Dr. Lance Arbuckle, Superintendent

The past year has been a tremendously rewarding opportunity for me both personally and professionally. I have learned a lot about our community as well as the pride our families have in Pocahontas and the Pocahontas School District. I am proud to lead your school and to have the opportunity to work with such a fine and dedicated staff. Over the course of the last 15 months, we have been on a journey to discover the best path forward for our students. We have addressed curricular and instructional needs. We have made it a focal point to ensure our facility improvement plan is comprehensive and strategic and we have begun to set our vision for the future.

This year our journey continues. During our summer months, the Pocahontas community shared your hopes and concerns for your students. From that information, two things became abundantly clear. We needed to address student behaviors and improve communication. As such, we will be working to meet the expectations of our community in both areas. We have already begun educating ourselves on various topics related to improving student behavior. Areas of focus will include: building intentional positive relationships between students and teachers and teaching students strategies related to self-regulation.

The path to increased and improved communication will include additional transparency and ensuring we tell our story often and using multiple media sources. Our Diligent platform that houses all things related to the board of education has been up and functional since January 2024. Additionally, we have recently begun streaming board meetings and will begin a series of short videos intended to provide the listener with additional information about district initiatives. I hope you will continue to engage with us on a regular basis. It is our hope that through an increased presence using multiple media – YouTube, Facebook, the district webpage, and more – we are able to provide you with the information you need to realize that #Pocahontas_is the best educational option for you and your family.