In July, I shared that even during the quietest weeks of summer, the work of Ponca City Public Schools continues. Over this summer, each student I encountered I told them I missed them and wanted to start school back; they would laugh, groan or would humor me with they missed me back. But what I didn’t say was that all across Ponca City Public Schools, employees were cleaning classrooms, completing maintenance projects, preparing buses, updating technology, planning meals and laying the groundwork so that each of our students could have the best start to school ever.
Now, August has arrived, and our schools are coming back to life. I can feel the energy returning and beginning to build.
Parking lots are filling again, I see you PoHi! Teachers are arranging classrooms and preparing lessons. Coaches, sponsors and students are returning for practices and activities after a summer of lifting, conditioning and training. Families are shopping for supplies, adjusting sleep schedules and preparing for the familiar rhythm of the school year.
There is an unmistakable sense of excitement in the air that comes every year around this time.
One of the most exciting and scariest time for a parent and student is when we will welcome students entering our schools for the very first time. For some, that will mean a first day of prekindergarten or kindergarten. Others will be joining Ponca City Public Schools after moving into our community. They will arrive with different experiences, talents and hopes, and we are grateful their families have entrusted them to us. We will do our best to ensure each of our parents and kiddos has a great experience.
We will also welcome new teachers, support employees, administrators and coaches to the Wildcat family. Each new employee brings fresh ideas, new energy and a personal story that will become part of the larger story of our district. I love being able to recruit and retain talented educators to our community; it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of this job.
At the same time, the beginning of school is filled with familiar routines and traditions.
Yellow buses will once again travel our streets in the early morning; please give them space and slowdown in the school zones. Students will reconnect with classmates and favorite teachers. Families will gather for open houses, athletic events, concerts and school activities. The halls will be filled with conversation and laughter, and I wonder if saying “six seven,” will still be a thing?
These traditions give each school year a sense of continuity.
Ponca City has always been a community that values both its history and its future. Generations of families have attended our schools, cheered for the Wildcats and helped build traditions that remain meaningful today. That shared history gives us a strong foundation, but each new school year also brings the opportunity to write another chapter.
This year is especially important because Ponca City Public Schools is undergoing a large-scale transition through our strategic planning. While the strategic planning work is not fully completed yet, this year will give us a solid foundational footprint in which we move forward with a stronger community culture.
It begins when a student is greeted by name on the first morning of school. It happens when a new teacher feels supported by experienced colleagues; when a family feels welcomed into a school community; and when a child discovers a subject, activity or talent that creates a new sense of possibility.
Those moments may seem small, but together they shape a student’s experience and define the culture of a school district.
As we begin this new year, I hope our students will arrive curious and ready to learn. I hope our employees will feel renewed and supported in their important work. I hope our families will remain engaged as trusted partners, and I hope our entire community will continue to believe in the promise of Ponca City’s young people.
The buildings are ready. Our employees are ready. Soon, our students will return; and the familiar sights, sounds and traditions of school will begin again.
Welcome back, Wildcats! A new year and a renewed sense of possibility is waiting for us.
