Good evening Penderlea Families,
As we move into the week of November 3rd through November 7th, here are some important reminders and updates to help keep your family informed and prepared for the weeks ahead. Thank you for staying connected and involved
Thank You, Hornet Community!
We are proud to share that during our Pink Out Game last week, the Penderlea community came together to raise $1,015.75 in support of women in our area who are battling cancer.
Your generosity and spirit of giving truly reflect what it means to be part of the Hornet family. Thank you to everyone who donated, cheered, and helped make this event a success. Together, we continue to show that Penderlea is the place to be—for compassion, community, and heart.
Family Lunch – Middle School
We’re excited to invite our middle school families to Family Lunch on Monday, November 3rd, 2025!
Families are welcome to join their middle school student for lunch in the cafeteria and then visit their classroom for a short activity. This is a great opportunity to connect with your child and see their learning in action.
Middle School Lunch Times:
6th Grade: 1:10–1:40 (Lunch), 1:40–2:10 (Class)
7th Grade: 11:40–12:10 (Class), 12:10–12:40 (Lunch)
8th Grade: 12:15–12:45 (Class), 12:45–1:15 (Lunch)
We look forward to seeing our families on campus and celebrating the strong partnerships that make Penderlea the place to be!
Penderlea Read to Succeed-Million Minute Challenge!
Penderlea is excited to join Pender County Schools’ Million Minute Challenge, a districtwide effort to promote reading at home and build a love of literacy across all grade levels. This initiative supports one of Penderlea’s key school goals: improving literacy for all students.
Our school kickoff runs October 27–December 5, and we’re challenging every Hornet to read at home each day and help us reach one million minutes of reading together! Parents reading to their younger students counts, too.
Recommended Daily Reading Time:
K–2: 15–20 minutes | Grades 3–5: 20–30 minutes | Grades 6–8: 30–45 minutes
Families can log minutes using the QR code on the flyer sent home or by using this link: https://bit.ly/PLSMMRC
Also included in this week’s email is a fun “November Reading Activity Ideas” image filled with family-friendly ways to make reading part of your home routine—like starting a reading tradition, visiting the library, or creating a cozy reading nook.
Let’s show that Penderlea is the place to be for growing strong readers and leaders!
Student Health & Medication Reminders
A quick reference guide (in English and Spanish) is attached to help families decide when to keep a student home due to common illnesses. Please refer to this chart when determining whether your child should attend school.
As a reminder, no student may carry medication without an approved Medication Authorization for Self-Carry form on file.
Middle school students may only self-carry with a completed authorization form.
Elementary students are not permitted to self-carry any medication.
If a student is found with medication and no authorization is on file, the medication will be confiscated, and a parent or guardian will be contacted to pick it up with the possibility of consequences.
November Cafeteria Menus
Our November breakfast and lunch menus are now available! These menus include all the delicious options our Hornets can look forward to in the cafeteria this month.
Menus are attached to this email for your convenience. Please take a moment to review them with your child to help plan for the weeks ahead.
Athletic Weekly Update
Monday November 3rd- Home Girls Soccer and Boys Basketball game against Topsail Middle School
Thursday November 6th- Away Girls Soccer and Boys Basketball game at Burgaw Middle School(Soccer plays at Pender Memorial)
***All soccer games begin at 4:15 PM and basketball games begin at 4:30 PM***
Progress Report Update
Please note that progress reports will now go home on Friday, November 7, instead of the originally scheduled date of Wednesday, November 5.
Families can also access their child’s academic performance at any time through Infinite Campus to stay up to date on grades and progress.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work together to keep families informed and engaged in student learning.
Stay Connected with Rooms!
Penderlea uses Apptegy Rooms, the district’s main communication platform, to keep families connected with teachers and school updates — all in one easy app!
Rooms allows you to:
Message teachers directly and securely
View announcements, behavior notes, and documents
Access updates in multiple languages
Getting started is easy!
Download the Pender County Schools app from the App Store or Google Play.
Tap Rooms and log in using your phone number that’s on file with the school.
Turn on notifications so you never miss an update!
Visit bit.ly/RoomsResources825
for step-by-step guidance (or bit.ly/SpanishRoomsResources825
for Spanish).
Stay informed, stay involved, and stay connected — because communication matters at Penderlea!
Vision Screenings – November 17
Penderlea will conduct vision screenings for students in 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades on Monday, November 17th.
The screening includes a standard vision check and, if needed, a Spot Vision Screening, which is a quick, non-invasive way to identify possible vision concerns. No physical contact is required during these screenings.
If you would like to opt your child out of the vision screening, please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Brown, prior to November 17th.
Flu Clinic at Penderlea – November 6th
Penderlea School will host a flu vaccination clinic on Thursday, November 6th, beginning at 7:30 AM.
Attached below is the consent form that must be completed for any student or staff member who wishes to receive the flu vaccine. Please review, complete, and return the form as soon as possible to ensure your child is included.
This clinic is a convenient way to help keep our Hornet community healthy as we move into the colder months.
You can access the consent form using the link attached to this message.
Flu Vaccine Consent Forms:
Staff Consent Form - https://form.jotform.com/252656140740150
Student Consent Form - https://form.jotform.com/252656216931156
Formulario de Consentimiento del Estudiante - https://form.jotform.com/252656755627166
School Pictures – Save the Dates
We want to be sure families have plenty of notice for this year’s student, class, and sports pictures:
Student & Class Pictures
Kindergarten Cap & Gown – February 26
Classroom Group & Spring Pictures – March 31
If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out via email at pls_info@pender.k12.nc.us or call the school at 910-285-2761.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. Together we will continue to make Penderlea the Place to Be!
Stephen Harris
Principal-Penderlea School
