Our books are headed to the bracket, and YOU are invited to join the excitement! Celebrate Read Across America Week with us at Goochland Elementary School’s March Madness: Tournament of Books Family Reading Night on:
🗓 Thursday, March 5, 2026
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
Families will have the chance to:
🏀 Travel from classroom to classroom to explore our “Elite Eight” books
📖 Check out creative student projects and activities
📊 Pick up a bracket and predict the winning book
🎟 Enter to win one of THREE Reading Raffle Baskets
🎉 Spirit Days to celebrate the week:
🧦 Monday, March 2 – Crazy Sock Day
🏀 Thursday, March 5 – Wear your favorite jersey or GES spirit wear
Bring the whole family and get ready for a night full of books, brackets, and River Otter fun. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙
Schools are operating on a normal schedule today, Monday, Feb. 23. Stay warm and see you soon!
Mark your calendars! All students will have their Spring Pictures and Class Pictures taken on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
Here’s what families need to know:
➡️ Class Pictures – $13.00
• Please send payment in on Picture Day (2/25/26).
➡️ Spring Individual Pictures
• No money is needed on Picture Day!
• A proof or portrait package will be sent home with ordering information after pictures are taken.
We can’t wait to capture these special memories! 😊
If you know a family with a child entering kindergarten, please share this reminder:
🖥 Online Kindergarten Registration opens April 6
🏫 In-Person Screening: Thursday, April 9
📌 Child must be 5 years old by September 30 of the upcoming school year.
🔗 Registration info: https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/registration
Join us tomorrow evening to celebrate the incredible innovation happening across Goochland County Public Schools. Students from across the division will be showcasing projects that highlight creativity, problem-solving, and real-world learning — from coding and robotics to student media, design, and artificial intelligence.
📅 Date: February 19
⏰ Time: 5:30–7:00 p.m. (Setup begins at 5:00)
📍 Location: GMS/GHS Cafeterias
Bring your family and come see firsthand the amazing work our students and teachers have been doing. Food trucks will be available for purchase.
We hope to see you there as we celebrate student innovation at GCPS.
We loved seeing these Roadrunners go all out for Kindness Spirit Week. From working out problems in jerseys to dreaming of kindness in their PJs, these students proved that being kind is always a win. Way to lead by example, Randolph! 💚💛
How does our school budget come together? What factors influence the decisions we make? Superintendent Dr. Armstrong explains the budget development process to help our community better understand how we plan for the needs of our students, staff, and schools.
We also invite you to be part of the conversation.
🗓 Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget
🕔 Tonight at 5:00 p.m.
📍 School Administration Building
2938-I River Road W, Goochland
You can watch Dr. Armstrong's video and read more about our proposed budget by following this link: https://www.goochlandschools.org/o/gcps/page/budget-information
Your input is an important part of the process, and we value your voice as we work to develop a budget that reflects our priorities and supports student success.
We hope to see you there!
We are incredibly grateful for our School Resource Officers—Deputy Michael Donithan, Deputy Trey Carter, Deputy Peter Paradis, Deputy Scott Leabough, and Lieutenant Ryan Leabough—who are a vital part of our school community. Working alongside our staff, they help ensure safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environments. Thank you for the relationships you build, the calm you bring, and the care you show our students every single day. ❤
Have you ordered yours yet? Don’t miss out on this year’s memories.
https://goochlandelementarypta.givebacks.com/shop
Don’t miss Goochland Middle School’s production of Bye Bye Birdie — a high-energy, crowd-pleasing musical full of laughs, music, and unforgettable performances by our talented GMS students!
📍 Location: GMS Auditorium
📅 Show Dates & Times:
• Friday, Feb. 13 at 7:00 PM
• Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7:00 PM
• Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2:00 PM
🎟 Tickets:
• $10 Students
• $15 Adults
Purchase tickets here:
👉 https://gofan.co/app/school/VA85152
Come support our amazing cast and crew and enjoy a fantastic night (or afternoon!) of live theater. 🎤🎬
✨ Future Forward Fest ✨
📅 Thursday, February 19
🕠 5:30–7:00 PM
📍 GCPS Secondary Complex
Join us for a fun-filled family evening featuring food trucks, amazing student projects, hands-on activities, and lots of GCPS pride! 🎉🚀
Come see innovation in action and celebrate the bright future ahead for our learners. Bring the whole family and make it a night to remember!
Because of instructional time lost due to recent inclement weather, February 16 and March 20 are now regular student instructional days.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we keep learning moving forward!
The Goochland County School Board will hold its next regular meeting on February 10, 2026 at the Goochland County Administration Building (1800 Sandy Hook Road, Room 250). The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. GCPS School Board agendas can be found here: https://glnd.community.highbond.com/Portal/
All are welcome to attend.
Due to freezing temperatures and lingering icy spots in some areas, we will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Monday, February 9. This delay allows for improved daylight visibility, supporting safer travel for students, staff, and families.
We’re excited to welcome students back on time tomorrow, with all schools operating on a normal schedule.
🚗 Car Loop Reminders – Thank You for Helping Keep Everyone Safe! 🚗
To help our car loop run smoothly and safely each morning, please remember:
• Our car line begins as two lanes — please zipper merge into one lane
• Have students ready to exit the vehicle when you pull forward
• We unload 12–14 cars at a time, once students are safely near the building, all vehicles should pull away together.
• Do not pass cars in the car loop! We do have some students exit the driver side of the vehicle due to carseats.
Your patience and teamwork help keep our River Otters safe and get everyone inside on time. Thank you for partnering with us! 🦦💙
A Message from the PTA: We were all set to lounge with you for a cozy Movie Night but with this wintry forecast we have decided to cancel this Friday's Movie Night. We will look at some warmer dates to see if we have an opportunity to reschedule. In the meantime, stay warm and cozy! 💙
This week, we celebrate the dedication, care, and impact of our incredible school counselors. Every day, they support students’ academic success, help them navigate challenges, and guide them as they plan for the future—often in ways that go unseen but are deeply felt.
Please join us in thanking the outstanding counselors who serve our schools and community so well:
✨ Randolph Elementary – Ms. Erin Shively
✨ Goochland Elementary – Ms. Carmen Bland & Ms. Elizabeth Graham
✨ Byrd Elementary – Ms. Madison Jackson
✨ Goochland Middle – Ms. Caroline Powell & Ms. Ashton Blackley
✨ Goochland High – Ms. Renee Ferrell, Ms. Mallory McMullin, & Ms. Suly Salazar
Thank you for being trusted listeners, steady guides, and strong advocates for our students—today and every day!
❄️ GCPS will operate on a 2-hour delay tomorrow ❄️
This delay will allow for improved visibility and time to address any potential overnight wintry weather.
Our Transportation Department has surveyed all bus routes and is identifying alternate stops as needed. Please refer to this document to determine if your child's bus route has been impacted
Absences will be excused for families who choose to keep their children home due to weather conditions.
Thank you for your patience and partnership as we work to keep everyone safe.
