GO PATRIOTS! 🏈❤️
While YouTube TV and Disney are keeping many from watching football, the playoffs are LIVE tonight in Burgaw. The Pender Patriots are the only PCS team still standing in the state playoffs, and it has been the talk of the town! After a first-round bye, the Patriots will host Hertford County tonight in the second round of the Class 3A Playoffs. At 9-1 overall Pender has outscored its opponents 414-245 and hasn't allowed more than 18 points over the last four games. The Bears come to Burgaw after a 26-14 opening round win over Northwood, BUT, Hertford has lost three of its last five. Regardless, it’s shaping up to be a great night for football in Pender County. Let’s pack the stands and cheer loud! 🐾🔥
While the Patriots gear up for their big game, our schools have been buzzing with good news and fun learning experiences all across the county. Students of the Month celebrations, hands-on science lessons, pumpkin-decorating, field trips, Veterans Day tributes, pep rallies, fall festivals, hallway showcases, and so much more filled our classrooms and campuses this week. Every school has something to smile about, and we are proud of all the joy, learning, and hard work happening in PCS. 💙📚
TOPSAIL STUDENT ASSISTS PARENT IN MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Written By Siobhan Fargo | Topsail High Career Development Coordinator Topsail High School sophomore Hunter Kennedy recently demonstrated the real-world impact of Career and Technical Education (CTE) when he used skills learned in his Public Safety classes to assist his father during an unexpected medical emergency. While the two were breaking down a deer, Hunter’s father accidentally cut himself. When they were unable to stop the bleeding, Hunter quickly recognized the seriousness of the situation. Relying on the training he received in Public Safety I and II, he applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding until further medical care could be provided. Thanks to Hunter’s calm response and proper use of the lifesaving technique, his father was able to receive the medical attention he needed. When speaking with Hunter’s dad, who is doing well, he shared just how serious the situation was:
“I was really in a bad way, and I don’t know what would have happened if Hunter hadn’t been there.”
Hunter’s Public Safety II instructor, Mr. Smith, shared how proud he is of Hunter’s quick thinking and composure:
“Under the stress of the incident, Hunter used his training as it was taught. This is a perfect example of why CTE skills matter.”
This incident highlights the critical role of CTE programs at Topsail High School. Students aren’t just learning concepts, they’re gaining practical, career-ready skills that can save lives, support their community, and prepare them for future careers in emergency services, healthcare, public safety, and beyond. Hunter’s experience is another powerful reminder that CTE works, and Topsail students continue to use their training both in and outside of the classroom.
TAES TEACHER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS UNCW WATSON COLLEGE AWARD 🎉📚
Congratulations to Sara Cooper, who has been selected as the Fall 2025 recipient of the UNCW Watson College of Education Roy E. Harkin Teacher Recognition Award! Established in memory of Dr. Roy E. Harkin, this honor recognizes outstanding public school educators who demonstrate excellence in preparing future teachers and fostering strong partnerships with university programs. Ms. Cooper’s nomination highlighted her deep dedication to Topsail Annandale Elementary, her colleagues, and the Watson College students she mentors creating a true culture of belonging and modeling the highest standards of professional practice. 🌟🍎 Ms. Cooper will be formally honored at the PDS Partnership Celebration on Thursday, December 4, where she will receive the award and a monetary token of appreciation. Her name will also be added to the recognition plaque displayed at the Watson College of Education. Please join us in congratulating Sara on this exceptional and well-deserved achievement her commitment, leadership, and passion continue to make a meaningful impact on the future of education! 💙👏
CELEBRATING OUR MILLION MINUTE CHALLENGE SUCCESS 📚🎉
Dr. Brandy Sawyer, our Chief Academic Officer, is excited to celebrate an impressive start to the Million Minute Challenge, with more than 176,000 minutes logged in just the first month! This achievement reflects the hard work of our students, staff, and school communities as we continue building a culture of reading across Pender County Schools. Big congratulations to our top performers: Pender Innovative Learning Academy leading the elementary division with 29.94 minutes per student, Cape Fear Middle shining in the middle school division with 95.22 minutes per student, and Pender Early College leading among high schools with 10.35 minutes per student. 🌟📖 A special shout-out also goes to our middle schools, which together logged an incredible 94,400 minutes of reading. These early successes show what’s possible when we pursue a challenge together, and the momentum is only growing. Let’s keep pushing forward and inspire our students to reach the exciting goal of one million minutes! 🚀✨
TOPSAIL HIGH JROTC LAUNCHES AIR RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM 🎯🏅
Earlier this month the Topsail High School JROTC program proudly launched its air rifle marksmanship program, marking a historic milestone as Cadet Matthew Kelso fired the first shot in program history. This competitive sport, recognized at both the NCAA and Olympic levels, involves firing .177 caliber air rifles from three shooting positions at targets 10 meters away. More than 2,000 high schools and 250,000 youth participate nationwide, making it one of the most accessible and inclusive JROTC opportunities available. The program emphasizes fairness and equal opportunity, welcoming students of all sizes, strengths, and abilities. 🎯📘
Air rifle marksmanship teaches invaluable life skills such as self-control, discipline, responsibility, and strong concentration, skills that help cadets grow in confidence through practice and competition. Participation requires completing strict safety training, earning a 100% on the national JROTC Air Rifle Marksmanship Cadet Safety Examination, and signing the Cadet Safety Pledge. A special thank-you goes to Master Chief Eric Brown, Dr. Michael Sasscer, Dominique Bates, and Siobhan Fargo for their dedication and behind-the-scenes work, bringing this opportunity to life after more than three years of preparation. Their commitment has opened the door for cadets to excel in a high-impact, character-building sport. 🎖️👏
PENDERLEA 5TH GRADERS SHINE IN HOLIDAY & MATH LEARNING 🎉📚
Fifth-graders at Penderlea School have been busy diving into two exciting learning adventures! 🎒✨ As they get ready to showcase China for an upcoming Holidays Around the World Night, students have explored traditions, celebrations, foods, and customs through hands-on research and group projects. 🇨🇳🌟 In math, they’re tackling Module 3 of Eureka Math, strengthening their skills with multiplying and dividing fractions using models, word problems, and plenty of teamwork. ➗✏️ Want to see more of what they’ve been learning and creating? Click HERE to read more!
PECHS CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF PENDER WITH NEW CITY EDITION GEAR 🎉🧢
Pender Early College High School is celebrating Pender County’s 150th anniversary in style with a brand-new line of City Edition merchandise, created in collaboration with PECHS students! 🎨📍 The designs honor both the county and the school’s upcoming 20th anniversary, featuring artwork like a North Carolina outline with a bold “P” marking Pender County and a crest design that proudly highlights Burgaw, NC. Principal Daniel Sidor says the new gear reflects the strong community spirit that makes PECHS “a true example of One Pender.” 💙 Want to see the designs and grab your own City Edition merch? Click HERE to read more!
🥫 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
BURGAW MIDDLE CTE STUDENTS EXPLORE CAREERS IN PRO SPORTS 🌟🏀
Burgaw Middle School CTE teacher Mr. Jerome Monroe created an outstanding career-exploration opportunity for students by arranging a virtual visit with a member of the NBA's Phoenix Suns organization. Students learned firsthand about the vast career possibilities within professional sports, far beyond the small number of athletes seen on the court. Guest speaker Ms. Kali Franklin, who leads a Human Resources team, shared that while only 45 athletes take the floor, more than 1,200 full- and part-time employees support the organization through roles in accounting, training, marketing, communications, logistics, sales, event management, security, housekeeping, and many more essential fields. 🎧📣 Ms. Franklin encouraged students to pursue educational pathways they genuinely enjoy, reminding them that most careers involve working with people and strong relationship skills can lead to long-term success. She also emphasized perseverance, noting that “success is often on the other side of disappointment.” We thank Mr. Monroe for providing such an inspiring real-world learning experience and thank Ms. Franklin for empowering our students with valuable insight into future opportunities! 🚀🎓
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
From Cape Fear Middle - Congratulations to Abram, Jimena, Bella and Christina(not pictured) for being named our October 8th grade Students of the Month.
AND...A'miyah, Braydon, Kellan and Alfredo for being named our October 7th grade Students of the Month
AND...Nemo, Rosalee, Colton and Raelyn for being named our October 6th grade Students of the Month. Keep up the good work. Go Grizzlies !
From Topsail Annandale Elementary - 🌱🐛 Our first graders got their hands dirty today with a special visit from the Master Gardeners! Students learned all about worms and how these amazing little creatures help plants grow. 🌿
AND...Mrs. Lynch’s students showed off their creativity and love for reading by decorating pumpkins to look like their favorite book characters! From classic stories to new favorites, each pumpkin was full of personality and imagination. 🍂✨ We love seeing our students bring books to life in such a fun and festive way! Great job, Mrs. Lynch’s class! 👏💛
From Burgaw Middle - Thanks to a wonderful grant from the American Battlefield Trust, Mrs. Seri's students visited Bentonville Battlefield where they learned about the last battle of the Civil War, and the medical practices of the time.
From Rocky Point Elementary - After a day of testing, our 5th graders are enjoying a well-deserved recess!
AND...PCS Chief Officer of Student Support Services Michael Taylor was part of the Veteran's Day Celebration. Mr. Taylor is a Marine and began serving his country in 1988. We thank Mr. Taylor and all of our Veterans who help to provide us the many freedoms that we so often take for granted. 👏👏
From Topsail Middle - Second pep rally was a blast on Monday — students played games, staff bobbed for candy in whipped cream, and our Pirates celebrated surpassing fundraiser goals. Congrats to boys basketball: 3‑0 to start the season! Girls soccer vs. Burgaw Middle tonight 4:15pm (home). Come support!
From Surf City Elementary - Thanks to our great music teacher, Ms. Polster, for putting on a fabulous Veterans Day concert for our community. And to Ms. Hanson for providing the art work from multiple grade levels.
AND...Ms. Silman's Kindergarten class was busy on Monday working on a Thank You project for Veterans Day.
From Pender Early College - PECHS Outdoors Club Kayaking Trip.
AND...PECHS Superintendent’s Advisory Committee: Student Leaders Making a Proud Impact.
From West Pender Middle - We had a great time celebrating Ms. Simpson! 🧡👶 Congrats on the sweet new addition coming soon!
From Malpass Corner Elementary - 🍁 Fall Festival Fun at MCE! 🎃 The Fall Festival at MCE was truly magical for all! ✨ Our Cheer Squad kicked things off with an awesome performance, the hayride was a huge hit, face painting was a knockout, and the cake walk was both exciting and sweet! 🍰 Our teachers were elated, and we’re beyond thankful for our amazing volunteers from PHS, Trask, and Pender Early College — we couldn’t have done it without you! 💛 Thank you to PACES for the Cotton Candy!
From Cape Fear Elementary - CFE Crystal Apple Award recipient for October is Ms. Madeleine Franco.
AND...Thank you to 21st Century for helping build our set for the upcoming 5th grade musical "How to Train Your Reindeer." The show is Thursday, Dec. 11th at 5:30 PM and Friday, Dec. 12th at 8:10 AM and 9:00 AM.
From Penderlea School - Through the halls Thursday! A new series where we will be posting all the amazing work throughout the grade levels. To start it off, we're walking through the Kindergarten hallway to see all they have been learning about farming and farm animals 🐓🐑🐄
From Surf City Middle - Impromptu black pants day in Mrs. May’s 2nd period math class.!
From Pender High - Our Pender High Beta Club has set high standards for conventions last year, placing in the top 5 in several events. The Pender High Beta Club members are getting locked in and ready to dominate at the North Carolina State Convention of 2026. Our club members are hard at work signing up for events, planning projects, studying for tests, and perfecting their speeches. This year, we are looking to claim the top spots and secure our places at the National Beta Convention, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee. We’re ready to represent Pender High School with Character, Leadership, Service, and Achievements!
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
STARNEWS - Some Pender County residents want a development moratorium. Here's why it isn't likely
EdNC - New data set compares literacy and poverty rates, shows which NC schools excel
Credits:
Created with images by steheap - "Fisherman in water of Upper Mississippi on calm misty morning near Dubuque in Iowa" • 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."