The History of West End, NC
From the 1/28/2009 issue of The Pilot:
"In the late 1880s, the owner of a turpentine distillery, Daniel McDonald, needed a better way to transport his products. He and Allison Page [the owner of the Aberdeen & Star Railroad] agreed to extend Page's rail lines northwest of Aberdeen by 13 miles to the west end of McDonald's property.
The community that grew around the terminal took its name, West End.
When the great fire that burned from Greensboro to the coast swept through it in 1898, all but the drugstore and depot was destroyed.
Farming brought the community back to life, and several thousand acres of peach trees were grown in the West End area prior to 1960. It is still known today for its peach orchards, although neighboring golf course residential developments such as Seven Lakes are growing.
In 1927, peach grower J.B. Von Cannon used his profits to start a mill, which became the Sandhills Furniture Corporation. Stanly Furniture bought it in 1965 and closed in the early months of 2002."
Source: https://www.thepilot.com/news/communities-small-towns-rural-areas-offer-history-character/article_a29ce700-8bca-56a8-8257-689d7256c858.html
West Pine Elementary History
7/28/2008 - The school board enters closed session to discuss the possibility of purchasing land to build a new elementary school. After coming out of this closed session, the school board approves the purchase of the property contiguous with West Pine Middle from MHK Ventures, Inc. at the cost of $201,300. This 13.42 acre lot will become the new West Pine Elementary school.
10/13/2008 - The school board outlines the process and timeline for determining the new school’s name, mascot, and school colors. The committee to determine this is to be formed in March of 2008 and will be composed of 3 students from both West End and Pinehurst Elementary schools, 3 Advisory Council members from both West End and Pinehurst Elementary, the Principals from West End Elementary and Pinehurst Elementary, 2 teachers from both West End and Pinehurst Elementary, and an Advisor for Community Relations. The Deputy Superintendent of the district served as the Committee Chair. The committee is given until May 2009 to present options to the school board for the name, mascot, and colors of the new school, with final decisions to be made in October of 2009.
3/9/2009 - The School Board appoints Seth Powers to be the Principal of Highfalls Elementary–an appointment that will be cut short when Mr. Powers is named Principal of the new school, West Pine Elementary, in 2010.
4/27/2009 - A contract to build the new school is approved and is awarded to Edison Foard in an amount not to exceed $8,212,900. The school board also approves the water line extension from West Pine Middle to the new school in the amount of $65,694.
5/11/2009 - The Facilities Committee recommends to the school board only one option for the name, mascot, and school colors of the new school. The name “West Pine Elementary”, a Wildcat Cub mascot, and school colors of light blue and yellow are all unanimously approved by the board.
7/13/2009 - The school board approves a contract in the amount of $78,321.49 to construct a pump station and force main for WPE, to be built by Thomas Construction Co. of Sanford.
3/8/2010 - The Moore County School Board approves the new attendance zone for WPE, which included 264 students from the Pinehurst Elementary zone and 130 students from the West End Elementary zone, for a total of 394 students.
5/10/2010 - The update given to the School Board is that construction of WPE is expected to be completed in June 2010. The first recorded new employee of WPE was hired: Brandi Dowd, the Media coordinator, with a hire date of 6/21/2010. Now that the construction of WPE is nearing completion, Walter Powers, the “Clerk of the Work” submits his retirement, effective 7/1/2010. The Clerk of the Work was appointed to oversee the project as West Pine Elementary was being built.
6/13/2010 - A classroom addition is approved in the amount of $31,000 to one contractor and $701,430 to another contractor. This addition is what is used today by Connect Academy.
6/14/2010 - In preparation for opening, a contract to widen the road is awarded to Edison Foard in the amount of $184,883.
8/9/2010 - The school board meets at WPE to dedicate the school, and West Pine Elementary officially opens its doors to students and families later that month.
Principals of West Pine Elementary
2010-2013 Mr. Seth Powers
2013-2014 Mrs. Kim Bullard
2014-2015 Mrs. Marcy Cooper
2015-2016 Mrs. Marcy Cooper, with Dr. Candace Turk as Interim during principal transition
2016-2022 Mrs. Mary-Frances Tintle
2022-2023 Mrs. Alyson Beavers
2023-2024 Mrs. Alyson Beavers, with Dr. Candace Turk as Interim during principal transition
2024-2025 Mr. Matt McLean
2025-present Dr. Amy O’Neill