Pender County Schools -

🌟 As we kick off the new school year, we know that stress can be part of the journey, but remember: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. 📚✨ Planning ahead can make a world of difference. Set small goals, stay organized, and don’t forget to take a moment for yourself. We’re all in this together, and we’re confident it’s going to be a fantastic year filled with growth and achievements! 🌟💪 Here’s to a great start and a wonderful year ahead for all our students, teachers, and families. Let’s make it the best one yet! 🎉📅 #OnePender

🎒 Okay, last reminder (we promise! 😄 maybe) 🎒 We’re still eagerly waiting to see your first-week-of-school pics! Share those adorable smiles by emailing them to pictures@pender.k12.nc.us or tag them with #FirstWeekPCS on social media. Help us make this week extra special! 🌟📚 #OnePender

https://youtu.be/5vlcSUM-Z2M 🚌 School Buses Are Back on the Road! 🚸 With the first day of school coming up on Monday, our buses will be back on the road, transporting more than 6,000 students safely each day. Our dedicated drivers travel over 8,500 miles daily, navigating all types of weather and road conditions to ensure every child arrives at school ready to learn. Their commitment to safety and care is the backbone of our transportation system. It takes a special kind of person to be a school bus driver, and we are fortunate to have such dedicated individuals in Pender County Schools. For example, Teresa Coston, a driver for South Topsail Elementary, began driving a bus when she was just 17 years old and continues to serve our community today. Alongside her role as a kindergarten teacher assistant, Ms. Coston, like many of our drivers, is deeply committed to the well-being and success of our students. As we start the new school year, let's all stay alert and patient on the roads, especially during school bus stops. Remember to follow all traffic laws related to school buses and give them the space they need to operate safely. Together, we can ensure a safe and successful start to the school year for all our students and staff! 🚍💛 #OnePender

🏈 Friday Night Lights Are Back! 🏈 We're excited to kick off the high school football season tonight with all three of our varsity teams—Heide Trask, Pender, and Topsail—playing at home! 🎉 Come out and support our student-athletes as they give it their all on the field! Reminder: New this year, metal detectors will be in place at all high school football and basketball games to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated! Let's have a great season, #OnePender! 🏆

The past two days were incredible for our CTE Department! Our teachers had the opportunity to collaborate to create a billboard for PCS CTE. Check out our creation, we are now able to market our programs with a mobile PCS vehicle! #ONEPENDER #LEVELUP

The past two days were incredible for our CTE Department! Our teachers had the opportunity to collaborate to create a billboard for PCS CTE. Check out our creation, we are now able to market our programs with a mobile PCS vehicle! #ONEPENDER #LEVELUP

📸 We know, we know... another reminder! 😅 📸 But we’re just SO excited to see those first-week-of-school smiles! Don’t forget to send your photos to pictures@pender.k12.nc.us or use #FirstWeekPCS when you post. We promise, this one’s worth it! 😉 Let’s make sure everyone gets a chance to shine! 🌟🎒 #OnePender

✂️ Back-to-School Haircuts! ✂️ Cape Fear Community College is offering free haircuts this Saturday, August 24, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Barber School located at 108 Walnut St. No appointments needed—just walk in! All haircuts will be supervised by a licensed instructor and are first-come, first-served. Remember, students under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Get ready for the new school year with a fresh look!

https://youtu.be/CqprZcENgC4 🚧 Breaking Ground on a Bright Future! 🚧 Today, Pender County Schools proudly broke ground on our highly anticipated new K-8 school, a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community. This milestone event marks the beginning of an exciting journey to provide our students with a modern educational environment where they can thrive academically and socially. Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove, Board of Education Chair Don Hall, and representatives from Bordeaux Construction joined district leaders and local officials at the ceremony. Together, they celebrated this significant step forward in our commitment to expanding and enhancing our facilities to better serve our students. The new school, set to open in 2026, will accommodate up to 2,312 students with 14 additional classrooms and innovative features that ensure we are prepared for future growth. We are excited to see this vision come to life and look forward to the positive impact this school will have on our community. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build a brighter future for Pender County students! #OnePender

🎉 First Week of School Photo Fun! 🎉 We’re celebrating the start of a new school year and want to feature your child’s first-week highlights! Share their first-day smiles by emailing photos to pictures@pender.k12.nc.us or tagging them with #FirstWeekPCS on social media. Let’s capture and share the excitement! 📚🌟 #OnePender

🎉 Congratulations to our lucky winners from today's Convocation Celebration! 🎉 A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors for their generous support in making this event so special. We’re excited to kick off another incredible school year together. Thank you for your dedication to Pender County Schools—let’s make this year one to remember! #OnePender #PCSProud

https://youtube.com/shorts/3bTmdW5Kj_A 🎉 What an incredible day at Heide Trask High School as we came together for our annual convocation celebration! Over 1,100 Pender County Schools employees gathered to kick off the new school year with energy, excitement, and a shared commitment to our students and community. 🙌 Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove shared his enthusiasm, saying, “Today’s convocation is a reminder of the power we have when we unite as #OnePender. Together, we can make this the best year yet for our students, our schools, and our entire community.” 💙 Thank you to everyone who attended and made today’s event unforgettable. Let’s carry this momentum into the new school year, starting Monday, with a focus on excellence and growth for every student! 🚀 #OnePender

Convocation is underway at Heide Trask High School! #OnePender

https://youtube.com/shorts/UIVUjyI_uiE As we come together to kick off the new school year, we are proud to highlight the outstanding contributions of our Principal of the Year, Dr. Sonya Oates, and our Teacher of the Year, Megan Justice. 🌟 During this year's convocation, Dr. Oates and Ms. Justice took the stage to inspire and motivate our educators, reminding us all of the incredible impact that teaching has on our students' lives. Their words set the tone for a year of collaboration, growth, and dedication across the district. A big thank you to everyone who joined us for this celebration and to all our staff for their unwavering commitment to excellence. Here's to a fantastic year ahead filled with success, learning, and community spirit! 💙 #OnePender

🌟 First Week of School Highlights! 🌟 We want to see your student’s special first-week moments! Share their smiles and excitement with us by emailing photos and caption to pictures@pender.k12.nc.us or using #FirstWeekPCS on social media. Your pics might be featured on our website and socials! Let’s celebrate this new school year together! 📸💫 #OnePender

📣 Important Announcement 📣 All Pender County Schools buildings will be closed on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, as our staff gathers for the Convocation event. Normal operating hours will resume on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Thank you for your understanding and support as we prepare for a great school year ahead! 🎓✨ #OnePender

Our Health Science students at Pender High School will be stepping into their future careers—literally! 🩺👩‍⚕️ Thanks to our annual scrub drive, students will be dressed in medical scrubs as they learn essential skills that will prepare them for a bright future in healthcare. Help us make this year’s drive the best yet! If you have gently used scrubs to donate, contact us today. Let’s make sure every student looks the part and plays the part! #OnePender

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zYUu51ugxj8 📢 EC Boot Camp 2024: Empowering Our Educators! EC Boot Camp 2024 is underway at Heide Trask High School. This dynamic and interactive training event is designed to strengthen our Exceptional Children (EC) teachers and Instructional Assistants (IAs). This year's Boot Camp is all about going back to basics, with a renewed focus on the fundamentals that make a difference in our classrooms. Kendy Walker, our EC Coordinator, shared her enthusiasm: "We're going back to basics—focusing on things we know, not too many changes, but really giving people some engaging training and takeaways, they can implement right away." The Boot Camp features six rotations with a variety of breakout sessions, covering everything from mindset and belief in student growth to the do's and don'ts of IEPs. Unlike previous years, where we were all seated in an auditorium for long hours, this year's format is designed for active participation. Sessions are broken into 30-minute segments with opportunities for movement and hands-on activities, reflecting the way we believe students—and educators—learn best. "We're super excited about this change," adds Walker. "Last year, we were in an auditorium all day, and that's not who I am. I wanted to break this up into smaller, more engaging sessions. Just like we tell our students, we don't expect them to sit still for hours, and we need that movement and interaction as adults too." This is more than just a training day; it's a chance to reconnect, refocus, and recharge as we head into a new school year. By focusing on improved communication, student engagement, and effective IEP meetings, we're setting the stage for success. 🚀 #OnePender

🌍 English as a Second Language Classes at CFCC! 🌍 Looking to improve your English skills? Cape Fear Community College is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to help you succeed. Whether you're a student or community member, this is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your language abilities.📚 🌍 ¡Clases de Inglés como Segundo Idioma en CFCC! 🌍 ¿Buscas mejorar tus habilidades en inglés? Cape Fear Community College está ofreciendo clases de Inglés como Segundo Idioma (ESL) para ayudarte a tener éxito. Ya seas estudiante o miembro de la comunidad, esta es una oportunidad fantástica para mejorar tus habilidades lingüísticas. 📚

🎒📚 Celebrate the First Week of School with Us! 📚🎒 We’re excited to see all the smiling faces as we kick off a new school year! 📸 Share your child’s first week of school moments with us! Whether it’s their first day or any special moments throughout the week, we’d love to feature them across our social media platforms and district website. 📧 Email your photos and a brief caption to pictures@pender.k12.nc.us 📲 Or post them on your social media with the hashtag #FirstWeekPCS Let’s make this first week unforgettable together! 💙 #OnePender