GO PATRIOTS! 🏈❤️
The newsletter staff is a bit superstitious so we're sticking with opening the newsletter with the Pender Patriots - it worked last week because they're still alive in the playoffs! 🏈 Tonight the 10-1 Patriots host 8-3 Northeastern in the third round of the Class 3A Playoffs after Pender shutout Hertford County 60-0 in round two. Over their last four wins Pender has outscored its opponents 216-59. Northeastern took down South Columbus 56-21 to earn the right to travel to Burgaw (The Patriots beat South Columbus 62-29 earlier this year). No matter what part of the county you call home, this is the ONLY Pender County team still alive in the playoffs so let's all get behind Coach Eanes his team. Kickoff is at 7 o'clock. Go Patrtiots!
While the Patriots gear up for their big game, you couldn't be blamed if you're already thinking about Thanksgiving 🦃 As this will be the last Newsletter ahead of the holiday, please know that I'm thankful for YOU. Week in and week out I receive pictures and stories that I otherwise wouldn't know about. I may provide the layout, but you're quickly providing the bulk of the content! 📰
👮♀️🚒8th GRADE CAREER FAIR A HUGE SUCCESS 🔨🩺
This year’s 8th Grade Career Fair brought in 63 community partners and gave students a look at nearly 100 career options 🎓. Eighth graders from all Pender County middle schools spent the day at Heide Trask High School, moving through different stations and talking with people who work in those fields. Many students took a few minutes at each table to ask simple questions and see what the work looks like in a real setting. Exhibitors offered short activities and demonstrations in areas like healthcare, engineering, public service, and several other pathways 🩺⚙️🚓. Representatives from Cape Fear Community College, UNCW, and local high schools shared information about programs students can join in the coming years. For many students, it was a first chance to connect what they’re learning in school with the opportunities available close to home. Several organizations who participated this year have supported the fair for a long time 🙌. They continue to help with field trips, classroom visits, and other events throughout the year. The fair also required coordination across many groups, including the CTE team, Transportation, Heide Trask staff, JROTC, and all middle schools. Their work helped keep the day organized for both students and guests 💙
TOPSAIL HIGH STUDENTS SELECTED FOR MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE🦃
Three Topsail High School students have earned a spot on one of the nation’s biggest stages this holiday season. Reese Balbuena (Colorguard), Bryce Hughes (Cymbals), and Natalie Corbett (Flute) were selected to perform with the Macy’s Great American Marching Band during the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This prestigious ensemble brings together outstanding student musicians and performers from across the country, making their selection a tremendous honor for Topsail High and Pender County Schools. Band Director Jake Wentzek says the students’ hard work and dedication make this achievement especially meaningful. Their participation will put Topsail High in the national spotlight as they travel to New York City to rehearse and perform in the iconic Thanksgiving tradition watched by millions. PCS is proud to celebrate their accomplishment and wishes them an unforgettable experience. 🎶
HTHS STUDENT TAKES QUICK ACTION DURING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Contributed by Kirk Ohler | Heide Trask High Asst. Principal - A Heide Trask High School student is being praised for his quick thinking and decisive action after a fellow Titan experienced a medical emergency on campus. Tezjann Collins immediately stepped in to assist, helping stabilize the situation until staff and emergency responders could take over. HTHS officials commended the student’s calm response and commitment to the safety of his
NOVEMBER SHOUTOUTS!!
Pender County Schools is proud to recognize three outstanding educators for November: Beginning Teacher of the Month Kaitlyn Evers, Mentor of the Month Sarah Colla, and Pillar of Practice – Student Champion recipient Antwainette Beatty. Each of these educators exemplifies the commitment, care, and professionalism that define teaching in PCS.
Beginning Teacher of the Month – Kaitlyn Evers Kaitlyn Evers brings enthusiasm and thoughtful reflection to her work each day. A graduate of Western Carolina University, she believes deeply in the power of feedback and embraces growth with her philosophy of “All I can do is my best moving forward.” Originally from Robbins, NC, Kaitlyn loves cooking new recipes, spending time at the beach, and life with her two cats, Tinkerbell and Teddy. Her advice to fellow BTs is simple: get enough rest, take care of yourself, and find joy in small moments throughout the day
Mentor of the Month – Sarah Colla Originally from San Diego, Mentor of the Month Sarah Colla brings a spirit of dedication to her role as an elementary EC teacher. With a background in collegiate volleyball at Campbell University and a passion for helping students grow, she is committed to meeting learners where they are and helping them become “1% better every day.” Sarah’s mission is to ensure her students feel safe, supported, and confident—and she brings that same encouragement to her mentees in PCS. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys time with her two dogs and her love of reading—already surpassing 100 books this year
Pillar of Practice – Student Champion: Antwainette Beatty This month’s Pillar of Practice celebrates kindergarten teacher Antwainette Beatty, honored as a true Student Champion. With 16 years in education across New York and North Carolina, Ms. Beatty is known for advocating for her students’ academic, social, and emotional success. Her gentle, genuine approach builds trust, confidence, and joy in learning. She believes deeply in giving herself—and her students—grace, and works every day to make school a place where children are excited to learn and feel supported in every way A Fond Farewell to Chase Parker-Morgan PCS would also like to extend heartfelt appreciation to Chase Parker-Morgan, who will be departing the district after joining us in 2021. As a Beginning Teacher Coach, Chase has supported new educators with compassion, encouragement, and a steady belief in their potential. His impact on teachers across the district will be felt for years to come, and we are grateful for the time, energy, and heart he has invested in PCS. We wish him the very best in his next chapter.
SUPERINTENDENT’S PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE KICKS OFF FIRST MEETING
Pender County Schools held its first meeting of the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee, bringing together parent representatives from schools across the district for open conversation, feedback, and problem-solving. Dr. Breedlove led the group through a discussion centered on five national education trends—growth of homeschooling, flexible scheduling, expanded school choice, emerging AI technologies, and declining public confidence in institutions—and asked parents to reflect on how these trends show up in Pender County. Parents shared honest perspectives about communication, school choice awareness, the role of AI in learning, and the need for flexible learning opportunities that meet diverse student needs.
The group also discussed challenges and opportunities within PCS, including transportation concerns, class sizes, facility needs, and the positive momentum in Career & Technical Education (CTE), curriculum consistency, and communication efforts. Dr. Breedlove emphasized the district’s commitment to transparency, responsiveness, and continuous improvement. Feedback gathered from this group—alongside input from the student and teacher advisory committees—will help shape district planning, budgeting, and future priorities.
CAPE FEAR MIDDLE DRONE TEAM TAKES FLIGHT
Cape Fear Middle School’s Drone Team is making major strides this week as students move beyond the basics and into hands-on programming and flight control. Under the leadership of STEM Teacher, VEX Robotics Coach, and Aerial Drone Coach Paul Odom, the team set up their full autonomous competition field and began learning how to code drones to navigate obstacles with precision. Coach Odom shared that students are now fully engaged in understanding how coding, engineering, and problem-solving come together in real-time flight challenges. The team’s growing skills will prepare them for upcoming competitions while helping them build confidence in high-demand STEM fields. PCS is proud of Cape Fear Middle’s continued commitment to providing students with innovative, future-focused learning experiences.
🥫 PENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS LAUNCHES DISTRICT-WIDE FOOD DRIVE TO SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILIES
This November, Pender County Schools is kicking off a district-wide food drive to support local organizations that provide meals and assistance to families in need. Throughout the month, every school across the district will collect non-perishable food items, with all donations staying right here in our community. Students, staff, and families are encouraged to join together to make a meaningful difference for their neighbors.
Requested donations include cereal, canned tuna, canned chicken, peanut butter, condiments, and individually packaged snacks such as granola bars, Pop-Tarts, tuna packets, beef jerky, crackers, ramen noodles, pudding cups, Jell-O cups, fruit cups, Rice Krispies treats, and Cheez-Its. “This food drive is about more than filling bins—it’s about filling hearts,” said Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove. “It’s a reminder that even small acts of generosity add up to something powerful when we come together.” Collection bins will be available at all schools throughout November, so let’s spread kindness and show support for the organizations that serve Pender County families every day.
🍎SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS🍕
You can find school lunch menus for each grade level by following THIS LINK
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
From Pender Early College - PECHS students visiting the CFCC manufacturing expo to learn about degree programs CFCC has to offer. PECHS students are allowed to pursue most technical or applied science programs.
From Rocky Point Elementary - Our Kindergarteners held their first-ever Fundations Parade to show the school how hard they've worked on learning their letters and letter sounds! Check out this video to see all of our amazing Rams!
From North Topsail Elementary - Have you ever wondered what it’s like to step inside a teepee? If you drove past North Topsail on Monday morning, you weren’t imagining things—we had a special surprise on campus!
From Topsail High - Topsail High School students stopped by during their lunch this week to write down something they were grateful for, which included family, food, community, teachers, administrators, and furry family members!
AND...Topsail High School's Student Council and Key Club partnered with the PCS Food Drive this week during morning carpool drop off. Students donated canned food items and used them to vote in the daily "This or That" poll. Thank you to all those who participated this week!
From Surf City Middle - Thank you to the Pender County Arts Council (PAC) for supporting our students! This fall, PAC generously lent our school display panels for our Annual Autumn Arts Showcase, and even allowed us to keep several for our Student Council elections. For the past two years, their support has helped us seamlessly “bookend” these two major events for our school community. We appreciate the support they give to our school all year long! 🎨💙🦈
From Penderlea School - Seventh graders are learning about potential and kinetic energy by creating roller coasters!
From Pender Innovative Learning Academy - We are EXTREMELY proud of all the reading the otters did in October!!! We had the highest per student number of minutes of the PCS elementary schools!! One of our elementary students, Dakota, led the way with the highest number of minutes!!!
From Cape Fear Elementary - Dress like a teacher day. I think our students nailed it!
From Malpass Corner Elementary - 🦃 Thanksgiving Lunch at Malpass Corner Elementary! 🦃 Today was filled with gratitude, full plates, and even fuller hearts. ❤️ A huge thank you to our amazing parents who joined us for lunch and made the day extra special for our students. Your presence means so much! Big shout-out to Aramark for putting together an awesome Thanksgiving meal—our Eagles definitely enjoyed it! 🙌 And a special thank you to our teachers and staff for your flexibility and teamwork. Days like today remind us how strong we are when we work together. Here’s to making great memories for our Eagles and celebrating the season of thankfulness as a school family. 💛🦅
From West Pender Middle - 8th grade students in Ms. Harris's science class took sides and shared their best arguments in a “renewable vs. nonrenewable energy” debate. Great discussions and even better thinking! 🌎💡
From South Topsail Elementary - Today was the annual 2nd grade Thanksgiving Feast 🦃 Stingrays have so much to be thankful for! 🩵
From Surf City Elementary - A heartfelt shout-out to our incredible cafeteria team for preparing such a delicious Thanksgiving lunch for our 3rd-5th grade students and their families today. ❤️🦃We are so grateful for everything you do—not just today, but every single day for our school community. Thank you for filling our bellies and our hearts! 🧡
From Pender High - 🎉Congratulations to Yarinet for her dedication to reading! 🎉📖 Thanks to ALL students who are participating in our Million Minute Read competition, we are half way to our first semester goal! Keep logging those hours, you all are doing a GREAT job!
From C.F. Pope Elementary - ❤️CF Pope Elementary Gives Back! ❤️ We are excited to announce that our school raised an incredible $1,722.62 through this year’s American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge! 🎉 Thank you to every student, family, and staff member who participated, donated, and helped spread awareness. Your generosity truly makes a difference! Shoutout to our raffle winners. Your hard work and big hearts help support lifesaving research and education—and we couldn’t be more proud! ❤️
From Topsail Annandale Elementary - 4Th Graders enjoyed creating Picasso faces using the Chomp Saws. Ms. Carlisle was able to purchase these using the funds raised from Art to Remember. Students were able to use creative thinking skills to come up with asymmetrical faces.
From Cape Fear Middle - 🎨✨ Creative minds at work! ✨🎨 Ms. Patrick's art students are diving into an awesome marbling technique using shaving cream to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind paper designs! These colorful creations will be incorporated into an exciting project the students are working on. It's amazing to watch our Grizzlies explore different art techniques and bring their creativity to life! 🐻💙
Families, mark your calendars to join us on Tuesday, December 9th from 5:00–7:00 PM for our Holidays Around the World celebration! Each grade level will showcase a different country, and students will be sharing what they’ve learned through displays and presentations. We will then follow it up with our annual Winter Concert. We would also love for families to be part of the celebration! Use the QR code below to sign up to bring a traditional dish your family enjoys during the holidays. This is a wonderful way to share your culture and traditions with our school community. This will be a night full of learning, food, and fun, and we can’t wait to see as many families as possible!
🔥 Pender County Schools is committed to engaging students in exciting experiential learning activities that will prepare them for their futures. These experiences are designed to equip our students with the skills needed for enrollment, enlistment, or employment upon graduation. We're proud to offer incredible opportunities in Career and Technical Education! 🛠️👩🔬👨🎓 Click HERE for the latest from CTE Director Dominique Bates #CTEforNC #ExperienceTheExcellence
PENDER-TOPSAIL POST & VOICE - Front Page
Credits:
Created with images by .shock - "stadium lights" • mangpor2004 - "Happy Thanksgiving on blur abstract background, greeting card, banner" • Thomas - "Green metal lockers along a nondescript hallway in a typical US High School. No identifiable information included and nobody in the hall. " • charles taylor - "random post it stickers" • photocrew - "Nachrichten" • NaMong Productions - "hand holding smart phone with application icons interface and globe networking system. concept technology social network communication."