Back to School 2026-27: What Topsail Area Parents Need to Know
North Topsail Elementary in Hampstead, one of the 11 Topsail-area schools starting the year on August 24.
School starts Aug 24 in both Pender and Onslow. Open houses, bus registration, meal applications, the Sept 23 immunization deadline and the paperwork for all 11 Topsail-area schools.
Plan Ahead: Back to School 2026-27
School starts Monday, August 24, the same day in both Pender and Onslow counties. That is the only thing the two districts do the same way.
Eleven schools serve our six towns, split across two systems with different portals, different forms, different meal rules and different deadlines. A family with one kid at Surf City Elementary and another at Dixon Middle is managing two entirely separate sets of paperwork.
Most of what goes wrong in the first month is avoidable. A bus that never comes because nobody registered the rider. A lunch account that quietly starts charging because the school changed. A seventh grader sent home in late September over a shot nobody knew was due.
This is everything we could verify, in one place, so none of that is a surprise. Bookmark it. We will update this page as the last few dates get announced.
Every date and rule here is sourced to the district itself, not a parent Facebook post or a prior year’s calendar. We pulled district calendars, official fee sheets, NC DPI eligibility filings and each school’s own event page, and we call out below anywhere a district page is still blank or wrong.
This page will change. A few dates were not yet published as of August 5. We will update this guide as districts fill them in, so bookmark it rather than screenshotting it.
Get Ready: The 60-Second Version
- Mark the calendar for Monday, Aug 24, 2026. First day, both counties. It is the one date the two districts agree on.
- Put open houses on the calendar now. Aug 18 to 20, ten schools, mostly stacked on the 19th and 20th.
- Book the immunization appointment early. The deadline is about Sept 23, thirty calendar days after the first day. State law, no extensions.
- Check whether you need to apply for meals. Required at 4 of 7 Pender schools and all 4 Onslow schools. Must be refiled every year.
- Register your bus rider and look up the stop. Neither district assigns one automatically.
1. Find Your School
Both districts are vague about attendance zones, so start with the lookup tools rather than assuming.
Pender County: The Topsail Cluster
| Town | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampstead | Topsail Annandale (K-4) · North Topsail (PK-5) · South Topsail (PK-5) | Topsail Middle (5-8) | Topsail High |
| Surf City (Pender side) | Surf City Elementary (PK-5) | Surf City Middle (6-8) | Topsail High |
| Topsail Beach | Surf City Elementary | Surf City Middle | Topsail High |
Onslow County: The Dixon Cluster
| Town | Elementary | Middle | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sneads Ferry | Dixon Elementary (PreK-5) · Coastal Elementary (K-5) | Dixon Middle (6-8) | Dixon High |
| Holly Ridge | Coastal Elementary · Dixon Elementary | Dixon Middle | Dixon High |
| North Topsail Beach | Dixon Elementary · Coastal Elementary | Dixon Middle | Dixon High |
One Island, Two High Schools
Topsail Island’s towns do not share a school system, because the county line runs through the island.
- Topsail Beach (Pender County) sends students to Topsail High School
- North Topsail Beach (Onslow County) sends students to Dixon High School
- Surf City straddles the line. Your address decides, not your mailing town.
Neighbors a few miles apart on the same island send their teenagers to different schools, in different districts, with different paperwork. If you are new here, this is the single most confusing thing about schools on the island.
Three More Things People Get Wrong Every Year
- Topsail Middle starts at 5th grade. Topsail Annandale Elementary only goes to 4th, so its fourth graders move up to middle school. It is the only 5-8 middle school in Pender County.
- There is no Hampstead Elementary. Hampstead students attend Topsail Annandale, North Topsail or South Topsail.
- There is no Surf City High School. Surf City students go to Topsail High or Dixon High depending on which county they live in.
To Confirm Your Zone
High school assignments above are settled. Elementary and middle school zones are where it gets fuzzy, because neither county publishes a usable map and the Dixon Elementary to Coastal Elementary dividing line is not documented anywhere public.
- Pender: address lookup at Edulog WebQuery
- Onslow: no public lookup tool exists. Call 910-455-2211, ext. 20419
School Contacts
| School | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Topsail Annandale Elementary | 910-270-1977 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/tes |
| North Topsail Elementary | 910-270-0694 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/nte |
| South Topsail Elementary | 910-270-2756 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/ste |
| Surf City Elementary | 910-928-0067 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/sce |
| Topsail Middle | 910-270-2612 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/tms |
| Surf City Middle | 910-928-0087 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/scms |
| Topsail High | 910-270-2755 | pender.k12.nc.us/o/ths |
| Dixon Elementary | 910-327-2104 | des.onslow.k12.nc.us |
| Coastal Elementary | 910-455-2448 | ces.onslow.k12.nc.us |
| Dixon Middle | 910-347-2738 | dms.onslow.k12.nc.us |
| Dixon High | 910-347-2958 | dhs.onslow.k12.nc.us |
2. Open Houses and the Aug 19-20 Pileup
Ten of our eleven schools hold open house on August 18, 19 or 20, and most land on the same two evenings. If you have kids at more than one school, map this out now.
| Date | Time | School | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Aug 18 | 5-7pm | Dixon Middle | 7th and 8th grade only |
| Wed Aug 19 | 4-6pm | Surf City Middle | Schedules handed out by homeroom teachers; PTA signup in the lobby |
| Wed Aug 19 | 4-6pm | Topsail Middle | |
| Wed Aug 19 | 4:00pm | Coastal Elementary | Kindergarten parent meeting, adults only. No students |
| Wed Aug 19 | 9-11am | Dixon High | Freshman and new student orientation |
| Wed Aug 19 | 4-6pm | Dixon High | Open house |
| Thu Aug 20 | 4-6pm | Topsail Annandale | Meet the teacher, bus assignments, PTA signups, PACES |
| Thu Aug 20 | 2-5pm | Topsail Annandale kindergarten | Staggered by last name. See below |
| Thu Aug 20 | 2-4pm K · 4-6pm grades 1-5 | North Topsail Elementary | |
| Thu Aug 20 | 2-4pm K · 4-6pm all grades | Surf City Elementary | |
| Thu Aug 20 | 1:30-3:30pm PreK and K · 4-6pm grades 1-5 | South Topsail Elementary | Food trucks on site; PTO t-shirt orders |
| Thu Aug 20 | 10am-12pm or 3-5pm | Coastal Elementary | K-5 meet the teacher. New student registration cannot be done at this event |
| Thu Aug 20 | 4-7pm | Topsail High | Includes an introduction to the new Pirate Excel Program (PEP) |
| Thu Aug 20 | 5-7pm | Dixon Middle | 6th grade only |
Topsail Annandale Kindergarten Families, Read This Twice
Kindergarten open house is staggered by last name: A-G 2:00 to 3:00 · H-O 3:00 to 4:00 · P-Z 4:00 to 5:00. If you cannot make your window, come between 5:00 and 6:00.
The catch: classrooms for all other grades do not open until 4:00pm. If you have an older sibling at the same school, you will be waiting. Plan for it.
Not Yet Announced: Dixon Elementary
As of August 5, Dixon Elementary’s homepage is still displaying last year’s back-to-school graphic, advertising “Thursday, August 21, 2025.” August 21, 2026 is a Friday and a teacher workday, so that is not this year’s event. The school has published nothing for 2026-27. Call 910-327-2104. We will update this page when they announce.
3. Your To-Do List
Work these in order. Most take ten minutes. The immunization one can take weeks if you need an appointment.
Every Family, Both Counties
- Confirm your zoned school. Pender: Edulog lookup · Onslow: call 910-455-2211 ext. 20419
- Complete the annual returning-student update in the parent portal. Pender: Infinite Campus · Onslow: Infinite Campus
- Register your bus rider and look up the stop (§5)
- Check whether your school needs a meal application. Four Pender schools and all four Onslow schools do (§6)
- Get immunization records current. The wall is about Sept 23 (§7)
- Put your open house on the calendar (§2)
- Submit a volunteer application if you plan to be on campus at all this year. It takes time to clear (§9)
Elementary Add-Ons
- Kindergarten health assessment. The NC form plus a physical done within the last 12 months. Bring it day one, not later.
- Staggered start days. North Topsail phases kindergarteners in Aug 24 to 26 by last name (A-G / H-M / N-Z). Check with your school.
- Before- and after-school care. Register separately. Spots are limited.
- PTA and PTO signup. Several schools take signups right at open house.
Middle School Add-Ons
- 7th graders need Tdap and MenACWY. This is the one that catches families off guard. It is a state requirement, not a suggestion.
- First-time athletics paperwork. Pender uses FinalForms. Onslow is still paper.
- Moving up from Topsail Annandale? Your 5th grader is going to Topsail Middle, not staying in elementary.
- Device and locker fees. Onslow charges $25 technology and $2 locker.
High School Add-Ons
- 12th graders need a MenACWY booster. Seniors get missed constantly, because families assume shots ended in 7th grade.
- Athletic clearance. Pender uses PlanetHS plus FinalForms, and athletes must show GREEN to practice. Onslow uses paper forms from the school.
- Parking passes. Topsail High sold them Aug 10 to 12 and requires a 2.0 unweighted GPA and passing all courses. Dixon High distributed them Aug 3 and 4. If you missed the window, call the school.
- Driver’s ed. Pender runs it in-house for $65. Onslow contracts it out to NC Driving School, quoted at $50 though the district’s fee sheet lists up to $65, and takes cash, certified check or money order only.
- Driving Eligibility Certificate. Get it from your own high school’s front office. Public school students do not use the state’s non-public portal.
- Senior year dates. Topsail High: senior portraits Aug 6 to 14, Senior Information Night Sept 8, 5-7pm. Dixon High: senior portraits Aug 12.
New to the Area?
Bring all of this to enrollment, or you will be sent home for it:
- Birth certificate
- Two proofs of residency
- Parent or guardian photo ID
- Immunization records
- NC Health Assessment Transmittal Form (physical within the last 12 months)
- Transcripts or last report card
- Pender: a Transfer Affidavit before your Topsail High enrollment appointment
- Onslow: a notarized discipline affidavit before your student can start
One more thing. Reassignment windows closed in the spring. An August request is already late, though it is still worth asking.
4. Supplies: What Every List Actually Asks For
Every school publishes its own list, and they are more specific than parents expect. We read the published 2026-27 lists for Coastal Elementary (K-5) and Dixon Middle (6-8) line by line. A few requirements repeat on nearly every one, and a few are strict enough that the wrong purchase gets sent back home.
The rules that trip people up
- Wired headphones only. Every elementary list specifies wired, and most say “no earbuds” outright for the younger grades. Dixon Middle asks for WIRED earbuds or headphones in capital letters. Bluetooth will not work with the testing software.
- Backpacks with no wheels. Coastal specifies this from kindergarten through 4th grade. Dixon Middle’s 8th grade list wants a laptop sleeve.
- Water bottles have rules. Dixon Middle requires a clear or translucent bottle labeled with the student’s name. Coastal’s 4th grade list says spill-proof and, in writing, “no Stanleys.”
- Composition notebooks, not spiral. Called out specifically at Coastal 5th grade and Dixon Middle 6th.
- Pencil pouches, not boxes, in the upper elementary grades. Coastal 3rd grade wants a box; 4th grade wants a pouch and says no boxes.
- Coastal 2nd grade asks families not to send individual pencil sharpeners.
- Dixon Middle 7th grade wants an accordion file with 7+ sections and explicitly not a binder. It also says colored pencils, no crayons.
What shows up on almost every list
Composition notebooks · pre-sharpened Ticonderoga #2 pencils · Expo dry erase markers (black fine tip most often) · glue sticks in quantity · plastic pocket folders with prongs · Crayola crayons and colored pencils · Fiskars scissors · highlighters · disinfecting wipes · tissues · a pencil pouch or box.
If you are buying for more than one child, the overlap is high enough that bulk packs of pencils, glue sticks, composition notebooks and Expo markers cover most of two lists at once.
The Bulk Items Worth Buying Once
These are the items that repeat across nearly every Topsail-area supply list, in the specific form the lists ask for. Buying the multi-packs once tends to cover siblings and the mid-year restock in January, which is when most of these run out.
Stock up once, cover the whole list
- Wired headphones, over-ear, no microphone. The single most-specified item on every elementary list. Search wired kids headphones
- Ticonderoga #2 pencils, pre-sharpened. Named by brand on multiple lists. Search Ticonderoga pre-sharpened
- Wide-ruled composition notebooks, sewn not spiral.Search composition notebooks bulk
- Expo dry erase markers, black fine tip. Search Expo fine tip black
- Elmer’s glue sticks, non-scented. Several lists ask for eight to twelve per child. Search Elmer’s glue sticks bulk
- Clear or translucent water bottle. Required at Dixon Middle, and the safest choice anywhere. Search clear water bottle kids
Check your own school’s list before buying. Grade-level requirements differ, and South Topsail’s PTO covers most supplies, so that school’s families need far less than this.
These are Amazon links. If you buy through one we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it helps fund reporting like this. Nobody paid to be included, and none of these are brand partnerships.
Where to find your school’s list: Pender posts them on each school’s site, and the elementary schools published theirs in mid-July. Onslow’s district supply-list page was still empty as of August 5, but Dixon Middle posted all three grade lists to its Facebook page, and Coastal Elementary published a full K-5 sheet.
If money is tight, three local events are handing out supplies for free this month. See §11.
5. Transportation
Both counties run Edulog. Neither one puts your child on a bus automatically.
| Pender | Onslow | |
|---|---|---|
| Stop lookup | Edulog WebQuery | Edulog Parent Portal app |
| Register a rider | The ridership form on the district site is still labeled 2025-2026. Call 910-259-2187 | Through the app |
| Phone | 910-259-2187 (district main. There is no separate transportation line) | 910-346-6888 |
Two Onslow Quirks Worth Knowing
- The app is not live GPS. It shows the scheduled route up to three days ahead. It will not tell you where the bus is right now.
- Route changes take up to 10 days, and your child must ride at least once every 10 days to keep their spot. Miss that window and the stop can be dropped.
Onslow’s own “Find My Bus Stop” link on its back-to-school page currently reads “Coming Soon.” Use the Edulog app directly rather than waiting for it.
6. Meals: Read This Even if You Have Never Applied
This is the section most likely to save you money, because the rules changed and they are not the same at every school.
Which Schools Are Free for Everyone
Some schools run Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), where every student eats free with no application and no paperwork. Others do not. In our area the split is unusually messy.
| School | Free for All? | You Must Apply? |
|---|---|---|
| North Topsail Elementary | Yes | No |
| South Topsail Elementary | Yes | No |
| Surf City Elementary | Yes | No |
| Topsail Annandale Elementary | No | Yes |
| Topsail Middle | No | Yes |
| Surf City Middle | No | Yes |
| Topsail High | No | Yes |
| Dixon Elementary | No | Yes |
| Coastal Elementary | No | Yes |
| Dixon Middle | No | Yes |
| Dixon High | No | Yes |
If your child attends North Topsail, South Topsail or Surf City Elementary, meals have been free automatically, with no forms and nothing to think about. The year they move up to Topsail Middle or Surf City Middle, that stops. Nobody sends a warning. Apply.
What Meals Cost
Onslow County, 2026-27: breakfast $1.25, lunch $2.50.
Reduced-price status is now free statewide. As of July 1, 2026, North Carolina covers the co-pay for students approved at the reduced-price level. Worth noting: Onslow’s own published 2026-27 fee sheet still lists $0.40 for reduced lunch, which appears not to have been updated. If you are approved for reduced-price and get charged, ask the school about it.
Families receiving SNAP or TANF are directly certified and do not need to apply at all.
How to Apply
- Pender: LINQ Connect
- Onslow: the district’s “Apply for Meal Benefits” link currently says “Coming Soon.” You can go straight to lunchapplication.com. Add money to accounts at K12PaymentCenter, and pay other fees at Onslow SchoolCashOnline.
Apply every single year. Last year’s approval carries about 30 days into the new year and then lapses.
7. Immunizations and the September 23 Wall
This is the hardest deadline of the year, and it is state law rather than district policy.
North Carolina gives you 30 calendar days from your child’s first day. After that, G.S. 130A-155 says the principal shall not permit the child to attend. With an Aug 24 start, that lands around September 23 in both counties.
What Is Required, by Grade
| Entering | Required |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | DTaP (5) · Polio (4) · MMR (2) · Hib (3-4) · Hepatitis B (3) · Varicella (2) · Pneumococcal (4) |
| 7th grade | Tdap booster plus meningococcal (MenACWY) |
| 12th grade | MenACWY booster |
| New to NC public school, any grade | All of the above for their age, plus the NC Health Assessment Transmittal Form with a physical from within the last 12 months |
North Carolina allows medical and religious exemptions only. There is no philosophical or personal-belief exemption.
Where to Get Shots Locally
| Pender County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Main clinic | 298 Progress Drive, Burgaw · 910-259-1230 · Mon-Fri 7:00am-5:30pm | 612 College St, Jacksonville · 910-347-2154 · Mon-Fri 8-5 |
| Closer option | Hampstead Annex, 15060 US-17 · 910-270-5001 · Wednesdays only, 8:00am-4:30pm (closed 12:00-12:30) | none |
| Walk-ins | Yes, no appointment needed | Welcome |
| Cost | Free for uninsured and underinsured children. Sliding fee scale available, and “no one will be denied services based on inability to pay” | Free ages 0-18 through Vaccines for Children |
If you are in Hampstead, Surf City or Topsail Beach, the Wednesday clinic on US-17 in Hampstead saves you the drive to Burgaw entirely. It is not mentioned on either district’s website.
Also worth knowing: medications at school, including over-the-counter items like Tylenol, ibuprofen, sunscreen and lip balm, need a signed physician and parent form, and must be hand-delivered by an adult. Never send medication in a backpack.
Free physicals: the Onslow County Back to School Bash on Aug 22 offers free physicals along with supplies and haircuts.
8. Enrollment and Paperwork
| Pender | Onslow | |
|---|---|---|
| Parent portal | Infinite Campus | Infinite Campus |
| New student enrollment | ScribOrder | Infinite Campus Online Registration |
| Transfers and reassignment | Same ScribOrder portal | Scribbles |
| The one that stops people | Transfer Affidavit, required before a Topsail High enrollment appointment | Notarized discipline affidavit, required before the student starts |
| Records requests | ScribOrder | Scribbles |
Returning students: Pender’s Beginning-of-Year update is required for everyone coming back, and it includes the Chromebook agreement. It is not the same thing as new enrollment.
9. Getting Connected: PTAs, Boosters and Volunteering
Volunteer applications take time. Start now if you want to chaperone a fall field trip.
- Pender: App-Garden Volunteer Tracker. There is no district volunteer landing page, so most people find this through their school or PTA. Questions: Alex West, 910-283-5889.
- Onslow: training is required every year, and fingerprinting at the district office every five years. Schedule through your school’s front office. The district’s Volunteer Resources page is currently blank.
| School | Organization | How to Join |
|---|---|---|
| Surf City Elementary | PTA, $6/year | surfcityelementarypta.com |
| South Topsail Elementary | PTO | southtopsailpto.com |
| Surf City Middle | PTA | Sign up in the lobby at open house |
| Topsail Annandale | PTA | Signups at open house · Facebook |
| North Topsail Elementary | PTA | |
| Topsail Middle | PTO | |
| Dixon Elementary | PTO | despto.ptboard.com |
| Dixon Middle | PTO | Forming. Watch the school PTO page |
| Dixon High | Century Club athletic boosters, season passes $100 to $650 | dixoncenturyclub.com · next meeting Aug 17, 6:30pm |
| Topsail High | Music Boosters | topsailbands.com |
| Coastal Elementary | No parent organization found | none |
Topsail High’s athletic booster club was suspended by the district in February 2026 and its status for this season has not been publicly resolved. Contact the school’s athletic department before joining or donating. The high school’s Music Boosters are a separate organization and are operating normally.
Stay in the loop: Pender uses the Pender County Schools app plus ROOMS messaging. Onslow uses Blackboard Messages. Most schools post the real-time items, such as schedule changes, spirit days and last-minute cancellations, to Facebook first.
10. Military Families
About 45% of Onslow County Schools students are military-connected, and Dixon Elementary is roughly 63% federally connected, because MARSOC at Stone Bay sits right on Sneads Ferry.
- Every Onslow school holds Purple Star designation, and the district itself is a Purple Star District for the fourth year running.
- School Liaison Program: Camp Lejeune 910-449-9749 · MCAS New River 910-449-6536 · Mon-Fri 7am-4pm. These liaisons cover both Onslow and Pender, which matters if you are straddling the county line around Surf City.
- The Interstate Compact (MIC3) governs enrollment, course placement, credit transfer and graduation requirements for PCS families. If your student is arriving mid-year or losing credits in a transfer, this is the framework that protects them. Ask your liaison.
11. Free Supplies and Local Help
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu Aug 6, 11am-2pm | Free school supplies, kids’ activities, family resources. Free and open to all | Black River Health Services, 301 S. Campbell St., Burgaw |
| Thu Aug 13, 10am-4pm | Stuff the Bus, Communities In Schools of Cape Fear, serving Pender and New Hanover | Office Depot Hanover Center · Staples on College Rd |
| Sat Aug 22, 2-6pm | Back to School Bash, free supplies plus free haircuts and free physicals, bounce house, splash zone | Onslow Pines Park, 1250 Onslow Pines Rd, Jacksonville |
Year-Round Help
- Pender County Christian Services. Weekend food backpack program, food pantry, clothing. 910-259-5840
- BackPack Friends. Weekend food for Onslow County students. 252-777-0151
- United Way of Onslow County. Stuff the Bus supply drive, with drop-offs at Walmart on Yopp Road. 910-347-2646
12. Still Unannounced
We will update this page as these land.
| What Is Missing | Who to Call |
|---|---|
| Dixon Elementary open house. Nothing published for 2026-27, and the homepage still shows last year’s August 21, 2025 graphic | 910-327-2104 |
| Topsail High per-sport tryout dates. Tryouts opened July 29; individual sports are not posted | 910-270-2755 |
| Pender 2026-27 bus ridership form. The site still shows the 2025-2026 version | 910-259-2187 |
| Onslow open house, supply list and what’s-new pages. Published as empty pages as of Aug 5 | 910-455-2211 |
| Topsail High athletic booster status. Unresolved since March 2026 | 910-270-2755 |
Note for Topsail High families: there is no separate freshman orientation this year, and no in-person schedule pickup. Schedules were released digitally through the Parent Portal the week of August 3. Open house on Aug 20, 4-7pm is the event.
Getting Ready Around Town
- Sports physicals and immunizations: Health & Wellness directory
- Tutoring, enrichment and after-school: Fitness & Recreation · Professional Services
- Shoes, clothes and supplies: Retail & Shopping
- Browse by town: Hampstead · Surf City · Sneads Ferry · Holly Ridge · Topsail Beach · North Topsail Beach
Know about a date we are missing, a supply drive we have not listed, or a PTA that is just getting organized? Send it to us and we will add it.
Last updated August 5, 2026.
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