip to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (Udvar-Hazy Center) on Thursday, January 29, 2026! 📍 Destination: Air and Space Museum (Udvar-Hazy Center) 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA 20151 🕘 Schedule for the Day: 💲 Cost & Payment Information: 📄 Permission Slips: Permission slips are located on parent square for your convenience and will also be sent home with students in paper form. Please be sure all forms are completed and returned by the due date. 🙋 Chaperone Information: We welcome parent chaperones! All chaperones must: We are looking forward to an exciting and educational day that will inspire curiosity and deepen students’ understanding of science beyond the classroom. Thank you for your continued support in making learning experiences like this possible! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. |
Digital Citizenship |
The digital world is where our students live, learn, and socialize each and every day. Since they are constantly navigating new platforms and resources online, our job as a school and family partnership is to consistently guide their choices. To keep building your knowledge and confidence for parenting in this Digital Age, we encourage you to explore this YouTube playlist from Common Sense Education!
Continue talking with your student about making good decisions online. Password security, avoiding scams, not spamming others, and awareness of their digital footprint are great topics to cover with students.
Winter Sports Information |
Congratulations to our boys basketball and wrestling teams! The two teams close out their seasons this week! There is one last time to see each group complete! See details below.
Also, HUGE shoutout to our cheerleaders! The team has cheered in the fall and winter! We appreciate everything the athletes and coaches have done for Pocahontas and our sports programs!
Boys Basketball (tip off at 5 PM*):
Thursday, January 22nd @ Pocahontas
Wrestling (start time - 5 PM*):
Tuesday, January 20th vs Wilder @ Wilder
*Game/Match times may be altered due to transportation and team arrival.
Gymnastics Tryout Information
Gymnastics tryouts will begin Monday, January 26th. The gymnastics season will run from the end of Jnuary until March 11th.
Any student trying out for the gymnastics team must have the FIVE required forms completed. Check out our Pocahontas Athletic website for access to the forms. Hard copies are also available in our main office.
Goodwin High School Football Conditioning Information
Attention Rising 9th graders! Godwin High School JV Football will be holding morning workouts beginning January 5th from 7-8 AM. They will be scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the weight room.
This is a great opportunity to meet the coaches and current players and get stronger for the upcoming season!
*Workouts will take place as long as school is in session. Email questions to JV Coach Ryan Bierlair at rabierlair@henrico.k12.va.us
Message from the PTA President
Our Team is holding our Annual Souper Bowl on Friday, February 6th. Please be on the lookout for our Sign-Up Genius that will be available in the next two weeks. Like last year, the PTA will provide to-go containers for any remaining soup so leftovers can go home with the Teachers! Although, the soups and chilis were such a big hit that there weren't many leftover.
CAPITAL DAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD: #TakeActionForKids This is the Virginia PTA's biggest event for Advocacy! The Virginia PTA is asking for the Commonwealth of Virginia to fully fund the actual cost of Public Education. We are advocating for increased pay for our teachers, food security and school nutrition, reduce unnecessary accountability and performance testing, increased funding for our Special Education programing for any students with learning differences, school violence and safety, and Math and Literacy instruction. If you are interested in joining us for Capitol Day or you would like more information on the PTA's Advocacy, the Virginia PTA's website will give you the most up to date information. Please reach out to me if you are interested in learning more about Capitol Day or you want to join me!
Gracie Herbert
Birthday Shoutouts on the Marquee
Are you looking for a fun and easy way to celebrate your student's birthday! Check this out! With a 10 dollar donation to our PTA, your student's name and birthday can be added to the Pocahontas Marquee for a week!
To participate, add your student's information and your payment HERE - BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT
The PTA asks that you submit your student's birthday and payment by February 1st so we can plan accordingly!