Pender County Schools -

💧 WATER UPDATE: The boil water advisory has been lifted for the schools affected by the water line break on Highway 421. Schools will continue operating on their regular schedules. Thank you to our families and staff for your patience, and to the crews who worked to restore water service. ACTUALIZACIÓN SOBRE EL AGUA: Se ha levantado el aviso de hervir el agua para las escuelas afectadas por la rotura de una tubería en la carretera 421. Las escuelas continuarán con sus horarios habituales. Gracias a nuestras familias y al personal por su paciencia, y a las cuadrillas que trabajaron para restablecer el servicio de agua.

📚 FREE ENGLISH CLASSES FOR ADULTS!

Cape Fear Community College is offering FREE English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Cape Fear Middle School for adults ages 18 and older.

📅 October 5 – December 10
🗓️ Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays
⏰ 6:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 Cape Fear Middle School

Registration orientation is by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, contact Cindy Fischer at 📧 cfischer@cfcc.edu or 📞 910-362-7184.

Please share this opportunity with family, friends and community members who may be interested! 💙📖

📚 ¡CLASES GRATIS DE INGLÉS PARA ADULTOS!

Cape Fear Community College ofrecerá clases GRATIS de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL) en Cape Fear Middle School para adultos de 18 años en adelante.

📅 5 de octubre – 10 de diciembre
🗓️ Lunes, martes y jueves
⏰ 6:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 Cape Fear Middle School

La orientación para la inscripción es solo con cita previa. Para programar una cita, comuníquese con Cindy Fischer al 📧 cfischer@cfcc.edu o 📞 910-362-7184.

¡Comparta esta oportunidad con familiares, amigos y miembros de la comunidad que puedan estar interesados! 💙📖

🌟 Student Spotlight 🌟

Afton is a 5th grader at North Topsail Elementary, recognized for his kindness and the way he looks out for others.

Afton makes an effort to include everyone, especially during recess and play time. His family shared an example from first grade when he noticed a friend was being picked on. Afton told a teacher what was happening and then invited his friend to join him for basketball on the playground. 🏀

That willingness to speak up and make sure others feel included continues to be part of who Afton is. He tries to be a good friend and treat the people around him with kindness.

Outside of school, Afton enjoys surfing 🏄, soccer ⚽, video games 🎮, building LEGO, and skateboarding 🛹. His favorite food is mushrooms 🍄, and his favorite color is purple 💜. He also has three pets named Ozzy, Hamlet, and Cheese 🐾.

One interesting fact—Afton was named after the River Afton in Scotland. By coincidence, on the day he was born, his grandfather happened to be traveling through Afton, Wyoming!

💜 Thank you, Afton, for the kindness you show to others at North Topsail Elementary.

This week in Mrs. Johnson’s class, we learned about “Who Works at Our School?” Students discovered the important jobs of CFE staff and how they help our school community. We also welcomed our special guest, Mrs. Brenna Hopkins, our Assistant Principal! Students interviewed her and learned all about her role. We had so much fun learning about the people who make our school special! ❤️

🎓 PCS SENIORS: You may already have a college acceptance waiting for you!

Through NC College Connect, every North Carolina public school senior who is on track to graduate now has direct admission to at least one participating college for fall 2027. More than 90 colleges and universities across the state are participating. 🎉

✅ Every on-track senior is directly admitted to their local community college.
✅ Students with a 2.8 weighted GPA or higher who are taking a fourth-level math course may also receive offers from participating UNC System universities and independent colleges.
✅ No essay, test score or recommendation letter is required for the direct-admission offer.

📲 What should you do now? Log in to your CFNC student account at NCCollegeConnect.org to see your offers, then talk with your school counselor about your options, financial aid and next steps.

📅 College Application Week is Oct. 19-25, and students who accept an NC College Connect offer during that week can avoid most application fees.

Your offer is just the beginning — explore your choices and find the path that works for you! 🎓📚

🎓 ESTUDIANTES DE ÚLTIMO AÑO DE PCS: ¡Es posible que ya tengan una admisión universitaria esperándolos!

A través de NC College Connect, todos los estudiantes de último año de las escuelas públicas de Carolina del Norte que estén en camino de graduarse ahora tienen admisión directa a por lo menos una universidad participante para el otoño de 2027. 🎉

✅ Cada estudiante que esté en camino de graduarse recibe admisión directa a su colegio comunitario local.
✅ Los estudiantes con un GPA ponderado de 2.8 o más que estén tomando un curso de matemáticas de cuarto nivel también pueden recibir ofertas de universidades participantes del Sistema UNC y universidades independientes.
✅ No se requiere ensayo, puntaje de examen ni carta de recomendación para recibir una oferta de admisión directa.

📲 ¿Qué deben hacer ahora? Inicien sesión en su cuenta estudiantil de CFNC en NCCollegeConnect.org para ver sus ofertas y luego hablen con su consejero escolar sobre sus opciones, ayuda financiera y próximos pasos.

📅 La Semana de Solicitudes Universitarias será del 19 al 25 de octubre, y los estudiantes que acepten una oferta de NC College Connect durante esa semana podrán evitar la mayoría de las tarifas de solicitud.

¡Revisen sus opciones y encuentren el camino que mejor se adapte a sus planes para después de la escuela secundaria! 🎓📚

Ms. Mohn, Ms. Ramos, and our students were all smiles as they participated in the first fire drill of the school year at Rocky Point Elementary School! Safety, preparedness, and learning start early!

A Sweet Preschool Lunch Conversation at Cape Fear Elementary School 🍎 Ms. Moore: What are you eating for lunch today? Preschooler: I have a cheese stick, grapes and a banana ! Ms. Moore: Oh, that sounds delicious! What is your favorite fruit. Preschooler: Bananas ! They are tasty and sweet. Ms. Moore: I love bananas too! Can you tell me why it is important to eat healthy food? Preschooler: So I can grow big and strong! Ms. Moore: That's right! You are growing and learning every day. What do you want to learn about today? Preschooler: Dinosaurs! Ms. Moore: Dinosaurs? That sounds like a wonderful idea. Maybe we can read a dinosaur book after lunch!

🏃‍♀️💙 Teacher Tuesday: Ms. Kelly Lanier — Penderlea School

Ms. Kelly Lanier serves as the PE teacher at Penderlea School. She is known for building connections with students and families and working to make sure every student feels welcome and valued at school.

What stands out about Ms. Lanier is her flexibility and willingness to step in wherever she is needed. This year, she moved into the PE role and quickly began looking for ways to build a program that reflects the needs and interests of her students.

One example is her work with the Penderlea community to secure donations of additional PE equipment. Those donations are giving students more opportunities to participate in activities and try new things during class.

Thank you, Ms. Lanier, for your flexibility, your connection with families, and the work you do for students at Penderlea School. 💛🏃

📅 Save the date! Pender County Schools will hold a community forum on future growth and school planning.
📍 Topsail High School
🗓️ Tuesday, September 29
🕕 6 p.m.
Join us to learn more about the planning process and share your perspective. The forum will also be streamed live on the PCS YouTube channel for those unable to attend.
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@PenderCountySchools

📅 ¡Reserve la fecha! Las Escuelas del Condado de Pender llevarán a cabo un foro comunitario sobre el crecimiento futuro y la planificación escolar.
📍 Topsail High School
🗓️ Martes 29 de septiembre
🕕 6 p.m.
Acompáñenos para conocer más sobre el proceso de planificación y compartir su perspectiva. El foro también se transmitirá en vivo a través del canal de YouTube de PCS para quienes no puedan asistir.
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@PenderCountySchools

Our Child Nutrition Staff got cheesy with it celebrating National Cheeseburger Day in cafeteria's across Pender County today! Cheeseburgers were served alongside fresh fruit and vegetables....and silly hats :)
#NationalCheeseburgerDay
#AramarkStudentNutrition
#cheeseburgerinparadise

Weekly PCS Newsletter - https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/yYSsXtmjMpEb2 - Have a great weekend!!

🌟 Feature Friday: Employee Spotlight 🌟

This week we’re recognizing Dr. Brandy Sawyer, Chief Academic Officer for Pender County Schools.

Dr. Sawyer works closely with staff across the district to support teaching and learning and, ultimately, the students we serve. Her role comes with a lot of responsibility, and she works hard to provide both direction and support to the people on her team.

Those who work with Dr. Sawyer know she is committed to her staff. She provides structure when it’s needed, works through challenges alongside her team, and keeps student needs at the center of the work.

💛💙 Thank you, Dr. Sawyer, for the time and effort you put into supporting our staff, schools, and students across Pender County Schools.

🩺💙 OVER 200 PARTICIPANTS EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE! 💙🩺 What an incredible evening at Scotts Hill Medical Center for our Healthcare Career Explorers Program, sponsored by Novant Health! More than 200 students, parents, CTE staff members, and Novant Health professionals came together for an evening focused on helping students discover the incredible possibilities available within the healthcare industry. A special thank you to the Novant Health team, led by Kapica Davis and Julian Williams, for making tonight’s experience possible! Their leadership and commitment brought together Novant professionals from departments throughout Scotts Hill Medical Center to give students an authentic, firsthand look at the many people and careers it takes to operate a healthcare system. 🏥 Students weren’t just hearing about healthcare careers—they were exploring them! They had opportunities to interact directly with professionals, ask questions, learn about different career pathways, and discover roles they may have never considered before. And our parents were exploring right alongside their students! That is what made tonight especially meaningful. When students, families, educators, employers, and community partners come together in the same space to talk about the future, career exploration becomes something much bigger than an event—it becomes an opportunity to see what is possible. A HUGE thank you to Kapica Davis, Julian Williams, and the entire Novant Health team for investing your time, expertise, and energy into our students. Thank you to every department that participated, our PCS CTE staff members who supported the event, and the families who showed up ready to explore! This is what strong education + industry partnerships look like. We aren’t simply telling students about careers—we are putting them in the environments where those careers happen and connecting them with the professionals doing the work every day. 🩺 Over 200 participants. 🏥 Healthcare professionals across multiple departments. 🤝 Schools, families, industry, and community together. 🚀 Countless possibilities for our students. This is career exploration in action, and we are continuing to build pathways that prepare every PCS student to graduate Enrolled, Enlisted, or Employed! 🧱 BRICK BY BRICK, we are building the future workforce of Pender County and beyond! #PCSCareerAndTechnicalEducation #NovantHealth #ScottsHillMedicalCenter #HealthcareCareerExplorers #HealthcareCareers #CareerExploration #CTE #WorkforceDevelopment #EnrolledEnlistedEmployed #BrickByBrick

🌟 PCS VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 🌟

For our first PCS Volunteer Spotlight, we’re recognizing Sara Cotten, whose time, energy and creativity make a difference throughout her school community! 💙💛

From supporting classrooms and decorating bulletin boards to leading the PTA, organizing fundraisers and helping keep families connected, Ms. Cotten is always finding ways to support students and staff. She also makes a point to encourage teachers, whether that means providing supplies, sharing a special treat or simply helping make their day a little brighter.

One example of Ms. Cotten’s impact came during the school’s Boosterthon fundraiser. She kept students, staff and families engaged with daily updates, prizes and creative schoolwide incentives, including administrators kissing farm animals 🐷 and a staff inflatable race! 🏃‍♀️ The activities were fun, but behind them were countless hours of planning and coordination that helped bring the entire school community together.

Much of Ms. Cotten’s work happens behind the scenes, but its impact can be seen and felt throughout the school.

👏 Thank you, Ms. Cotten, for giving your time and talents to support PCS students, staff and families!

🎶 ARTS IN EDUCATION WEEK 🎶

Music education gives students much more than the opportunity to learn an instrument. It builds confidence, discipline, teamwork and a sense of connection with the people around them. 🎺🥁🎷

As we continue celebrating Arts in Education Week, hear from Mr. Trevor Judy, Band Teacher at Surf City Middle School, as he shares his perspective on the importance of arts education and what students gain through their experience in band. 💙💛

Thank you to Mr. Judy and all of our PCS music educators for helping students find their sound, work together and grow through music.

🎥 Hear more from Mr. Judy in the video! - https://youtube.com/shorts/g8K_n5aZlFs?feature=share

🌟 Student Spotlight 🌟

Sophia is a Pre-K student at Cape Fear Elementary School, recognized for her kindness and leadership.

Sophia looks for ways to help her classmates, including students who are learning English. When a classmate is upset and speaking Spanish, Sophia will sometimes help translate so her teachers can better understand what the student needs. She also sets a good example by following school expectations and helping remind her classmates of classroom routines.

Her teachers have noticed the care Sophia shows for others and her willingness to help classmates feel understood and included. 💙

Outside of the classroom, Sophia enjoys drawing 🎨, playing with Play-Doh, and just about anything involving art. She also loves spending time outside with her friends. Her favorite foods are chicken nuggets and cheese pizza 🍕, and her favorite color is pink 💗.

One interesting fact about Sophia—she loves hugs, especially when she’s having a tough moment, and often shows that same care for others through hugs and drawings. 🫶🎨

💗 Thank you, Sophia, for the kindness and leadership you show at Cape Fear Elementary School.

🎵 ARTS IN EDUCATION WEEK 🎵

For many students, elementary school is where a lifelong connection to music begins. 🎶🥁🎻

As we continue celebrating Arts in Education Week, hear from Ms. Laura Black, Music Teacher at Rocky Point Elementary School, as she shares why arts education matters and what music can bring to a student’s educational experience. 💙💛

Through music, students have opportunities to create, perform, work together and build confidence — skills that reach far beyond the music room. 🎼✨

🎥 Hear more from Ms. Black in the video! - https://youtube.com/shorts/kuLT9wqcSUQ?feature=share

🎨💙 Teacher Tuesday: Ms. Lily Buckley — Heide Trask High School

Ms. Lily Buckley is an art teacher at Heide Trask High School and is in her third year of teaching. She is known for the energy she brings to her classroom and her willingness to support students and colleagues throughout the school.

Ms. Buckley’s enthusiasm for art comes through in her teaching. She works to create a classroom where students can express themselves, develop their skills, and feel comfortable being who they are. She also contributes to a number of programs and activities at Trask, often helping behind the scenes wherever she is needed.

What stands out most is the attention Ms. Buckley gives to her students as individuals. She notices when someone may be having a difficult day and takes time to check in. By building relationships based on respect and understanding, she helps students work through challenges while encouraging them to set their own goals and recognize what they are capable of accomplishing.

Thank you, Ms. Buckley, for the care and enthusiasm you bring to your students and the Heide Trask High School community. 💛🎨