Poca Elementary School

PES Families: We will have our first PTO meeting on Thursday, September 12th at 3:00 p.m. Immediately following the PTO meeting at approximate 3:30 - 3:45., we will have our Local School Improvement Council meeting to vote for parent/family representatives.

Please be advised: Public Service Announcement: Putnam County Schools to Conduct Safety Exercise in Collaboration with Local Law Enforcement and First Responders Putnam County Schools is partnering with local law enforcement to conduct a safety exercise on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at an undisclosed school. This exercise is part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and preparedness of our students, staff, and community. The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) exercise will involve real-time response actions to help build preparedness by allowing schools and the school district to test and validate plans and policies, determine strengths, and identify areas for improvement. The SRP exercise has been designed in collaboration with law enforcement and first responders to help test coordinated responses and rapid problem-solving skills across the system. It will incorporate district and school employees, community first responders, and local law enforcement agencies. It's important to note that this training exercise will not disrupt students or the surrounding community. The SRP exercise is a critical educational opportunity for our school staff to practice and refine emergency response procedures in collaboration with our safety partners. The exercise will not impact campus activities (i.e., athletic practices, localized traffic, etc.) and has been anticipated to last two (2) to three (3) hours. We deeply appreciate the support and understanding of our community as we work to strengthen our mission to provide a safe and secure environment for students, staff, and our school communities. Thank you for your cooperation. John Hudson, Superintendent

PES: PES Open House Tuesday, August 20th 4:30 - 6:30 All PreK, Kindergarten, and newly enrolled students/families will meet in the Gym at 4:30. After a quick meeting to review procedures, you will visit classrooms. All returning students, 1st - 5th grades can visit classrooms from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. If you do not know your teacher/homeroom teacher, we will have staff available to help you when you arrive. Bus drivers will also be available to help you with bus numbers, pick-up times, and drop-off times.

PES: PES Open House Tuesday, August 20th 4:30 - 6:30 All PreK, Kindergarten, and newly enrolled students/families will meet in the Gym at 4:30. After a quick meeting to review procedures, you will visit classrooms. All returning students, 1st - 5th grades can visit classrooms from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. If you do not know your teacher/homeroom teacher, we will have staff available to help you when you arrive. Bus drivers will also be available to help you with bus numbers, pick-up times, and drop-off times.

Volunteers Needed! Poca Elementary is in need of volunteers to help prepare our playgrounds for students next week! We have two large mounds of mulch that must be spread on our K-5 and Pre-k playgrounds If you have friends, a church group, a youth group, or a student in need of a community service hours, please give us a call at 304-755-7561.

Back to School Blast August 9, 2025 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Putnam Career and Technical Center

Putnam County Schools 2024-2025 Calendar

PES: Tomorrow is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Students will be dismissed at 11:55 a.m. 3 Hour Early Dismissal

If your child will not be attending school on Tuesday, June 4th, which is a 3-hour early dismissal at 11:55 a.m., please send in a self-addressed stamped envelope and we will mail his/her report card (with next year's teacher assignment K-2 and homeroom teacher for 3rd-5th). Due to fluctuating office hours, we will not be giving teacher assignments by phone.

PES: Tuesday, June 4th Last Day of School 3 Hour Early Dismissal Students will be dismissed at 11:55 a.m.

PES: 5th Grade Farewell This evening, Thursday, May 30th from 6:00 - 7:00 at Poca Middle School Gym Please enter at PMS Front Entrance - Doors Open at 5:45 p.m. Please share with all family and friends who will be attending.

PES: Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 29th is the June and July Birthday Lunch for K-5th Doors Open as follows: K and 1st Grade : 10:50 4th and 5th Grades: 11:25 2nd and 3rd Grades: 11:55 Please share with any family member who will be attending!

PES: Cook's Choice Tuesday, May 28th - French Toast - Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and Roll Wednesday, May 29th - Egg & Cheese Croissant - Corndogs/Hotdogs and Tater Tots Thursday, May 30th - Honey Buns - Pizza and Fruit Friday, May 31st - Waffles - Chicken Fajitas Monday, June 3rd - Apple Fritters/Breakfast Bread - Assorted Chicken w/ Potato Tuesday, June 4 - NutriGrain Bar - Hamburgers, Fish Sandwiches, Chips, and Apples

PES: PES 2nd and 3rd Grade Families: The concert will begin at 2:00 at POCA MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM. The doors will open at 1:45 p.m. Guests will NOT enter at PMS Front Entrance. Guest will enter at Poca Elem. Front Entrance or you may park in back lot and enter PMS gym side entrance near the softball field dugout. If you plan to check-out your child after the concert, please allow the students to return back to PES with their class/teacher. 2nd Grade will sign-out from Door 24. 3rd Grade will sign-out from the Gym at Door 23. It is imperative that you follow these directions to ensure the safety of all students. Thank you!

PES Families K-5: ALL students and staff will be attending Field Day tomorrow at Poca High School. If your child is late to school tomorrow, you may bring them to Poca High School, but MUST CHECK-IN WITH THEIR TEACHER in the same way you check-in at the front office when you are a late arrival. As a reminder, only parent/guardians may check-out from PHS after the event. If anyone else on the emergency card wants to sign-out, they must do so at PES. We will begin bus shuttles to PHS at 8:15 a.m. Don't be late!

Good morning, PES Families: We will continue with Field Day as planned on Friday, May 17th. Students will come to school and be transported by bus to PHS. We will begin shuttles around 8:15 a.m. and hope to have all students at PHS by 9:00. Only parents/guardians can check-out from PHS. If someone other than the parent is picking up the child, they must be on the emergency card and do so at Poca Elementary. Students DO NOT need backpacks/folders/etc. on this day. Bag lunches would be best in all disposable bags/containers. Please put your child's name on the bag. Please apply sunscreen at home. Hats are allowed and please wear tennis shoes.

🍎📚 A heartfelt THANK YOU to our amazing PTO for going above and beyond during Teacher Appreciation Week! Your dedication and support mean the world to us. We're incredibly grateful for the delicious lunches and all the thoughtful gestures. Here's to a wonderful community of involved parents! Love, Poca Elementary Staff

NEW MEAL BENEFIT PROGRAM - WV SUMMER EBT PROGRAM The WV Summer EBT Program is a new meal benefit program sponsored by the WV Department of Human Services. It provides a one-time benefit allowance of $120 for income-eligible children. Not all students who attend Putnam County Schools will be eligible for this benefit; only income-eligible households that meet income criteria are eligible. HOW TO APPLY: If you have completed a “free and reduced-price school meal application” in the 2023-24 school year and have been awarded meal benefits this school year, you DO NOT need to apply for Summer EBT. Your child will automatically receive the benefit. If your child attends a CEP school and does not collect “free and reduced meal applications” during the school year, you must apply for the Summer EBT if you think you would be eligible for this benefit. To complete an application online, please visit www.schoolcafe.com. PLEASE NOTE: The WV Dept of Human Services sponsors the WV Summer EBT Program; Putnam County Schools is not involved in qualifying families for this new benefit. However, school data is used to implement this program. Applicants’ addresses on file at your child’s school must be current. If your mailing address has changed during this school year, please get in touch with your child’s school to ensure your child’s mailing address is up-to-date and accurate. QUESTIONS: For more information about the WV Summer EBT Program, please visit www.wvsebt.org or call 1-866-545-6502.

PES 3rd - 5th Graders will take the WVGSA Reading, Math, and Science (5th only) beginning Tuesday, May 7th through Thursday, May 9th. Please make sure they get a great night of rest each night and they arrive by 7:45 (earlier if they need breakfast) each day. If they have an appointment and/or need to be checked-out early, please notify their teacher by Monday so we can make other testing arrangements that day.

PES 3rd - 5th Graders will take the WVGSA Reading, Math, and Science (5th only) beginning Tuesday, May 7th through Thursday, May 9th. Please make sure they get a great night of rest each night and they arrive by 7:45 (earlier if they need breakfast) each day. If they have an appointment and/or need to be checked-out early, please notify their teacher by Monday so we can make other testing arrangements that day.