M.D. Williams Middle School

Congratulations to these students for having the most points in Accelerated Reader in the whole school! 1st-Emma Long 2nd-Violet McCleskey 3rd-Lydia White 4th-William Lane 5th-Vivian Baltz 6th-Lillian Lee 7th-Ava Foster 8th-Miranda Hick 9th-Violet Corder 10th-Tiann Juonran

The Pocahontas Football staff will host a parent meeting on May 19 at 6:00 p.m. in the Pocahontas High School cafeteria for all students entering 7th–12th grade football. Important information regarding the upcoming season will be discussed, and all players and parents are encouraged to attend. ❤️🏈🤍

Congratulations to our 4th Grade Spelling Bee winners! 🐝📚 🥇 1st Place — Crissia Jibauir 🥈 2nd Place — Beckett Stewart 🥉 3rd Place — Kasen Wilcox We are proud of all of our students who participated and showed off their hard work, confidence, and spelling skills! Great job, students!

Thank you to everyone that donated to M.D. Williams teacher appreciation! We really appreciate your kindness and generosity. Here is an updated list.

Thank you so much for donating to M.D. Williams staff appreciation week! We really appreciate your kindness and generosity!

Parent & Guardian Survey – Early Release Wednesdays Our district is asking for your input to help us better plan for Early Release Wednesdays for the upcoming school year. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey. Your feedback is extremely important and will help us make decisions that best support students, families, and staff. 👉 Survey link: https://forms.gle/icJfRH5gBy1YMDjR6 Thank you for supporting our students!

We are requesting community input regarding Early Release Wednesdays. Please take a few moments to complete the following form: 👉 https://forms.gle/yJbm7To3zD543RMdA Your feedback is valuable and will assist us to better meet the needs of our students, families, and staff. We appreciate your time and continued support of our schools.

The Randolph County Library has a really amazing summer reading program! Please take our students to join! They will have so much fun!

Due to a downed power line across the road, a portion of the building at M.D. Williams Intermediate School is currently without power, internet, and phone service. Crews are working to resolve the issue as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding while service is being restored. Updates will be shared as they become available.

Please make sure all library books are returned to the M.D. Williams Library by Friday (5-8-26) to avoid charges. Notes were sent home with students during library class this week.

Last week, our 4th grade students had the pleasure of welcoming a very special mystery reader, Lilly Burns! 📚✨

Miss Lilly shared her book, Farmer Jack and the Never Ending Puzzle, a story inspired by her dad, Billy Jack, and his daily responsibilities on the family farm. Students enjoyed hearing the story and learning more about the inspiration behind the book and the importance of hard work, family, and storytelling.

Thank you, Miss Lilly, for spending time with our students and sharing your talents with our school community! ❤️

Today we celebrate the care, compassion, and dedication of our school nurses. ❤️

Thank you for the countless ways you support our students and staff each day—providing comfort, care, encouragement, and a safe place for so many. From scraped knees to steady reassurance, your impact reaches far beyond! We are grateful for all you do to help keep our schools healthy, supported, and ready to learn.

Happy National School Nurse Day!

📢 **5th Grade Field Trip Update** 📢

Please note there has been a change to 5th grade field trip plans!!

We will no longer be traveling to Lake Charles. Instead, students will spend the morning at a local park.

All other details will remain the same unless otherwise noted. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out and call (870) 892-4573 ext. 2002 or 2003.

📅 2026–2027 School Calendar Update Pocahontas School District is excited to share an important update for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year calendar. In an effort to better support student learning and staff collaboration, a new schedule adjustment has been built into the calendar: On weeks with five full student contact days, students will be released early on Wednesdays at 1:45 PM. Clarification: If a week includes fewer than five student contact days (such as a four-day week or a week with a holiday), dismissal will follow the regular schedule. On full five-day student contact weeks, early dismissal at 1:45 PM will occur every Wednesday. Important Details: Students who require or utilize district-provided transportation will remain on campus until regular dismissal time. During this time, supervised academic opportunities and activities will be available for students. This adjustment is designed to provide dedicated time for meaningful academic support, enrichment opportunities for students, and professional collaboration among staff. We believe this addition will strengthen the overall educational experience for our students while supporting our staff in delivering the highest quality instruction. Thank you for your continued support of Pocahontas School District and our commitment to student success.

Did you forget to order your yearbook?

Good news—we still have a limited number available! Be sure to get yours soon before they’re gone.

📘 Order here:
http://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?code=YRBK&affiliateId=1009857

Parents and Guardians of 5th Grade Students,

We are closely monitoring the weather and staying in communication with park staff as we determine whether we will be able to go on our planned trip. A final decision will be made first thing tomorrow morning based on conditions such as weather and ground conditions (for example, if it is too muddy).

If we are unable to go, please know that we have a backup plan at school filled with fun activities for the students. Please send your child dressed in clothing they will be warm in. Also, make sure they wear shoes that are okay to get muddy.

We will post an update tomorrow once a decision has been made. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility.

We’re celebrating a job well done in Mrs. Shelly Jones’s class! 🎉

These students wrapped up ATLAS testing and showed what it means to give their very best each day. We are proud of their effort, focus, and determination throughout the entire testing window.

Great things happen when students work hard and support one another—way to go!

Happy Principal Appreciation Day to our incredible principals! Your commitment to our students, staff, and community does not go unnoticed. You lead with vision, support with purpose, and create environments where learning and growth thrive.

Thank you for the countless decisions, long hours, and steady leadership you provide—today and every day. We are proud to have you leading the way at Pocahontas School District.

🍎 Happy School Lunch Hero Day! 🍎

Today we celebrate the incredible individuals who keep our students fueled, cared for, and ready to learn each day—our amazing cafeteria staff!

From early mornings to busy lunch periods, they serve with kindness, consistency, and a smile, making a difference in the lives of our students far beyond the lunch line.

We are grateful for all they do to support our schools and our students every single day. Be sure to take a moment to thank a School Lunch Hero today!

PSD Annual Track and Field Day T-shirt Orders and money are due Friday, May 1, 2026. Checks can be made out to Pocahontas School District.