WELL EARNED BREAK ❄
WE MADE IT!!! The majority of our students head into Winter Break today ❄️ and this time of year gives us a moment to slow down and take stock of the months behind us. The fall semester is always full, and it takes consistent effort from students, staff, and families to keep our schools moving forward day by day. It’s been a solid year so far, and one that reflects the care people bring to our schools. Our students continue to show up ready to learn, our staff remain focused on supporting them, and families stay connected and involved. That steady partnership matters, and it’s something we don’t take for granted. Winter Break offers a chance to step away from routines and spend time with the people who matter most 🏡. Whether the days ahead are busy or quiet, we hope students and staff are able to rest and return refreshed for the second half of the year. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 📅. Until then, thank you for being part of Pender County Schools and for the support you provide throughout the year. We wish everyone a safe, restful Winter Break and a good start to the new year.
BMS TEACHER NAMED FINALIST FOR STATE BEGINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Sophia Foster, a 6th grade English Language Arts teacher at Burgaw Middle School, has been named a finalist for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award 🎉. She also currently serves as Pender County Schools’ 2025–26 Beginning Teacher of the Year. As part of this recognition, Ms. Foster will take part in NCCAT’s Beginning Teacher of the Year Program this March, joining finalists from across the state for a week focused on leadership, collaboration, and sharing classroom practices 📚. She will also be recognized during a statewide event at Wake Forest University and later by the Pender County Board of Education. Read more about Ms. Foster’s recognition, the upcoming program, and the support from her school community.
PENDER EARLY COLLEGE BIDS FAREWELL TO LONG-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT
Pender Early College High School will soon celebrate the retirement of a cherished member of its school family, Betty Schedler 💙. Known to students as “Ms. Betty,” she has served as an Instructional Assistant since 2019 and has made a lasting impact through her care for students, support of staff, and commitment to service. From starting student clubs focused on volleyball and Alzheimer’s awareness to quietly recognizing others and supporting colleagues, Ms. Betty’s influence is felt throughout the PECHS community. Read more about her years of service and the many ways she has shaped PECHS.
BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 🌟
December Beginning Teacher of the Month – Tatiana Bell (Pender High School) Tatiana Bell, an English teacher at Pender High School, is our December Beginning Teacher of the Month 📚. A UNCW graduate with a background in creative writing, Ms. Bell brings her love of literature and connection into the classroom each day. She values creating a calm, welcoming space where students feel supported, heard, and encouraged to grow—not only as readers and writers, but as people. Her approach reflects a deep belief in empathy, creativity, and helping students recognize their own potential.
Mentor of the Month – Christy Bishop (Rocky Point Elementary School) Christy Bishop has been named Mentor of the Month for her continued dedication to supporting teachers at Rocky Point Elementary 🍎. With 25 years of service in Pender County Schools, Ms. Bishop brings both experience and care to her role as a mentor. She values building relationships, sharing knowledge, and supporting others in a profession she has loved throughout her career.
Pillar of Practice: Collaborator & Team Player – Kristine Garvey (Cape Fear Elementary School) Kristine Garvey, a 5th grade teacher at Cape Fear Elementary, has been recognized as the Pillar of Practice for Collaborator & Team Player 🤝. Now in her 19th year of teaching, Ms. Garvey believes that enthusiasm and teamwork set the tone for learning. She brings energy, high expectations, and a strong sense of partnership to her classroom and school community.
Site Coordinator Retreat – Train Depot Station 🚉 Last week, Site Coordinators from across the district gathered at the Train Depot Station for a retreat focused on collaboration and leadership. Site Coordinators serve as lead mentors for their schools and play a key role in supporting beginning teachers. The retreat provided time to share ideas, strengthen partnerships, and plan strategies that will support mentors and beginning teachers throughout Pender County Schools. We look forward to the positive impact this work will continue to have across the district.
PENDERLEA SCIENCE FAIR SUCCESS 🧪
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this year’s Penderlea Science Fair 🔬. Each project reflected hard work, curiosity, and a willingness to explore new ideas, and we are proud of every student who took part. We would like to congratulate our winners: Ivy Blalock from Ms. Hedrick’s 4th grade class for The Tallest Paper Tower Challenge; Kagen McLamb and Mimi Cruce-Rhodes, also from Ms. Hedrick’s class, for How Do the Seasons Change in Each Hemisphere; and Carley Piner, Anna Blackman, and Taylor Francis from Ms. Dufek’s 5th grade class for How Well Do Different Materials Create Static Electricity ⚡. These students and their projects will represent Penderlea at the Pender County Science Fair in January. Congratulations to all of our winners, and well done to everyone who participated!
WINTER SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS
Congratulations to our sportsmanship award winners for our first winter season. Cape Fear continues to represent PCS with outstanding sportsmanship in cheerleading; West Pender takes home the girls' soccer award; and Topsail is recognized for boys' basketball. Sportsmanship is foundational within education-based athletics. Congratulations to our team and individual award winners - Matt Davis, Pender County Schools Athletic Director
Post & Voice 2025 All-County Football Team Announced
The Post & Voice has released its 2025 All-County Football Team, recognizing standout players and coaches from across the county for their performances this season. Athletes from multiple programs earned All-County honors after strong individual and team efforts, highlighted by Zy’Quan Murphy (Pender) being named All-County Player of the Year and Tom Eanes (Pender) earning Coach of the Year. From big-game performances to consistent excellence on both sides of the ball, this year’s All-County selections reflect the depth of football talent across the region. Read the full All-County team and player breakdown from the Post & Voice: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AAxYn53bW/
CONGRATS!!
A huge congratulations to Zy’Quan Murphy, who was voted the 2025 StarNews High School Football Player of the Year! Zy’Quan’s leadership, work ethic, and on-field excellence helped lead Pender to another record-breaking season and captured the attention of fans across the region.
Check out the StarNews feature on Zy’Quan’s incredible year: https://bit.ly/48KD8OM
From Pender High - Congratulations to our JROTC Raiders on their achievements at the Blythewood Raider Meet! We are ALL proud of your accomplishments!
THS SKIER (yes, that's right) FEATURED IN LOCAL MAGAZINE
Manuela Farah Cunha, a Topsail High School student, was recently featured in Hampstead Neighbors Magazine. Despite living much closer to the beach than to any ski slope, Manuela has become quite the competitive skier. Because of a paywall the story can't be linked, but if you're a subscriber you can find out more about Manuela's passion and the goals she's set for herself. HINT - think colored rings 🤹♀️
From Pender High - 📚✨ Another Celebration!✨📚 We’re excited to recognize our top readers in the PCS Million Minute Reading Challenge! Landyn Kysar is the top high school reader for November, while Yarinet Leon-Quiroz, Kimberly Ayala, Bethanny Ingram, Chloe Moore, and Weston Kitzman are our top PHS readers for this semester. In addition to this accomplishment- PHS has been recognized for having the highest number of minutes read per student for December! Keep reading— let's see what we can do next! We are proud of ALL that YOU can accomplish! 💙❤️
AND...Our students’ creativity has truly been on full display this season! At the Winter Band Concert, our talented band students showcased their musical skills, including a special performance by our Color Guard team, all led by our Band Director, Ms. Lambert. The celebration didn’t stop there—our band then proudly represented PHS by marching in the Burgaw Christmas Parade over the weekend! Meanwhile, our Theater Department brought holiday cheer with the Holly Jolly Christmas Show, guided by our Theater teacher, Mrs. Faison. Adding to the magic, Ms. Spencer, our Art teacher, displayed her students’ artwork at the play, highlighting the incredible visual creativity of our school. From music and movement to theater and art, the creative side of PHS is shining bright! 🌟 We are so proud of our students and staff for sharing their talents with our community. 💙💛
From South Topsail Elementary - That 5th graders celebrated the conclusion of Wit & Wisdom Module 2: Wordplay and The Phantom Tollbooth with their 3rd annual Pun Parade and Royal Wordplay Banquet! Thank you to all who helped make this festive event happen!
AND...Our students gave an amazing performance at their holiday concerts. 1st and 2nd grade performed "How the Penguins Saved Christmas" and 3rd and 4th grade performed "Snowbiz". 5th graders played ukuleles, recorders, handbells, and sang. Great job Stingrays!
From Cape Fear Middle - 🐻🚀Grizzly Launch Week Sends STEM Soaring! 🚀🐻 What an incredible week of launches at Cape Fear Middle School! Our Grizzlies took their STEM skills to new heights with Mr. Odom's annual Launch Day activities: 🏎️ 8th graders put the pedal to the metal with CO2-powered dragsters 🚀 7th graders engineered and launched solid fuel model rockets 💧 6th graders took advantage of the beautiful weather for water-powered rocket launches From the classroom to the launch pad, our students are learning hands-on engineering, physics, and the thrill of seeing their hard work blast off! Amazing job, Grizzlies!
AND...📚🎉Congratulations to Alaina for winning our Million Minute Challenge in November! 🎉📚 She read the most minutes during the month of November and showed incredible dedication to reading. Your hard work and love of books is truly inspiring! Keep up the amazing reading, Alaina, and great job representing Cape Fear Middle School Grizzlies! 🐻 Let's keep those pages turning, Grizzlies!
From C.F. Pope Elementary - 📚✨ Million Minute Challenge – Top Readers! ✨📚 We are so proud to recognize Tristan (2nd Grade) and Sebastian B. (5th Grade) for being our top readers at C.F. Pope Elementary for the months of October and November in the district-wide Million Minute Challenge! 🎉👏 Their dedication to reading both at school and at home is paying off, and they are setting an amazing example for all of our Panthers! 🐾💙 📖 Families & Students: You can join us in reaching the Million Minute goal by logging your child’s daily at-home reading minutes using the link below. Every minute counts!
From North Topsail Elementary - Congratulations to Tracy Hall and Brittany Hoffman! They were awarded grants for their classrooms from the LAMB Foundation! The LAMB Foundation of NC is a public 501(c)3 not-for-profit charity dedicated solely to assisting people who have intellectual disabilities within the state of North Carolina. We are so appreciative of their generosity and support for our classrooms!
AND...Congratulations to our Science Fair participants and winners!
AND!!!The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear!
From Penderlea School - 🎉🔬 Congratulations, Mrs. Brooks! 🔬🎉 We are excited to celebrate Mrs. Brooks, who has been awarded a Bright Ideas Grant from Four County Electric for her innovative Mobile Makers-Space Cart! This grant will support hands-on STEM learning opportunities, giving students access to engaging activities that promote creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking across grade levels. We are grateful to Four County Electric for investing in our teachers and students, and incredibly proud of Mrs. Brooks for bringing this vision to life for our Hornets! 🐝💛
From Malpass Corner Elementary - 🦅🎉 DARE Celebration for Our 5th Graders! 🎉🦅 Today, our 5th grade students celebrated the completion of the DARE program with a special celebration. These students worked hard throughout the course and learned the importance of making healthy choices and staying drug free. We are proud of their commitment and growth. A big thank you to our DARE instructors, parents, and teachers for supporting our Eagles every step of the way! 👏✨
AND...🎄💚 12 Days of Holiday Fun – Grinch Day! 💚🎄 As we continue our 12 Days of Holiday Fun countdown, yesterday’s Grinch Day did not disappoint! The halls were full of Grinches—everywhere you looked there was a splash of green and lots of smiles. Our students and staff truly embraced the fun and festive spirit. What a joyful day at MCE! 🦅✨
From Rocky Point Elementary - Our Rams are staying warm in their Holiday Sweaters!
From Cape Fear Elementary - Mrs Robertson's class completed their ginger bread study but creating Gingerbread houses with families. They used all the skills learned over the last few weeks (identifying numbers, shapes, fine motor skills, following recipes, step by step process, problem solving with materials, and more!). Thank you to all the families who helped make this possible and all the help building. Such a great turnout.
AND...Grinch or Elf Day was a hit! Our students and staff did an amazing job showing their holiday spirit today. Tomorrow is Winter Wonderland Day — we can’t wait to see the sparkle, snowflakes, and cozy winter vibes fill the halls!
From Surf City Elementary - Thank you to the LAMB Foundation of NC and congratulations to Ms. Chandler & Ms. Street who received a grant that will be used for materials for their students.
AND...Mrs. Curry's 1st grade class learned all about reindeer. After exploring facts and details, students created a main idea & details reindeer to proudly share what they learned. 🦌📚 We love seeing our young learners show their thinking in such a festive way! ✨
AND!!!💚🎄 Green Grinch Holiday Spirit Day! 🎄💚 Our school was green with cheer as students and staff showed off their best Grinch-inspired looks! From festive green outfits to mischievous smiles, the Grinch definitely made his way through our halls—bringing lots of laughter and holiday fun. Who knew being a little Grinchy could spread so much joy? 💚✨
From Topsail Annandale Elementary - TAES artists are getting ready for winter in the art room by creating winter scenes using balance, value, and texture. Look how gorgeous they came out!
From Burgaw Middle - Some of our students showing off their skills at the CIS Community Night!
AND...Miss Foster volunteered with some of her 6th grade students at the Burgaw Christmas event Saturday afternoon!
From Topsail Middle - Our JV Battle of the Books team defended the trophy again — great battle vs. Surf City Middle School! We had our virtual battle this week! Nice Job Pirates!
AND...TMS 5th graders finished the DARE program this week! From learning about safety to practicing good decision-making, these students showed courage and responsibility every step of the way.
From West Pender Middle - After learning about the founding of American democracy, 8th grade students in Mrs. Smith's social studies class are creating diagrams of our government’s framework as defined by the Constitution
AND...Our school store is officially student-powered! 🙌 Shoutout to Carolina for being the very first student to help run our school store! 🎉 Students can trade in their hard-earned RCA house points for items—keep earning and stop by!
From Surf City Middle - Band students performed all around the school today, and they were AMAZING!
AND...33 students certified in the Everfi Venture Entreneurship modules. This module guides students through starting their own food truck business. This includes creating a balanced budget, making informed decisions, marketing, and case studies.
AND!!!Thank you so much to our amazing families and community for the holiday cheer they provided Sunday at Locals for our staff! As we end the semester and look forward to 2026, we are so thankful for you all and hope everyone has a wonderful break and holiday!
From Pender Innovative Learning Academy - The Elementary PILA Otters want to wish everyone happy holidays!!!
AND...The Otters sure do love to read at home!! They have been award the certificate for the highest number of minutes per student read for the month of November!! We are SUPER proud of our highest reader of the month, Madi!!
AND!!! We are super proud of our counselor, Mr. Brooks!!!! He learned today that his PEP grant request, Game on for Growth, has been funded!! We are so appreciative of the support that the Pender Education Partnership provides for PILA.
WECT - Teachers in Pender County awarded Bright Ideas Grant Funding
WECT - Burgaw Middle School teacher named finalist for state award
WWAY - Pender County Schools receives nearly $10,000 in Bright Ideas Grant Funding
WWAY - Burgaw Middle School teacher named ‘Beginning Teacher of the Year’ finalist
Credits:
Created with images by Sandra - "BANNER DOG HAVING A PARTY WITH SERPENTINE STREMERS FOR BIRTHDAY, NEW YEAR, CHRISTMAS, CARNIVAL OR ANNIVERSARY.,ISOLATED ON GRAY BACKGROUND." • Vera Kuttelvaserova - "red, yellow and green led christmas lights and artistic bokeh" • weyo - "Abstract christmas background winter snowy landscape and fir or pine branches.,Winter panoramic banner" • George Dolgikh - "Christmas presents on dark background" • Hanna Aibetova - "Christmas holiday background.,Christmas fir tree and bokeh of sparkling lights." • Ermolaev Alexandr - "Little girl in red christmas hat writes letter to Santa Claus" • Strelciuc - "Crop kid cutting Christmas cookies" • nito - "snowman and text wish you have wonderful holidays"