Ponca Public Schools

Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? 🎗️ Today, our staff had the opportunity to participate in a fundraiser hosted by the Bennett family to support kids, teens, and families in the hospital. By ordering coffee from Scooters, we enjoyed a win-win combo ☕️. All proceeds will benefit Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls for their Christmas Wishlist. Not only did we contribute to this wonderful cause and enjoy delicious coffee, but we also had the chance to express our continued support and love for Kinsley and her family. Ella from Ella’s Espresso and her assistant, Jaeden Hughes, helped by delivering coffee to all the staff. #TeamKinsley #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Congratulations to all of our August Student of the Month Nominees! These students were nominated for living out the Ponca Way Beliefs! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Congratulations to our August Student of the Month, Senior BrieAnn Mellick!

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Ponca In Action!

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

Fall Parent’s Night

We are excited to honor our student-athletes and their families during our upcoming Fall Parent’s Nights. These will take place before the Varsity contests. Mark your calendars!

Softball – Thursday, September 11

Volleyball – Thursday, September 25

Football & Cross Country – Friday, October 17

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

Press Box and Loft Bidding.

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

The morning was spent at the Wayne State College Education Fair! It's always so refreshing seeing so many future educators, but, our favorite part is always seeing our Ponca Alumni future educators! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Check out this weeks Ponca in Action! #GoBigBlue

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

Congratulations to our 2025 Homecoming Court!

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Tonights football game at Tekamah-Herman will be live streamed on Hudl Fan.

Link here:
https://fan.hudl.com/United-States/NE/Tekamah/organization/10615/Tekamah-Herman-High-School

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

#ThePoncaWay in action! Ponca Schools were once again recognized as some of the very best in Nebraska and the nation!

6 months ago, Brendan Calahan

“Good people make good communities, and good communities make good people.” The quote above is from Demoine Adams, former Husker defensive end turned Teammates CEO and motivational speaker, who we brought in to speak to our staff and students to help open the 25-26 school year. I love this quote. It applies so profoundly to our school community, and I’ve already referenced it multiple times in these first couple weeks of school. Recently, we found ourselves in some pretty good company, and in some cases, all alone at the top. School Digger recently ranked Ponca High School #1 overall in Nebraska, and the district as a whole #5 overall, with both entities separately earning their coveted 5-star rating, recognizing excellence across multiple measures of student success. Taking it a step further, US News and World Report listed Ponca High School #7 overall in Nebraska in their latest rankings, behind only a few large suburban high schools from three districts in the Omaha metro. Nationally, this same outlet also lists us in the top 15% of public high schools across the country, and compared to the Sioux City metro area, our overall score outpaces the next closest school by nearly 20%. Aside from these rankings, the Nebraska Department of Education takes a much more detailed approach to gauging our effectiveness as a district. Their process is dubbed AQuESTT, which stands for Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow. NDE doesn’t just look at test scores, they pour over data from all facets of our district and ultimately give each school a rating based on six tenets reflecting continuous improvement. For the first time since the inception of AQuESTT a decade ago, all 4 schools NDE classifies in our district – Jackson Elementary, Ponca Elementary, Ponca Junior High, and Ponca High School, currently hold the highest classification possible: Excellent. These rankings, recognitions, and classifications are more than just numbers to us. They are a reflection of the collective effort of our students who strive for excellence, our teachers who pour their hearts into helping kids grow, our staff who keep everything running smoothly, our administrators who lead with vision and consistency, our parents who provide unmatched support, and our community at-large, who consistently shows up for Ponca Schools in every way. What we’re seeing take shape is the literal embodiment of Demoine’s quote, as none of this is the result of luck or chance. These recognitions are the byproduct of years of hard work, resilience, and a shared belief in what a small, rural school district can accomplish for kids when we invest in each other. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we also look ahead. The work of education is never finished, and while these results are affirming, they also serve as encouragement to keep doing what we do best: supporting kids, fostering a culture of growth, belonging, rigor, and excellence, and preparing the next generation to be good people who will continue to build good communities. That is, after all, The Ponca Way. Thank you for your continued support, and as always, Go Big Blue. Brendan Calahan, Superintendent

Happy High Five and Jive Friday from your Junior High Football Team! Remember, you matter, work hard, everyone belongs, and do the right thing! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Reminder:

All Ponca activities in the East Gym and at the Sports Complex will be live streamed.

Check the link out here-
https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ne/ponca/organization/11425/ponca-high-school

#GoBigBlue

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

Speech & Language Screenings for Kindergarteners

Jackson Elementary School will be conducting Speech and Language Screenings for all Kindergarten students on Thursday, September 4th!

6 months ago, Ponca Public School

Check out Ponca in Action this week!

6 months ago, Evan Colfack

High Five and Jive Fridays are BACK and the Junior High Volleyball team helped kick it off! Remember, you matter, work hard, everyone belongs, and do the right thing! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Nolan Schweers took his Oath of Enlistment to the U.S. Marines. Thank you, Nolan, for this courageous commitment to our country. We're so proud of you! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Happy Birthday to Mr. Stroud, our Ponca and Jackson Elementary Principal! 🎉 He puts students at the forefront of everything he does, guiding and inspiring our learners with unwavering dedication. He lives through the Ponca Way—modeling integrity, compassion, and excellence in every decision. Wishing him a wonderful day filled with joy and celebration! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

Don't forget, tomorrow is PICTURE DAY!

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry

It's a great day to be a Ponca Indian. Our kids were busy making positive impacts. The volleyball team spent the morning hosting a camp for our youth. Nothing better than our bigs working with our littles. Way to go girls! #ThePoncaWay

6 months ago, Allison Stansberry