New superintendent ready to lead Pender County School through big changes

BURGAW, N.C. (WECT) - Brad Breedlove has more than two decades of experience as an educator, from a teacher and principal to chief academic officer in Union County.

Now, he’s tasked with leading the way as Pender County Schools gets ready for some major expansions.

“Being a part of that process from beginning to end, you know, I wasn’t part of the bond campaign but coming in at this point, I see the vision,” Breedlove said.

Breedlove started as Pender County Schools’ new superintendent at the beginning of January. He took over for Steven Hill, who retired from the district last fall.

That leaves him in charge of guiding the district through a $178 million bond approved by voters in November. Most notably, that bond will include a new K-8 school, along with other projects throughout the county.

The bond passed with 54% of voters in favor of it, though others worried about a hike in taxes it could cause. Although plans for the new school were pushed back a year because the district currently doesn’t own a viable plot of land, Breedlove says it’s sure to be an exciting time for the Pender County community.

“This is going to be, the next three or four years, as we look at the building of these projects, that is something that’s going to be a point of pride in Pender County and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Breedlove said.

Other top issues for Breedlove include mental health and safety. He says he wants to ensure students feel safe and welcome coming into school each day so they’re ready to learn.

Only one week into the job, Breedlove said first and foremost he’s looking forward to getting to know the community. He plans to spend the semester visiting schools and classrooms, going to district events and meeting, getting to know people throughout the county.

“Everybody I’ve met so far has just been fantastic, and just so authentic and sincere. They’ve really made me feel welcome,” he said.

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