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POWES Family Press

October 18th: Week 9 Updates for the '26-'27 School Year

POWES FamilyPressOctober 18th: Week 9 Updates for the '26-'27 School Year

Quick Highlights Quick Highlights

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Good Evening Powhatan Elementary Families,


This year is FLYING by as we just wrapped up week eight of school! Can you believe tomorrow will be the start of week 9?


Well...we have LANDED on the LAST week of the 1st quarter! The 1st quarter ENDS on Thursday, Oct. 22nd.


We can't wait to watch your kiddo(s) πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡this year with academics and overall performance in school!


Below is what you will find in this Sunday's message regarding the 26-27 school year. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!


  1. POWES Updates
  2. Let's CELEBRATE POWES Teachers & Staff
  3. Home & School Connection (Bullying)
  4. Fall Picture Day...Oct. 19th
  5. Counseling Updates...
  6. Watch D.O.G.S.
  7. Run Club at POWES
  8. Lunch/Snack Buddies Program!
  9. Attendance...We Need YOUR Student Here EVERYDAY!
  10. Important Dates and Resources
  11. Upcoming Powhatan County Events
  12. PTO Info
  13. Dr. Gill's Message
  14. We have Powhatan PRIDE!
  15. Helpful Links ALL year long for Parents
  16. Previous POWES Family Press Newsletters
  17. PCPS Calendar! Check it out...ALL of the date your kiddo is OUT of school! THIS IS THE TIME TO PLAN appointments & trips!

πŸ“‹ POWES Updates πŸ“‹ POWES Updates

  • Fall PICTURE Day is...TOMORROW...MONDAY, OCT. 19TH!!
    Get YOUR smile ready...Fall Picture Day IS FINALLY HERE! Keep scrolling down to find more information.


  • 🚌 National Bus Safety Week from Monday, Oct. 19-23rd 🦺
    Our drivers work hard to get your kiddo(s) to and from school safely EACH DAY! Let's show them some 🧑 LOVE πŸ–€ by creating THANK YOU cards, writing them little notes, drawing them pictures, and/or any other way to show your appreciation to your kiddo(s)' driver!


  • Parent-Teacher Conferences:
    The day is right around the corner! Join us on Tuesday, November 3rd, between 11:00 AM and 6:30 PM to connect with your child’s teachers.

    You can schedule your conference using this link: https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Powhatan_Elementary_School


    Need help? Check out our step-by-step instructions.



  • Cyber Security Assembly for 5th Grade:
    The Powhatan's Sheriff's Office will be presenting a presentation to all 5th graders on Monday, 10/19 regarding cybersecurity and internet safety.


  • πŸ„ FARM DAY πŸ” in Powhatan for 3rd Graders was a SUCCESS!
    View the Channel 8 News broadcast of "Their Faces Just Light Up...Farm Day..."

    **POWES' own 3rd graders were interviewed!**


  • 2nd Grade (ONLY): Learn to Swim @ the YMCA:
    Learn to Swim lessons at the YMCA will continue this week (Tuesdays & Thursdays)
    . Please check with your child's teacher to find out which day your child will attend.


  • Safety Patrol UPDATE:
    PLEASE do not send your student inside the building if you are in parent drop off until 8:20 am. We do not need them any earlier. If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Peggy Jenkins at peggy.jenkins@powhatan.k12.va.us.


  • If you have any changes in your child's NORMAL mode of transportation throughout the school year please email powespickup@powhatan.k12.va.us and your child’s teacher. Please be patient as arrival and dismissal will take a little longer the first few days.


  • When your child is absent please remember to call our attendance secretary, Mrs. Yarbrough or email us at powesattendance@powhatan.k12.va.us. Please remember if you plan to have your child miss school due to a vacation or trip then you need PRIOR approval from Dr. Gill. Please send him an email (jason.gill@powhatan.k12.va.us) with the dates requested.


πŸ“œ Your child has learned and reviewed what it means to..."Have Powhatan PRIDE"! They have also learned and reviewed our school's expectations of: Being Respectful, Being Responsible, Being Safe, and Being Kind. Please use these same guidelines at home to bridge the gap between home and school. They will recite our school pledge each morning..."I am Respectful, Responsible, Safe, & Kind...I have Powhatan PRIDE"! 🧑

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πŸŽ‰ Let's CELEBRATE POWES...Teachers & Staff!! πŸ₯³ πŸŽ‰ Let's CELEBRATE POWES...Teachers & Staff!! πŸ₯³

Please recognize ALL of the HARD work our teachers & staff do EACH & EVERY day for your KIDDO(S)!

POWES Families,

We would love to have you recognize our FABULOUS teachers and staff members at POWES! Please view the POWES Staff SHOUT OUTS form to recognize a teacher, coach, interventionist, custodian, SRO, office staff, or administrator who you feel is making or has made a difference your kiddo(s) lives thus far!


I will share this info in our Family Press as well as in my internal Staff Updates newsletter. We can't wait to read why you are recognizing our AMAZING staff!

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🏠 Home & School Connection: Bullying Awareness πŸ“– 🏠 Home & School Connection: Bullying Awareness πŸ“–

Empowering Kids with Coping & Communication Skills

Open communication at home builds a child's resilience and gives them the confidence to speak up. When discussing peer interactions with your child, choose a calm setting, listen without judgment, and ask open-ended questions like, "How did that make you feel?"


  • Model Empathy: Show healthy conflict resolution and active listening in your daily family routines.

  • Teach Assertiveness: Help your child practice assertive, non-aggressive responses or harmless humor to deflect hurtful comments.

  • Action Step: Reassure your child that reporting hurtful behavior is not "tattling" and that seeking help is a sign of strength.

πŸ“Έ Fall Picture Day...TOMRROW...Monday, Oct. 19th πŸ“Έ πŸ“Έ Fall Picture Day...TOMRROW...Monday, Oct. 19th πŸ“Έ

TOMORROW...is the DAY! Get your kiddo(s) ready for picture day! Please read the flyers below to find out how you can order pictures ahead of time if you choose. You can also send in money TOMORROW with your picture package selected on the order form!

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πŸ“ Counseling Update... πŸ“ Counseling Update...

The counseling department will be offering small groups to help students deal with grief. This group is for children who have suffered the loss of a close loved one and still having trouble handling it or you feel has not adequately dealt with the grief. If you are interested in your child participating in this small group during school hours, please contact one of the school counselors: peggy.jenkins@powhatan.k12.va.us or maddison.pfautz@powhatan.k12.va.us.

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🐢 Watch D.O.G.S. 🐢 🐢 Watch D.O.G.S. 🐢

QR Code to Sign Up to Volunteer for Watch D.O.G.S.
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It's HERE! The time so many of our dads/father figures have been asking about...Watch D.O.G.S.! If you are interested in participating please see the information below. We can't wait to see you in the building supporting our staff and students as ...WATCH D.O.G.S.!


We've had few Watch D.O.G.S. in the last few days! Come on and join us @ POWES...you WILL be tired by the end of the day, but it's SO worth it. Our kiddos LOVE to see our Watch D.O.G.S. in the building and ESPECIALLY in their classroom!


View the WATCH D.O.G.S. Application


View the WATCH D.O.G.S. Presentation


View the WATCH D.O.G.S. Brochure


You must fill out and return the application to our school counselors, Ms. Peggy Jenkins & Miss Maddison Pfautz, in order to be considered for participation in the program. If you have any questions please reach out to them either by email or giving them a call. They are both happy to support you.

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1st Watch D.O.G.S. of the 26-27 School Year!

We had a grandfather join us as the 1st Watch D.O.G.S. of the year! We can't wait to add more Watch D.O.G.S.!

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Watch D.O.G.S. @ POWES

Our kiddos LOVE it when their dad, grandfather, uncle, or father figure in their life shows up to school to spend time volunteering as a Watch D.O.G.S.!

πŸ‘Ÿ Run Club at POWES πŸ‘Ÿ πŸ‘Ÿ Run Club at POWES πŸ‘Ÿ

For Students Who Have SIGNED Up for Run Club ONLY...

πŸƒRun Club πŸ‘Ÿis GOING WELL! Please reference this "Welcome to the POWES Run Club!" flyer for important information.

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Reminders:

  • Teachers will be at the check-in table near the front entrance to the playground by the parking lot. We’d like all parents to make sure their kiddos are checked in before heading down to the blacktop or dropping them off.
  • All Run Club kiddos need to stay on the blacktop with the group until the morning bell rings.


"Run Club is a SUCCESS...as you can see from the pictures below! See you Wednesday morning at 7:50 a.m.!"


-Mrs. Alexander

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πŸ₯ͺ Lunch/Snack Buddies Program! πŸ₯ͺ Lunch/Snack Buddies Program!

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The Lunch/Snack Buddy program has been in our schools for over 10 years. The Lunch/Snack Buddies program is one that promotes building relationships with a student who is exhibiting a need for a positive adult role model. We provide this program in the 3 elementary schools as well as at PMS. The program begins the beginning of October and will last until end of April.


A YES commitment would look like:


  • A lunch buddy would mentor an elementary student during their lunch time once a week
  • A snack buddy would mentor a middle school student during ACCT time once a week.
  • A brief overview training about what to expect, confidentiality protocols as well as answering your questions prior to you being partnered with a student
  • You will be asked your preference of school and age of child. We will do the best to match you with a perfect student in need. If you want to mentor more than one student, we can make that happen as well.
  • A background check and fingerprinting session with HR would be necessary



The activities between the student and mentor will be monitored by the school counselors but it can be anything from academic support to conversation, playing games, making crafts, and things of that nature during the set weekly lunch/snack time.



If you are interested in participating as a mentor for the Lunch/Snack Buddies Program, we would be happy to have you! Send an email to lunchbuddies@powhatan.k12.va.us Please respond soon to let me know and I will be in touch about the next steps. The program starts the first week of October!

πŸ“† Attendance...We Need YOUR Student Here EVERYDAY! πŸ“† Attendance...We Need YOUR Student Here EVERYDAY!

We need your kiddo at school every day so they can learn with us. Research shows that if your child misses 2 days a month then he or she is trending to be Chronically Absent (missing 10% or more time from school) as they move through their school career. To put this into perspective at this point of the year...if your child has missed 3 or MORE days already from school this year then your child is Chronically Absent. Now, as we continue to be in school longer and your child doesn't miss any more days then the percentage will drop drastically.



We are checking out the PERFECT Attendance by Grade percentages as of Friday, Oct. 16th (% of the grade that has NOT missed a day of school YET). Since we are wrapping up the 1st Quarter on Oct. 22nd we will pull the PERFECT Attendance List and any student who has NOT missed a day this quarter will EARN a PERFECT Attendance certificate...STAY TUNED:


PK: 38.24%

K: 54.17% πŸŽ‰

1st: 32.69%

2nd: 54.05%

3rd: 44.29%

4th: 52.63%

5th: 43.04%


WAY to GO kindergarten! But watch out...2nd grade is closing in FAST! Who will have the BEST attendance at the end of October? Will it be 2nd grade again? STAY TUNED!!


We celebrate "Attendance Matters" each month with some sort of celebration (popsicle, popcorn, etc). Who will WIN our 2nd month of school? GAME ON...Let's πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡ OUR LEARNING by being at school EVERY DAY!!

Guess What?!

Mrs. Easter's 4th grade class HAS the BEST attendance school wide as of October 6th...


99.09% of her class has been at school each day! Her class currently holds our πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡ Award...a light up game controller! Which class will earn the HONOR of holding on to the
πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡ Award next? STAY TUNED!

πŸ“† Important Dates and Resources πŸ“† Important Dates and Resources

  • October 19th: Fall Pictures


  • October 19-22: Kindness Challenge Spirit Week!


  • October 19th: 5th grade Cybersecurity & Internet Safety Assembly


  • October 21st: Unity Day (wear ORANGE)


  • October 22nd: Read-A-Thon Assembly (TOP Readers & $$ Raisers will be recognized)


  • October 22nd: End of 1st Quarter


  • October 22nd: POWES Fall Festival


  • October 23rd: NO SCHOOL for Students (Teacher Work Day)


  • October 26th: NO SCHOOL for Students (Teacher PD Day)


  • October 30th: Report Cards Sent Home


  • November 2nd: No School for Students & Staff (Offices will be open)


  • November 3rd: No School for Students (Parent/Teacher Conference Day)


  • November 9-13: BOOK FAIR...THIS IS A CHANGE!


  • November 11th: Veterans' Day Celebration @ 9:15


  • Interims: Week of Nov. 16-20


  • December 18th: End of 2nd Quarter (1st Semester Ends)


  • January 8th: Report Cards Sent Home


  • Interims: Week of Feb. 1-5


  • March 11th: End of 3rd Quarter


  • March 19th: Report Cards Sent Home


  • Interims: Week of April 19-23


  • June 4th: Report Cards Sent Home w/Elementary students


Additional Information

  • ⏰ REMINDER: Elementary start time: Drop off begins at 8:25 am in the front loop of the school.


***If a need arises for some reason and you need to pick your child up early from school you will NEED to bring your photo ID inside the building in order to do so...EVEN if we know you!


  • If you do not currently receive text messages from the school messenger program and you would like to OPT IN to receive TEXT messages. Text the words OPT IN to 67587.


  • Are you or someone you know interested in becoming a substitute teacher for PCPS? Apply here if you are interested! Please spread the word so we can increase our substitute pool.

πŸ“’ Upcoming Powhatan County Events πŸ“† πŸ“’ Upcoming Powhatan County Events πŸ“†

PHS SGA presents...TRUNK or TREAT

Come on out & bring the WHOLE family!

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Powhatan TRICK or TREAT...Oct. 31st!

Come on out and bring your kiddo(s) to the heart of Powhatan for some FUN!

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Land of the FREE because of the BRAVE!

Veteran's Day Event in Powhatan County! Please join our very own Mrs. Easter as she teams up with some incredible family members to host this AMAZING event!

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What is the PERR Project?

Precision Education Research in Reading

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Are your kiddos interested in basketball?

Pulse Basketball Registration is "GOING ON"!

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Let's PULL Together...

TAB Collection! Join us in collecting aluminum pull tabs to benefit the Ronald McDonald House!

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Adult GED in Powhatan

Change your path with THE GED!

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Hustle Athletic Academy Before/After School Care

Still in need of "Before and/or After" school care?

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🧑 Powhatan PTO 🧑 Powhatan PTO

POWES families,

We are still looking for more families to partner with us by joining the PTO, but if you can't then please consider donating your time to help us with all of the AMAZING events we will put on this year!


PTO Meetings:
**PTO Meeting on the 1st Thursday of each month**


πŸ“š Read-a-Thon UPDATES as of Friday, October 9th! Check out the LEADER boards below!

  • $6,834 raised SO far...it ends on 10/19.
  • 14,635 total minutes read at this point
  • MOST πŸ’° $$ Raised so far by...Prince Boone...$400
  • TOP Reader πŸ“š so far...Hadleigh Rose...1,665 minutes
  • Class with MOST πŸ’Έ $$ raised so far...$845...Mrs. Fields (PK-4)
  • Class with MOST ⌚ minutes read so far...3,565... Mrs. Lewis (5th grade)
  • Total # of Students participating: 82



Let's KEEP reading! There's still time to find out who will end up getting to TP (toilet paper) Dr. Gill & Mrs. Gobble!


πŸ“’ ALL THINGS FALL FESTIVAL 2026 πŸ‚...view the important info about this event


  • 🍬 Monty the Candy Monster is SOOO hungry! Please feed him CANDY!!
  • 🍿 The popcorn race is still on! Mrs. Trigg’s class is still in the lead! Who will hit 100% family PTO membership and get their popcorn party first?
  • Keep reading to find out all about the events coming from your PTO!


Want to be part of the PTO community? Here are a few quick links:

Join the PTO β†’ Click here to complete the form & pay for your membership

Volunteer with us β†’ Click here to complete the volunteer interest form


Have questions, comments, or concerns? We are always available via email. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

powhatanespto@gmail.com


You all are the πŸ–€ heartbeat 🧑 of this school & we are so grateful for your time!


πŸ–€ 🧑 your POWes PTO!πŸ–€πŸ§‘

β€”Kelsi, Nicole & Madison


πŸ“’ CALLING ALL POWES FAMILIES...WE WANT & NEED YOU 🫡!

Please join the PTO as we would love to have 100% of our staff and families join us as we plan and organize TONS of events for our school! We would LOVE to see ALL of you at our monthly meetings, which take place the 1st Thursday of each month at 6:30pm.

FALL FESTIVAL ON THURSDAY, OCT. 22ND...VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED!

πŸ“’ ALL THINGS FALL FESTIVAL 2026 πŸ‚...view the important info about this event


Families, in order to make this HUGE event a SUCCESS we NEED YOU! Please consider volunteering for this event.


TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED @ THE DOOR!

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Monty the Candy Monster

Support our Fall Festival on Oct. 22nd by feeding "Monty" TONS of candy!!

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Meet the REAL "Monty"...

Here is the "REAL" Monty the Candy Monster! He's waiting patiently outside our cafeteria for his favorite meal...CANDY! Let's LOAD him up so we will have PLENTY of CANDY to give out as prizes at our Fall Festival on Oct. 22nd.

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🍎 Dr. Gill's Corner 🍎 Dr. Gill's Corner

A school principal smiling wearing a shirt and tie.
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Dear POWES Families,

πŸŽ‰ A few items to highlight around our school:


  1. Families who DROP OFF their kiddo(s) in the drop off car line...PLEASE do NOT let them out of the car until the bell rings AND their are staff members outside. We don't want anything to happen to them when you let them out the car and then drive off. Thanks for your continued support regarding this matter.

  2. Your KIDDO(S) have made it...the LAST week of the 1st Quarter! It ends on Thursday, Oct. 22nd.

  3. Hopefully you saw the information under POWES Updates regarding Parent/Teacher Conference Day. Time slots fill fast so please sign up ASAP!

  4. We only have a day left to complete the Read-a-Thon challenge! Who will EARN the privilege to TP (toilet paper) me and Mrs. Gobble?

  5. Please keep reminding your kiddo(s) to follow our PRIDE Expectations on a daily basis.
  6. We are continuing with our PCPS KINDNESS Challenge with a SPIRIT WEEK starting on 10/20. Also stay tuned to see if your kiddo will be recognized by his/her teacher at the end of the month! KINDNESS is our focus moving forward this year and into the years to come. Please talk with your child about our POWES PLEDGE: I am Respectful, Responsible, Safe, & Kind...I have Powhatan PRIDE"! 🧑

  7. As always...if you ever have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or Mrs. Gobble, assistant principal.

  8. Please make sure your student is getting the proper amount of rest as we will be CHALLENGING ALL of our students in order to πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡this year!

  9. Please keep scrolling down to see a section that contains the previous POWES Family Press newsletters.

We are JUMPING FOR JOY for all of what the 26-27 school year has in store for you and your kiddo(s)! Mrs. Gobble, assistant principal, and myself are so glad that each of you will be partnering with us as we πŸ“ˆLEVEL UPπŸ₯‡ this school year. Again, I am HONORED to be your principal and I cannot wait to see all of you VERY soon!

See you soon,


Dr. Jason Gill

Your PROUD Principal


Mrs. KP Gobble
Your AMAZING Assistant Principal

Dr. Gill & Mrs. Gobble Jumping for Joy
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πŸŽ‰ WE HAVE POWHATAN PRIDE! 🧑 πŸŽ‰ WE HAVE POWHATAN PRIDE! 🧑

WE ARE POWHATAN written using orange and white cups in fence  of front of the school
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POWES Front Entry Doors
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We Have Powhatan Pride
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POWES Staff
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πŸ”— Helpful Links for Parents πŸ”— Helpful Links for Parents

View Parent Guide with ALL Things POWES!


View Breakfast & Lunch Menus


View MySchoolBucks for lunch accounts


View the PCPS Transportation webpage for more tips and additional bus information


View the Free & Reduced Lunch Form on the PCPS website


View SchoolCashOnline for field trip and other payment


View the 2026 - 2027 division calendar


View the PCPS website


View the PCPS Instructional website


Attendance Information

View PCPS Attendance Information

View Parent Attendance Guide

πŸ“School Supply Lists:

View Supply Lists for PK (3’s & 4’s)
View Supply Lists for Kindergarten, 1st, & 2nd

View Supply Lists for 3rd, 4th, & 5th

πŸ“° Previous POWES Family Press Newsletters πŸ“° πŸ“° Previous POWES Family Press Newsletters πŸ“°

October 11th
October 4th
September 27th
Solving Problems Together
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πŸ“† PCPS Calendar: NO School for Students! It's Time to Plan Appts & Trips! πŸ“† PCPS Calendar: NO School for Students! It's Time to Plan Appts & Trips!

PCPS Vacation Planner for 26-27
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