Topsail Middle School is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher whose more than two decades of service shaped countless lives and left an indelible mark on her community -- a legacy of dedication that speaks for itself.
"She helped build the culture of the school that's here today," Dr. Alan McNaughton, principal of Topsail Middle School, said of sixth-grade science teacher Heather Fennell. "I think she helped create the picture of what people are looking for in a school."
McNaughton said that since the announcement of Fennell's passing, students and faculty with the Topsail Middle School community have been grieving her loss.
On Dec. 5, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) identified Fennell, 46, as the decedent in a death investigation launched one day prior at 667 Saw Grass Road in Hampstead. Pender County property records list Fennell and Scott A. Lawson as co-owners of the Hampstead residence since 2015.
Prior coverage:Pender teacher identified as victim in death investigation; SBI assisting
"We have quite a few students that are definitely feeling (the loss)," McNaughton said. "All of our students ... are processing their grief a little differently."
Fennell devoted herself to the Topsail Middle School community and her students, who have now come together in this time of sorrow to honor her memory.
"We've had students come to us today looking for ways to honor her and some of the things she did, and that I think speaks to the influence she had on them," McNaughton said, adding that just a few hours prior, a student had suggested a memorial billboard across from her former classroom, where students and staff can write messages in tribute to Fennell.
As a teacher, Fennell fostered a "culture of collaboration," not just among students, but among faculty as well, McNaughton said -- something he believes will endure because of her lasting impact at the school.
Fennell didn't just teach; she empowered her students and pushed them to do the best job that they could.
"It was very clear that she was passionate," McNaughton said. "She loved being in the classroom and working with students. She would go out of her way to make sure that they felt supported and that they were getting what they needed."
The longtime teacher was an active and vocal advocate, dedicated to providing students with the best opportunities for success.
On Friday morning, as part of the daily student news, Topsail Middle School honored Fennell with a photo and held a moment of silence.
"I think it created an opportunity for students to really start to process what that grief looks like," McNaughton said. "We've got 5th graders on campus, ... they can't identify grief in themselves, but they know that they feel different ... and so giving them that opportunity kind of process through these strong emotions."
Topsail Middle School has provided students and faculty with counseling, bringing in additional counselors from other schools and partnering with Coastal Horizons and other support resources.
The school has "definitely felt a lot of support from the district and from the community," McNaughton said.
As parents, students, and faculty mourn the loss of Fennell, McNaughton said he wants the community to know that help is available, and they are here to support one another.
"She was a great teacher, and the kids loved her," McNaughton said. "She will definitely be missed."
As of Dec. 6, few details in the Saw Grass Road investigation are known. In collaboration with the Pender County Sheriff's Office, the SBI confirmed the investigation is ongoing and that an autopsy will soon be conducted.