South Topsail Elementary

South Topsail Elementary is one of the mid-sized elementary campuss in Hampstead, North Carolina, run under Pender County Schools, with 618 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 467 students per school, that is 32% bigger than typical.

Pender County Schools runs 19 schools in total, collectively educating 11,073 students. South Topsail Elementary is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, South Topsail Elementary records that 77% of the student body identifies as White; the rest is composed of 11% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, 3% Black. That composition is broadly in line with Pender County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, South Topsail Elementary has 38 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.9:1, putting South Topsail Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is noticeably above Pender County's rate of about 70%.

After controlling for student poverty, South Topsail Elementary is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 48.5%; this one delivers 68.9%, a residual of +20.4 points.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Pender County put median household earnings sit near $80,396, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. In all, Pender County runs 19 public schools (combined enrollment of about 11,073 students), of which South Topsail Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Topsail High, roughly 2.0 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 4 other public schools cluster around South Topsail Elementary. On composite proficiency, South Topsail Elementary comes 7th of 8 in the immediate cluster, behind the nearby-schools average of 74.2%.

The campus sits in an outlying setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count held roughly steady: 606 students in 2018 compared to 618 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 86% to 77% across the same window.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.