SNOW DAY ON MONDAY - NO SCH❄❄L
By now you should be aware that we've announced the decision that we'll have a snow day on Monday, February 2nd. HAVE FUN ❄⛄ and PLEASE STAY SAFE AND WARM!!!
All indications are we'll see some significant snowfall across our area. The forecast is also calling for coastal winds in excess of 50 mph. There is a lot to keep an eye on which we will as the weekend plays out. That means our staff will be checking our facilities and roadways (we also work with out County partners on this). If we need to make a change to Tuesday's schedule we'll send that information out as we always do - email, phone, text, website, social media. Our teachers wrapped up today preparing for a chance of a remote day. Families should do the same.
SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH
As we get set to turn the page on the calendar, a quick thanks to all of the folks who volunteer their time to serve on the Pender County Schools Board of Education. January is School Board Appreciation Month and we've highlighted our Board throughout January. If you missed them you can read about each by clicking their name: Don Hall Jennifer Hansen Beth Burns Jason Spivey Tom Reeves Thank you all for what you do for the students of Pender County!!
BT OF THE MONTH - ROBIN HARDISON
This month, we proudly recognize Robin Hardison from Topsail Middle! Robin’s journey back into the classroom is a beautiful example of resilience, heart, and purpose. She brings creativity, energy, and encouragement to every lesson, inspiring both students and colleagues. Robin is reflective in her practice, embraces feedback, and consistently seeks growth. She handles the many unseen responsibilities of teaching with grace, always staying grounded in her “why.” Her story reminds us that teaching is truly a calling, one worth answering at any stage of life.
MENTOR OF THE MONTH - JILL THOMAS
We are excited to honor Jill Thomas of Burgaw Middle as our Mentor of the Month! With 27 years in education, Jill brings a lifelong passion for helping students feel safe, supported, and valued. Now serving as a Reading Interventionist, she continues to empower students to reach their goals and believe in themselves. As a mentor, Jill emphasizes the importance of relationships, taking time to truly know and encourage beginning teachers through trust, connection, and meaningful support. Her dedication is a shining example of the impact strong mentorship can have.
PILLAR OF PRACTICE - ALEXIS CHRISTOFF
This month, we are proud to recognize Alexis Christoff, a 6th-grade Social Studies teacher at West Pender Middle, as our Pillar of Practice recipient for Growth Mindset. Alexis brings compassion, courage, and a deep commitment to her students each day. Inspired by her own experience of school as a safe haven, she works to ensure every student feels loved, supported, and seen. Her daily message to students—reminding them they are cared for, captures the heart of her teaching. Alexis encourages fellow beginning teachers to hold onto the small moments that make this work so meaningful. We are grateful for the light she brings to our school community!
RESPONSIBILITY THE P.I.R.A.T.E. WAY AWARD
Topsail High School’s PTSO and Student Council are proud to partner with our teachers and staff to recognize students who exemplify being RESPONSIBLE the P.I.R.A.T.E. Way. Throughout the month of January, students were nominated for consistently demonstrating responsibility through accountability, reliability, and sound decision-making. These students follow through on commitments, manage obligations independently, and take ownership of their choices and outcomes, contributing positively to our learning community. This week, students were presented with the P.I.R.A.T.E. Way Award in recognition of the character trait of Responsibility. Dr. Sasscer shared the significance of the P.I.R.A.T.E. Way within our school community and highlighted how each student demonstrated responsibility, as noted by the teachers who nominated them. PTSO President Mrs. Yoder presented each student with a certificate and a Sheetz gift card to celebrate their efforts. We are grateful for the continued support of our PTSO and the positive impact these students make every day.
SUPER BOWL CHALLENGE - PCS Superbowl Reading Challenge!
Get ready for some friendly competition as our schools take part in the Super Bowl Reading Challenge! Following the PCS Million Minute Reading Challenge guidelines, students and staff are encouraged to log as many reading minutes as possible to help their school score big. Here’s how it works:
- Every 1,000 minutes logged equals one touchdown worth 7 points.
- The school with the most touchdowns will be crowned the champion at the end of Super Bowl Weekend—midnight on February 8, 2026.
- Reading minutes must be entered using the PCS Million Minute Reading Challenge Google Form, available for each school through ClassLink.
The competition runs from January 24 through February 8, so start reading now! The winning school will celebrate with an ice cream party for students and a staff breakfast or luncheon. Let’s read our way to victory!
5th Grade Rams - Science, Spirit, and Seahawks
December was an exciting and memorable month for our 5th grade Rams. 5th graders put their scientific thinking skills to work as they completed their science fair projects. Students planned and conducted hands-on experiments exploring topics such as friction ramps, tooth decay using hard-boiled eggs, apple oxidation, and monitoring heart rates during different activities. We are especially proud to share that one 5th grade team qualified to advance to the district science fair competition—what an outstanding accomplishment! Click HERE to read more.
PENDERLEA 7the GRADERS EXPLORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Seventh Graders have been learning about the Industrial Revolution. In this lesson they saw the difference between an assembly line and handmade materials. We discussed the pros and cons of both! Click HERE to see more.
PENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS PRESCHOOL APPLICATION WINDOW IS OPEN
Pender County Schools is currently accepting applications for our preschool program, offering families access to free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for eligible children. Families who live in Pender County and have a child who will be three or four years old by August 31, 2026, are encouraged to apply. The program is designed to support early learning, social development, and school readiness in a structured and nurturing environment. Click HERE to read more or apply.
JOB SHADOW DAY SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 27, 2026
Pender County Schools is excited to share details about our upcoming districtwide Job Shadow Day, scheduled for Friday, February 27, 2026. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to career exploration, workforce development, and meaningful real-world learning experiences for students. Last year, more than 700 students participated, and the district is looking forward to an even greater impact this year. On February 27, students in grades 7–12 will have the opportunity to spend the day shadowing a professional in a career field of interest, either in person or virtually, while earning an excused educational opportunity absence.
Student Participation Requirements
Students who wish to participate must:
- Secure a job shadow placement with a family member, family friend, or business contact (virtual options are available)
- Complete the Job Shadow Parent/Student Agreement
- Submit the completed agreement to the school counselor by Friday, February 20, 2026
- Join the Job Shadow Day Google Classroom (Code: w337uydp)
- Attend the experience and take a photo with the host/mentor
- Complete the post-experience Google Form in the Classroom and upload the photo for attendance verification
Interested in Hosting a Student?
Business owners and community partners who would like to host a student for the day may participate by completing the Host Interest Form.
Event Schedule
- Middle School: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (full day optional)
- High School: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Pender County Schools appreciates the support of families, businesses, and community partners in making Job Shadow Day a meaningful experience for students as they explore future career pathways.
PENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS JOB FAIR MARCH 31, 2026
Pender County Schools will host a Career Fair on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, and we invite job seekers and community members to attend and learn more about employment opportunities throughout our district. The Career Fair will be held at Heide Trask High School Gym from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This event is a great opportunity to meet district representatives, ask questions, and explore career pathways that support students, schools, and the overall success of Pender County Schools. Read more OR APPLY HERE
2026 GRADUATION SCHEDULE
Pender County Public Schools is proud to honor our graduating seniors. Find all the details you need for commencement ceremonies, including dates, times, and locations for each high school.
🍎SCHOOL LUNCH MENUS🍕
You can find school lunch menus for each grade level by following THIS LINK
WEEKLY ATHLETICS SCHEDULE
From South Topsail Elementary - STE 1st graders hosted Science Alliance 🧲 for an incredible in-house field trip today. They continued to learn about force🫸 🫷and motion 🏃♀️➡️ through several hands-on activities🧠!
From Surf City Middle - Nothing like plastic grocery bags to fuel that competitive fire on a cold day, seeing how far one can sprint and catch the bag after their partner throws it into the air.
AND...Thanks once again to our amazing PTA for the delicious breakfast delivered to our doors this morning!! Y'all are FIRE!
From Surf City Elementary - Check out Ms. Hanson preparing our first graders to begin weaving.
From Pender High - Congratulations to our seniors on their college acceptances! Join us in celebrating their hard work and success. We are proud of our Senior Patriots!🎓
From Cape Fear Elementary - Mrs. Johnson’s class has wrapped up their Building Study at-Home project, and the results were incredible! Students brought in a wide variety of creative structures, including a hospital, a toy store, a cottage, Cape Fear Elementary School, a castle, and even a trampoline park—just to name a few. The creativity, effort, and teamwork shown by both the students and their families were truly amazing!
AND...Ms. Hamilton's class brought the winter vibe inside and made snow!
From Pender Early College High - Shout out to Aiden Kurre who took 2nd place in the American Legion Oratorical Contest in Southport Saturday! #PECHStrong
From West Pender Middle - Mrs. Happy's art students are working hard creating artworks for the Azalea Festival Youth Art Contest! 🎨
From Topsail Middle - Our 7th graders are engaged and informed thanks to the D.A.R.E. program. These kinds of programs play a huge role in preparing our children to make smart, healthy decisions.
AND...Thank you to our PTO for providing a great lunch for all of our teachers and staff yesterday! We appreciate your kindness!
From Burgaw Middle - Check out these highlights from the BMS Spelling Bee! 🐝📖 Huge thanks to everyone who came out to support our hardworking students. A special shout-out to The 1865 Society for your incredible support! So proud of our scholars! 👏✨
From Topsail High - Mrs. Davidson (PCS Digital Learning Specialist) facilitated a Canva Training for my English I students. The presentation included all the tools and features within Canva, as well as how to use the AI tools to enhance presentation features. Students continued their Canva work with applying the skills to their Unit 1 Final Project: Designing a Quilt with American Icons. We are so appreciative of Mrs. Davidson's expertise and being able to utilize these tools in the classroom!
From Topsail Annandale Elementary - Kindergarten had a moo-velous time today! 🐄🦃 Thank you to Mr. Cooper from Flew the Coop Farms for bringing Max the cow and adorable baby turkeys for our students to meet and learn from. Experiences like these make learning come alive! 🌟
From Malpass Corner Elementary - 📚✨ Celebrating Our Readers! ✨📚 Today we are celebrating the amazing minutes of reading our students complete each day at MCE! 📖💙 Reilly was named Top Reader for the month of December, and we are so proud of this incredible accomplishment. 🏆🦅 Your dedication to reading truly shines and sets a wonderful example for all of our Eagles. Keep turning those pages and growing your minds, Eagles—keep reading! 📚⭐
AND...⚓ Today, Mr. Jones visited MCE to share valuable information about the United States Coast Guard and the important roles and responsibilities of its members. Our Eagles were excited to learn about how the Coast Guard protects our nation and serves our communities every day. Mr. Jones proudly served in the Coast Guard for 28 years and brought a wealth of knowledge and real-life experiences to share with our students. His stories sparked curiosity and meaningful conversations throughout the day. We are grateful for his service and for taking the time to inspire our students. Thank you, Mr. Jones, for an engaging and informative visit!
From Penderlea School - Its Hornets Nest Shopping week. 4th grader Hornets work hard supervising the cart and collecting Hornet Bucks.
From C.F. Pope Elementary - 🌟 Student Spotlight! 🌟 Big smiles and even bigger progress! 📚✨ Ayden from Ms. Jones’ class is beaming with pride after reaching an important reading milestone—and we couldn’t be more excited for him! His hard work, determination, and positive attitude are truly paying off. Way to go, Ayden! Keep believing in yourself and reaching for new goals—we’re cheering you on every step of the way! 💪🎉📖
From Pender Preschool - Children in Mrs. Rohlfing's class at Rocky Point Elementary work on their fine motor skills with playdough to build the muscles in their hands. And children in the pretend play area are making a grocery list-looks like 7 gallons of milk are on the list!
Topsail High School Band is hosting our 7th Annual Mattress Fundraiser on Saturday, March 21st, from 10am-4pm. Please invite family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and anyone else you can think of. We need your help to find just one person who is already planning on buying a mattress and get them to come to the event. Not only will they get a great deal, but they’ll also sleep better knowing their purchase supports the Band. Watch this video! More information can be found here: FB EVENT LINK
Credits:
Created with images by Dean Pennala - "Winter landscape of tall grass prairie and snow flocked trees, Fort Custer State Park, Michigan, USA" • STOATPHOTO - "Whats New.,Communication, business and knowledge concept.,Wooden table" • Uuganbayar - "What else word written under torn paper concept." • manit - "Hand of young business using smartphone, Social media concept."