he's all of us!
That picture pretty much says it. Alarms went off too early. Lunches were forgotten. The calendar flipped to 2026 and suddenly we were back in classrooms, meetings, buses, bells, and schedules that didn’t care how cozy winter break felt. This week felt long. Not bad, just heavy. A lot of us were rubbing our heads by Wednesday and double-checking what day it was by Thursday 😅. But here we are, wrapping up the first week of the second semester. Routines are starting to come back, even if they’re a little shaky. Kids remembered lockers again. Teachers found their rhythm. Emails got answered. Not everything went smoothly, and that’s fine. This is the reset week. We made it through, together, tired but moving forward. Thanks for showing up, even when it took an extra cup of coffee ☕.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING JANUARY 13th
The first Board of Education meeting of 2026 is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13th and will begin with closed session at 5:00 PM. Open session of the meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM. If you are unable to attend the meeting will be available, live, on our YouTube channel.
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES 🎓
We want to recognize and congratulate our mid-year graduates from Heide Trask High, Pender High, Pender Innovative Learning Academy, and Topsail High 🎓. Finishing school in December looks different for everyone, some took an early path, some balanced work or family, some just needed a different timeline, but the work counts all the same. Diplomas were earned, not rushed. We’re proud of these students and the people who supported them along the way. In case you missed them, each school is linked to their ceremony video so all can share in the moment.
PECHS AND CFCC HONOR KERRIE HOLIAN OSTROSKY WITH TREE-PLANTING CEREMONY
PECHS and Cape Fear Community College came together on Friday to honor the life and legacy of Kerrie Holian Ostrosky with a tree-planting ceremony on CFCC’s Burgaw campus. Kerrie, an English instructor at CFCC and the mother of PECHS alumna Grace Ostrosky, was known for her deep compassion and dedication to students. She was someone who showed up for young people whenever they needed support, whether they were in her class or not. Kerrie had a special connection to Pender Early College High School. She created a writing lab during PECHS’ Wolf Lunch period so students could get extra help, and she regularly attended recruitment events to talk with families about the school’s mission. Her belief in students and in the partnership between PECHS and CFCC helped strengthen the program and made many students feel seen and supported. In her honor, a Live Oak tree was planted on the Burgaw campus, a place Kerrie loved and where she spent so much time helping others grow. The ceremony brought together PECHS and CFCC students, faculty, and staff to reflect on her lasting impact. As PECHS Principal Daniel Sidor shared, Kerrie was a special person who made a real difference in countless lives, and her legacy will continue through the students she inspired.
STUDENTS LEADING THE CONVERSATION
Friday’s Superintendent Student Advisory Council meeting, the second of the 2025–26 school year, brought together student leaders from across Pender County Schools for an afternoon of conversation, collaboration, and connection. Over lunch, students checked in with one another and shared what’s really happening in their schools, from school climate and safety to academic pressures and overall wellbeing. The goal was simple but important: make sure student voices are heard and taken seriously at the district level.
During the meeting, students broke into small groups to tackle a big question: If you had the chance to speak directly to the Board, what would you want them to know? The discussion sparked thoughtful ideas around homework and schedules, career and college opportunities, staff recruitment, school safety, and access to mental health supports. Students worked together to turn their ideas into clear recommendations and questions—showing just how powerful student perspectives can be when given the space to grow.
Reflecting on the discussion, the superintendent praised the council’s engagement, noting,
“Our students consistently bring thoughtful, honest perspectives that help us make better decisions. When we listen to them, we strengthen not only our schools, but our entire community."
With action steps set and plans already forming for the next meeting, the council continues to prove that when students speak up, positive change can follow.
Q&A SESSION
Pender Early College High School will host an online Q&A and Application Information Session on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. This session is for parents and students who want more information about the program and the application process. The meeting will be held on Google Meet, and anyone interested can join using this link: https://meet.google.com/vrw-aoge-gmm
A LITTLE HELP...
♻️🔬🥕 C. F. Pope Elementary's STEM class is jumping into an agriculture unit and could use some help. Students will be working with hands-on projects, and we’re collecting a few everyday items to make it happen. We’re looking for clean 2-liter soda bottles (empty, with labels still on), clean plastic milk jugs, clean egg cartons, plastic wrap, Ziploc bags (any size), and potting soil. Donations can be sent in with your student or dropped off at the office. Thanks for helping our students get their hands dirty, in a good way 🥕🌱
STUDENTS ARE LEADING THE WAY
📚 Cape Fear Middle School will host Student-Led Conferences on Tuesday, February 3, from 4:00–6:00 p.m. at the school. During these conferences, students will guide the conversation with their families and teachers. They’ll walk through their work, talk about what they’ve been learning, and share goals they’re working toward this semester. This time is set aside for students to speak for themselves and show their progress. We hope to see families there 💙
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING
New semester, new classes, and a fresh chance to get involved. Pender High’s CIS Afterschool Program is now accepting applications for the spring semester. Students who didn’t participate last semester can stop by Room A104 to see Ms. Shaughnessy and pick up an application.
🍎SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS🍕
You can find school lunch menus for each grade level by following THIS LINK
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
BALLER🏀
Congratulations to Riley Trimble on reaching a big career milestone with 500 points and 400 rebounds for the Topsail High girls basketball team 🏀. A senior and a Lady Pirates starter since her sophomore year, Riley has been a steady presence on the court, averaging 7.8 points per game this season according to MaxPreps. Her impact goes beyond basketball. Earlier this year, she committed to Michigan State, where she’ll continue her athletic career as a member of the rowing team 🚣♀️. She’s also a multi-sport athlete, playing softball for Topsail as well. A lot of work over a lot of seasons went into this moment, and it shows.🏴☠️
HEATING UP
The temperature is rising at BMS! 🔥⚽ Our Boys Soccer and Girls Basketball teams are ready to dominate. Don’t miss the action as the Red Devils bring the heat! 😈🔥 The following flyers with upcoming dates were proudly made by a BMS student.
From Surf City Elementary - It's always a good day to read a book. 📚
AND...2nd and 3rd grade are reading Dr. Martin's Big Words to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and impact on our world this week in STEAM. They then designed their own words on graph paper that remind them of how we should care about everyone and treat each other equally with no anger or hate. Their conversations were amazing and with such love and positivity. They also came up with some excellent "big words" themselves!
From Cape Fear Elementary - Today the students in room 405 made individual goals for inside and outside of the classroom.
From Pender Early College - A crime has occurred and our anatomy students are on the case! They used their new knowledge of anatomical terms and autopsy procedures to determine the cause of death for 5 banana victims. They have turned over their findings to the proper authorities and we thank them for their expertise and professionalism.
From Surf City Middle - Now we're cookin'! Many thanks to Mrs. Harrington for sending in some ping pong paddles and balls for us!
From West Pender Middle - 🔥 Fresh out of the kiln! 🔥 Our students’ pottery pieces were fired, and they turned out amazing!
AND...Students in Mrs. Happy’s art classes carved, inked, and printed their designs, bringing their ideas to life through printmaking. Hands-on, creative, and totally worth the effort! 🎨✨
From Topsail Annandale Elementary - 📣 Meet Our New School Counselor! 💙 Please help us welcome Mr. Ryan Einspahr to our school community! Mr. Einspahr recently moved to the area from Colorado and is already enjoying getting to know our community. With 11 years of experience in education and counseling, Mr. Einspahr will be serving as a school counselor and splitting his time between TAES and TMS. He is excited to begin working with students this school year and looks forward to partnering with families and staff to support students’ academic success, social-emotional growth, and overall well-being. We’re so excited to have you, Mr. Einspahr! ��
From Pender High - 🎉 WorkKeys Wednesday is officially up and running! Mrs. Stokes is visiting all Senior English classes today to share important details about the upcoming WorkKeys assessment. Students received information about opportunities for practice and the official test date, which will take place on March 17. Seniors, get ready to show what you know! 💪📚
NO MENTIONS THIS WEEK
Credits:
Created with images by Sizah - "The 2026 new year business goals concept, Business plan and target, Planning and challenge business strategy, Growing business in 2026" • EduLife Photos - "Female university graduate celebrates graduation ceremony receiving degree certificate happily with excitement" • lovelyday12 - "Farmer's hand planting seed in soil" • Uuganbayar - "What else word written under torn paper concept." • manit - "Hand of young business using smartphone, Social media concept."