🍎 Kids still need meals in the summer — and we’re here to help.
Pender County Schools is offering FREE breakfast and lunch for children and teens every Wednesday through August 12.
✅ 7 days of meals
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
🔗 https://forms.gle/RUijeuPKJLp1HboW6
Please share this post with families in our community. 💙
🍎 Los niños todavía necesitan comidas durante el verano, y estamos aquí para ayudar.
Pender County Schools ofrece desayuno y almuerzo GRATIS para niños y adolescentes cada miércoles hasta el 12 de agosto.
✅ 7 días de comidas
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
🔗 https://forms.gle/RUijeuPKJLp1HboW6
Por favor comparta esta publicación con familias de nuestra comunidad. 💙
Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/pcs-jobid694
Pender County Schools’ Summer Meals Program has officially eclipsed 100,000 meals served this summer — with 17,374 meals provided today, bringing our total so far to 107,412!
Just how many meals is that? That’s enough to provide a meal to a sold-out crowd at the Dean Smith Center, Cameron Indoor Stadium, and NC State’s Lenovo Center — twice — with nearly 5,900 meals left over. 🙌
This milestone is about more than a number. It represents students being supported, families being served, and a community coming together while school is out.
Thank you to our School Nutrition team, site staff, volunteers, community partners, and families for helping make this possible! 💙 YouTube link - https://youtube.com/shorts/COlXRYTUyk4
This federally funded college-prep program serves eligible students at Pender Early College, Pender High, and Heide Trask High School through tutoring, mentoring, college visits, academic enrichment, and a six-week summer experience at Cape Fear Community College — all at ZERO cost to families.
Students are already making the most of the opportunity! Rising Pender Early College seniors Sal Madison and Maritza Mendoza were selected for the National Student Leadership Congress, where only 100 students from across the country were accepted. Maritza’s group even won the Mock Congress debate! 🙌
“TRIO has given me a lot of opportunities that I would’ve never thought I would’ve had,” Maritza said.
📚 Learn more and apply: https://www.cfcc.edu/upward-bound/
📧 Questions: cfcc.upwardbound@mail.cfcc.edu
Only six weeks remain until the start of the new school year!
As we prepare to welcome students back, we ask that you take a few minutes to complete your student's Beginning of Year Information Updates. (This update is not required for newly enrolled students.)
Keeping your family's contact and emergency information up to date helps us ensure your child has a safe, smooth, and successful start to the school year from day one.
We look forward to welcoming our students back soon!
Due to a damaged fiber line in the area, internet and phone service is being affected at our Topsail and Surf City schools. Four County Electric is working to resolve the issue. We will keep families informed as updates become available. Thank you for your patience and support.
The holiday weekend is over, but free meals are still here!
Families can still pick up 7 days of FREE breakfast and lunch for children and teens every Wednesday.
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
📍 Pickup sites across Pender County
📝 Register online or onsite
We’re here to help all summer long! ❤️
El fin de semana festivo ya pasó, ¡pero las comidas gratis continúan!
Las familias todavía pueden recoger 7 días de desayuno y almuerzo GRATIS para niños y adolescentes cada miércoles.
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
📍 Sitios de entrega en el Condado de Pender
📝 Regístrese en línea o en el sitio
¡Estamos aquí para ayudar durante todo el verano! ❤️
🏀 At C.F. Pope Elementary, crews are resurfacing the basketball court on the playground as part of our district’s Capital Improvement Plan.
🛠️ Projects like this help improve safety, extend the life of our facilities, and create better outdoor spaces for students.
👏 We’re grateful for the continued support that makes these improvements possible — and we’re excited for students to enjoy this upgraded space when they return! 💙 YouTube - https://youtu.be/D5Zd-2N6OWE
Pender County Schools served 18,774 meals during Week 5 of our Summer Meals Program, bringing our total to 90,038 meals served so far this summer! 🎉
Each week, this program helps make sure children and families across Pender County have access to nutritious meals while school is out. We are grateful for our school nutrition staff, support teams, community partners, and families who help make this effort possible. 💙
📍 Meals are available Wednesdays from 12:30–2:00 p.m. at:
Atkinson Town Hall
C.F. Pope Elementary
Malpass Corner Elementary
Maple Hill Presbyterian Church
Rocky Point Elementary
South Topsail Elementary
Please help us spread the word to families who may benefit!
🌲➡️🏫 From this… to this.
The future J.H. Lea Elementary and Middle School campus has come a long way from one of our earliest build site photos to the vision shown in the school rendering.
This project represents a major investment in the future of Pender County Schools and the students, staff, families, and community members who will soon call this campus home.
📸 Take a look at where the journey began — and where it’s headed.
Want to follow the progress? Visit our Bond Referendum page for updates and information:
https://www.pender.k12.nc.us/page/bond-referendum
We’re excited to keep sharing the story as the future J.H. Lea Schools continue to take shape! 🏗️📚
As we prepare to welcome students back for the 2026-27 school year, roof repair work at TAES is well underway. This important project helps protect the building, support day-to-day learning, and ensure our school facilities remain safe and well-maintained for students and staff.
Investments like this are part of our continued commitment to using available funding to improve schools across Pender County.
We’re excited for our TAES students and staff to return to a building that’s ready for another great year of learning! 📚✨
Pender County Schools’ Beginning Teacher Support Program is hosting Community Connect as part of our annual Beginning Teacher Orientation, and we’d love for you to be part of it!
This event is designed to welcome our incoming first-year teachers — many of whom are new to Pender County — and help connect them with the businesses, organizations, resources, and community support that make our area such a special place to live and work. 🍎🤝
📅 Tuesday, August 11, 2026
📍 Cape Fear Elementary School
1882 NC-133, Rocky Point, NC 28457
⏰ 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
🪑 Tables will be provided
Participants are invited to share information, giveaways, coupons, volunteer opportunities, resources, or simply a friendly face to help welcome our newest educators to the community.
Reserve your table or learn more here:
🔗 https://bit.ly/PCSCommunityConnect
Help us connect, inspire, and build community for the teachers who will help shape the future of Pender County Schools! 💙✨
Work has been completed at North Topsail Elementary to replace the school’s gutters and downspouts as part of Pender County Schools’ capital improvement plan.
While it may not be the kind of project that always gets attention, proper drainage plays an important role in protecting our school buildings and keeping campuses in good condition for students, staff, and families.
Thank you to our maintenance team and project partners for helping complete this important improvement! 👏🔧
☀️ Summer is here, and free meals are still available!
Pender County Schools is helping families with FREE breakfast and lunch for children and teens.
Each Wednesday, families can pick up 7 days of meals.
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
✅ No application needed
📝 Pre-registration encouraged
🔗 https://forms.gle/RUijeuPKJLp1HboW6
Please help spread the word! 📣
☀️ El verano ya está aquí, y las comidas gratis todavía están disponibles.
Pender County Schools está ayudando a las familias con desayuno y almuerzo GRATIS para niños y adolescentes.
Cada miércoles, las familias pueden recoger 7 días de comidas.
🕧 12:30 PM–2:00 PM
✅ No se necesita solicitud
📝 Se recomienda preinscribirse
🔗 https://forms.gle/RUijeuPKJLp1HboW6
¡Por favor ayude a correr la voz! 📣
While students and staff are enjoying summer break, important facility improvements are underway across campus. Restroom renovations are currently taking place with support from lottery funds, and the Bibby Hall roof is being removed and replaced as part of our capital improvement plan.
These projects are part of the ongoing work to maintain and improve our schools so they continue to serve students, staff, and families well into the future.
Thank you to our maintenance teams, contractors, and everyone helping make these improvements possible! 👏🔨
Pender County Schools principals and assistant principals had the opportunity to visit the future J.H. Lea School today for a firsthand look at the progress taking shape. 👀📚
The visit gave school leaders a chance to walk the site, learn more about the layout of the building, and see how the new spaces are being designed to support students, staff, and learning for years to come. 🏫✨
We are excited to see this project continue moving forward and grateful for everyone helping bring this new school to life for the Pender County community. 💙💛 You can keep up the the progress anytime by using this link - https://www.pender.k12.nc.us/page/bond-referendum
What an incredible first month for the Pender County Schools Summer Meals Program! 🎉
Over the first four weeks, our School Nutrition team provided 71,264 meals to children across our community, including 18,550 meals in Week 4 alone! 💙💛
Week after week, this program helps ensure students have access to healthy meals throughout the summer, and we are so grateful to the dedicated staff members who make it happen. 👏🥪🍎
Thank you to our families, staff, and community partners for helping spread the word and support this important effort. Together, we are keeping students nourished, supported, and ready for what’s ahead! 🌟
Pender County Schools is grateful to the many parents, students, teachers, staff members, school leaders, community members, Board of Education members, and County Commissioners who took the time to listen, speak, ask questions, share concerns, and work toward a solution during the budget process.
We especially appreciate the Board of County Commissioners for approving the additional funding needed to help Pender County Schools maintain current services for the 2026-2027 school year. This support helps protect the people, programs, and resources that serve students across our district each day.
We also want to thank our educators and staff, who continue to show up for students with professionalism, care, and commitment, even during uncertain times. To our families and community members, thank you for using your voices and showing your support. To our students, you remain the reason this work matters.
The budget process highlighted real challenges, including growth, rising costs, and the need for continued long-term planning. It also highlighted something powerful: Pender County cares deeply about its schools.
We look forward to continued collaboration with our county leaders and community partners as we work together to support every student, every school, and the future of Pender County.
With the theme “Imagine, Explore, and Discover While Mapping the Path to Excellence,” students strengthened their reading skills through targeted instruction, hands-on learning, project-based activities, and nature-inspired literacy experiences. 🌿📖
From sea turtle conservation 🐢 and animal adaptations 🐾 to campsite-themed classrooms ⛺, reading celebrations 🎉, raffle drawings 🎟️, and special visits from therapy dogs Ziggy and Oakley 🐕🦺, our students stayed engaged, motivated, and excited to learn.
A huge thank you to our students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and families for helping make Walk to Read Camp a success. Together, we’re building confidence, strengthening literacy skills, and inspiring lifelong readers! 💙💛
