Update 11:20 p.m. Tuesday — Starting Wednesday, Pender County Schools will shift to regional sites for food distribution, according to a release.
“Any current PCS students or any children 18 or under can visit Penderlea School, Malpass Corner Elementary, Burgaw Elementary, Heide Trask High, Topsail High or Surf City Elementary/Middle from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to receive a grab-and-go lunch for that day and breakfast for the next day,” according to the release. “Thanks for your patience and please monitor Pender County Schools’ social media feeds and the district website for further updates.”
Update 2:10 p.m. Monday — Pender County Schools Superindentdent Dr. Stephen Hill announced plans for instructional materials pick-up and nutritional distribution scheduled for Tuesday. Here is his statement, issued at 2 p.m.:
On Tuesday, all PCS campuses will be open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. to allow parents an opportunity to pick up optional instructional materials. We ask that families send the least number of people possible to pick up items (ex. parent/guardian only, student and parent, high school student alone) to limit the number of occupants gathering together. Additionally, individual school information may be communicated out about specific time windows for student families (ex. alphabetical, etc.) to come by their schools.
For Tuesday, meal pickup will be available at all 18 school sites from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for current students and any children under the age of 18. During this pickup, students will receive lunch for that day and breakfast for the next morning. Further information on meal pickup for the rest of the week will be sent out via social media, posted on the district website and sent to families through our all-call messaging system when it becomes available.
In conjunction with our janitorial provider, ABM, Pender County Schools is working diligently to thoroughly sanitize all school facilities and buses. This includes removing trash, moping all floors, disinfecting all hard surfaces with approved sanitizing solutions, cleaning walls and much more.
We’d like to thank you for your patience as we work to develop these plans and ask that you monitor our communication platforms for more information as it becomes available.
PENDER COUNTY — Pender County Schools Superindentdent Dr. Stephen Hill has addressed the district’s plan regarding the state-mandated two-week closure of schools across the state due to the spread of Covid-19.
According to PCS spokesman Alex Riley, a statement from Dr. Hill was sent to families of schoolchildren on Sunday night, a day after Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order to close all North Carolina schools.
In his release, Dr. Hill said his staff has been working diligently to “develop plans to meet the educational and nutritional needs of our students.”
“The staff has worked with limited state information, time and resources to come up with the best options to support students,” Hill said.
PCS spokesman Alex Riley issued Hill’s statement to local media outlets on Monday morning, and confirmed that PCS would be closed from March 16 to March 30.
The statement addressed how the district will handle school meals and optional educational materials during the closure.
School Meals
Grab-and-go lunches will be available to students throughout the two-week closure, according to Hill.
Although PCS will not be able to serve breakfast to students on Monday morning, students will be able to stop by their school campus on Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to pick up a grab-and-go lunch.
“Additionally, a plan to have a similar grab-and-go breakfast is being developed and will be implemented on Tuesday morning,” Hill said.
Staff workdays and optional educational packets
Monday and Tuesday have been designated as staff wordays for all PCS campuses.
“On Monday, teachers and staff members will work to build optional educational material packets and prepare Chromebooks (for grades 2-12) for distribution,” Hill said in the release.
Packets can be picked up by parents from their child’s homeroom teacher on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“At this time, we are asking parents not to come to school campuses on Monday unless it is to pick up emergency medications from the school nurse,” Hill said. “If you need to stop in on Monday, we ask that you call and set up an appointment with school administration.”
Read Dr. Hill’s full statement below:
To our PCS families and stakeholders,
Since Governor Cooper’s announcement on Saturday that all North Carolina public schools would be closed for the next two weeks, the Pender County Schools staff has been working diligently to develop plans to meet the educational and nutritional needs of our students. The staff has worked with limited state information, time and resources to come up with the best options to support students. As state information is received these plans may be revised. Please monitor the PCS website, social media posts and announcements for possible revisions.
To help facilitate this plan, Monday and Tuesday will be staff workdays at all PCS campuses. On Monday, teachers and staff members will work to build optional educational material packets and prepare Chromebooks (for grades 2-12) for distribution.
Those packets can be picked up by parents from their child’s homeroom teacher on Tuesday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. At this time, we are asking parents not to come to school campuses on Monday unless it is to pick up emergency medications from the school nurse. If you need to stop in on Monday, we ask that you call and set up an appointment with school administration.
Unfortunately with the timing of the announcement, we will not be able to serve breakfast to students Monday morning. However, students will be able to stop by campus on Monday for a grab-and-go lunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Those lunches will be available throughout the entire two-week closure. Additionally, a plan to have a similar grab-and-go breakfast is being developed and will be implemented on Tuesday morning.
Thank you for your understanding as we continue to plan and develop during these ever-changing situations.
Thanks,
Dr. Hill
