New school year brings big challenges for Cape Fear districts

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Students across the Cape Fear region headed back to class Monday, bringing a little relief for many parents — but also putting several challenges facing local school districts into focus.

As the 2026-27 school year gets underway, districts are working to address overcrowding, construction, growing enrollment and chronic absenteeism.

“I need like two more years of summer before I start again,” said student Cameron Brown.

Cameron Brown was among the students who boarded a bus Monday morning to return to the classroom.

In Pender County, construction of the new J.H. Lea K-8 School is expected to help relieve some of the district’s overcrowding. But the project could also bring temporary traffic challenges around the school.

Superintendent Brad Breedlove said the district is working with contractors to minimize disruptions during peak school hours.

“Working with those contractors on when are the roads in that, in and around that school are going to be worked on and how can we best support getting students to and from school and maybe choosing times to do that construction that are off those peak hours of when students are on buses or in cars,” said Breedlove.

In New Hanover County, chronic absenteeism remains another challenge.

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes said the district is working on several strategies to encourage students to attend school more consistently.

“Most of our schools have incentive programs for attendance. We’re going to be working with helping make sure we remove barriers for families and parents, and work to make sure our instruction is as engaging as possible so kids want to come to school,” said Barnes.

Meanwhile, Brunswick County is using modular classrooms to help accommodate continued enrollment growth.

Superintendent Dale Cole said the additional classrooms provide a temporary solution, but existing school facilities still have limits.

“You can add more classrooms, but the students in those classrooms still have to use the same cafeteria, the same gym, hallways, and pick-up and drop-off areas,” said Cole.

As local districts work to keep pace with growing enrollment and aging facilities, voters in New Hanover and Brunswick counties will soon have a say in the future of their schools through proposed school bond referendums.

The decisions could help determine how districts address some of the capacity and facility challenges they are facing as the new school year begins.