The PEP 10th Anniversary Gala isn’t just a celebration—it’s a night to remember! 🎶💃
🌟 Elegant dinner
🎵 Live music & dancing
🛍 Silent auction with incredible items
🍷 Cash bar (wine & beer)
📅 Saturday, May 17, 2025 | ⏰ 6:00-10:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30)
📍 Historical Society of Topsail Island
✨ All proceeds benefit Pender County Schools! ✨
Get your tickets now: PenderEducationPartnership.org
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Emily Law, Media Coordinator at Surf City Elementary. She brings a love for reading & learning every day! Favorite book? "I Yam a Donkey!" by Cece Bell. Let’s celebrate the heart of our school libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
Join us for a fun and educational event where you'll learn the facts about alcohol, tobacco/e-cigarettes, marijuana, and other drugs! Through an interactive game modeled after a popular game show, families will work together to understand the effects of these substances on growing brains and bodies. 🧠💪
💡 Engage in activities, watch videos, and participate in team discussions to learn effective refusal skills and how to keep youth safe. Plus, everyone will receive valuable resources for ongoing prevention and communication. 📚✨
🗓️ When & Where:
April 15, 2025 | Topsail High School | 245 St Johns Church Rd, Hampstead, NC 28443 | 6:00 pm—7:30 pm
April 16, 2025 | Heide Trask High School | 14328 State Hwy 210, Rocky Point, NC 28457 | 6:00 pm—7:30 pm
🎉 FREE event! Don’t miss out on this chance to learn and have fun together as a family! 🙌
🌟 Student Spotlight: Issac | 1st Grade | TAES 🌟
Issac is a bright light in the halls of TAES! 💫 His kindness and deep empathy are felt by everyone who meets him. Whether it's cheering up a friend or sharing a contagious laugh, Issac makes the school a better place each day. 😊
He’s also working hard learning to walk — and his determination gets cheers from staff and students alike! 💪❤️
🧀 Favorite Food: Anything with melty cheese
🔴 Favorite Color: Red
📚 Hobbies: Laughing, reading, and hanging out with friends
😄 Fun Fact: He’ll eat just about anything… except cucumbers!
Keep spreading joy, Issac — you’re amazing! 👏✨
📣 Teacher Tuesday - Noah Buckley, Social Studies Teacher at HTHS! 🌍✨
In his three years of teaching, Mr. Buckley is driven by his passion for making an impact on students' lives and helping them explore the complexities of human society and history. He enjoys encouraging critical thinking and empathy, while preparing students to understand their role as citizens. 📚💭
One of his unforgettable moments? Spending two weeks camping along the Appalachian Trail as part of his outdoor education experience! 🌲⛺
When he's not in the classroom, Mr. Buckley loves reading by the beach, exploring local businesses, and spending time with his golden lab, Thena, who loves to swim! 🏖️🐕
His travel dream? South East Asia, a region he fell in love with during his college days. 🌏✈️
His teaching philosophy: "Relaxed but dedicated." 🙌
Thank you, Mr. Buckley, for inspiring and preparing our students for the future!
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Renee Bailey, Media Coordinator at Topsail High School. She brings a love for reading & learning every day! Favorite book? "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes! Let’s celebrate the heart of our school libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Sarah Kopka, Media Coordinator at Topsail Annandale Elementary. She shares her love of reading & learning every day! Favorite book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Let's celebrate the heart of our libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
🌟 Feature Friday - Craig Lawson, PCS Director of Digital Learning & Media! 🌟
Craig Lawson is the driving force behind digital learning in Pender County Schools! As Director of Digital Learning and Media, he leads professional development, supports media coordinators, and ensures seamless tech integration across all 19 schools. From organizing Battle of the Books to launching Classroom Libraries, his innovation and dedication empower students and staff every day.
💬 “His humility, go-getter attitude, and unwavering commitment make him a cornerstone of PCS.”
Thank you, Mr. Lawson, for making a lasting impact! 👏📚💻
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Melissa Taylor, Media Coordinator at Cape Fear Elementary. She brings a love for reading & learning every day! Favorite book? "The Cool Bean" by Jory John and Pete Oswald! Celebrate the heart of our school libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
📅 Save the Date! The Pender Education Partnership (PEP) 10th Anniversary Gala is set for Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Historical Society of Topsail Island! 🎉✨
Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring dinner, dancing, and a silent auction—all in support of students & teachers in Pender County Schools.
🎟 Tickets: $100 in advance | $125 at the door
🔗 Get yours today: PenderEducationPartnership.org
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Sam Carradori, Media Coordinator at Burgaw Middle. She brings a love for reading & learning every day! Favorite book? "The Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut! Let’s celebrate the heart of our school libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
🌟 Student Spotlight: Rilyn | 6th Grade | TMS 🌟
Rilyn shines in the classroom with her academic excellence, leadership, and kindness! ✨ She always gives her best effort, welcomes feedback to improve her work, and encourages her classmates to do the same. Her positivity and support help create a motivating and inclusive learning environment!
🍗 Favorite Food: Chick-fil-A
💖 Favorite Color: Pink
🎨 Hobbies: Art & Volleyball
🐶 Pets: A Yellow Lab named Izzie & a Betta fish named Timothy
💡 Fun Fact: She dreams of becoming an entrepreneur one day!
Keep up the amazing work, Rilyn! You’re an inspiration! 👏🌟
📚 April is School Library Month! Meet Amanda Diggs, Media Coordinator at West Pender Middle. She brings a love for reading & learning every day! Favorite book? Anything Realistic Fiction! Let’s celebrate the heart of our school libraries! 💙📖 #SchoolLibraryMonth
🚍 Help Us Prepare for 2025-26 Bus Routes! 🚍
The Pender County Schools Transportation Department is gearing up for the next school year, and we need YOUR help to ensure accurate bus assignments!
📢 Important Steps for Parents/Guardians:
✅ Check your child’s Parent Letter for their current bus stop details.
✅ If there are NO changes, return the form with all “YES”s circled by April 16, 2025.
✅ If changes are needed, update your info using the Student Ridership Survey (https://bit.ly/4lb0ZLF) by April 16, 2025.
⏳ Deadline Reminders:
🔹 Schools must update all transportation data in Infinite Campus by May 9, 2025.
🔹 The Google Form will NOT reopen during summer – all new student transportation requests will go through Infinite Campus.
📌 Let’s work together to ensure every PCS student has the right bus assignment on day one!
📣 March is Social Work Month! 🎉 Meet Ashanti Craine, one of our incredible school social workers! Ms. Craine has nearly a decade of experience in social work and has worked across multiple states in youth shelters, domestic violence shelters, and child protective services. For almost a year, she has been proudly serving as a School Social Worker in Pender County, focusing on prevention and mentoring students and families.
✨"One of my proudest accomplishments has been helping four students graduate when they were on the verge of quitting—an achievement that reaffirms my passion for this work every day."
🎉 Fun Fact: Ms. Craine once flew on an Army C-5 airplane to the small town of Battle, Alaska, where the sun doesn’t rise for months during the “dark season”!
Join us in thanking Ms. Craine and all our amazing school social workers for their dedication! 💙👏
📣 March is Social Work Month! 🎉 Meet Julia Beall, one of our dedicated school social workers! Ms. Beall has been with Pender County Schools for six years and was among the first social workers hired when the role was reintroduced to the county. She finds joy in supporting students and staff, who motivate her every day! ✨ “I love my job because the students and staff make me smile every day.” 🎉 Fun Facts: She graduated from ECU in 2018, recently started her master’s program at UNC, and is obsessed with making charcuterie boards! 🧀🥖 Join us in thanking Ms. Beall and all our amazing school social workers for their dedication! 💙👏
YouTube - https://youtube.com/shorts/yc4jD15WY8U
🚧 Exciting Progress at the New K-8 School Site in Hampstead! 🏫✨
This week, we visited the construction site for our future K-8 schools off Highway 210, and major progress is underway! 👷♂️🚜 According to Ben Warren, VP of Bordeaux Construction, crews have imported over 300,000 cubic yards of dirt to raise the site’s elevation and create a solid foundation. The first building foundations are now in place, starting in the center and expanding outward into the classroom wings. 🏗️
As we move into summer, expect to see masonry walls taking shape as the structure begins to rise! 📈 The project remains on track for an anticipated Fall 2027 opening, bringing much-needed elementary and middle school spaces to the Hampstead community. Stay tuned for more updates as this exciting build continues! 🚀 #OnePender
📢FEATURE FRIDAY - Vilinda Wedlock, PCS HR Administrative Assistant💛Vilinda Wedlock is an essential part of the HR team, handling numerous responsibilities with dedication, efficiency, and a consistently positive attitude. She plays a pivotal role in the hiring process for classified staff, ensuring that new hires feel supported and welcomed from day one. Her warmth, kindness, and contagious smile create an inviting atmosphere that makes a lasting impact on colleagues and staff alike. Whether assisting new employees, supporting coworkers, or tackling daily challenges with grace, she exemplifies professionalism and compassion. The HR and Testing teams deeply appreciate her diligence, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to Pender County Schools. Ms. Wedlock, your hard work does not go unnoticed—you truly make a difference every day! 💙👏
