General Information
Ponder ISD serves approximately 1550 students in grades PK-12 on three campuses. The District has seen many physical changes within the recent past. In 1999 a new high school campus was built and four new classrooms were added to what was at the time the elementary campus. In November 2001, a $16 million bond proposal was approved by voters which allowed for the addition of a new elementary campus, administration building, renovation of the elementary campus for conversion to a junior high school, new vocational agriculture facilities, and improved athletic facilities. In 2007 a $13.4 million bond package was approved by the voters to build a new gym at the Junior High School, a new choir and band facility, football concession building, football field house, football stadium with press boxes, softball press box, baseball press box, additional paving of driveways, parking, and sidewalks, plus other items. (View the 2007 bond election brochure.)
Ponder Elementary is a pre-kindergarten through fifth grade campus with a strong academic program that includes fine arts and physical education. The elementary campus is housed in a building that opened in the fall of 2004. The school's principal is Marlen Velasquez, and the assistant principals are Mrs. Cymica Gallahan and Mr. Hays Lowe.
Ponder Junior High School opened in the fall of 2005 as a sixth through eighth grade campus campus. This school is housed in the newly renovated building that was originally the elementary campus. The school's principal is Connie Ford and the assistant principal is Mrs. Heather Thornburg.
Ponder High School is a ninth through twelfth grade school that stresses small class sizes and high academic achievement. High school students also excel in a variety of sports, Fine Arts, UIL academics, One Act Play, Art, Student Council, Peer Assistance Leadership, TMSCA and Agricultural Science activities. Other electives include Business, Computers, Journalism, Health Science, Education, and Foreign Language courses. The school's principal is Mr. Chris Jones and the assistant principal is Mrs. Daina Hunt.
Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, Ponder ISD implemented a 1:1 instructional technology device program where each student is issued a digital device to enhance classroom teaching and learning. Students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grades utilize Dell Chromebooks with touch screens. Students in grades 6-12 take their Chromebooks home with them each day while students at the elementary school leave their devices at school. Each student having access to digital devices has transformed the way teachers teach and students learn at Ponder ISD. It has allowed students to engage in lessons in ways that were not possible prior to the 1:1 initiative. Collaboration, creativity, and engagement are now even more common place in classrooms across Ponder ISD.
Community Profile
Ponder, Texas used to be named Gerald. In 1886 the Santa Fe Railroad bought land from W. S. Herrdon for the railroad right-of-way and established the town of Gerald. In 1889 the name Gerald was changed to Ponder after W. A. Ponder, a Denton banker. Ponder was just a frontier town where the Chisolm Trail used to come through. It is rumored that Bonnie and Clyde once came to Ponder to rob the bank but the money had already been taken to a bank in a nearby town-- a total of five dollars. Although this may simply be folklore, it is true that Ponder was the setting for a portion of the movie Bonnie and Clyde starring Warren Beatty. The bank, however, has been closed for many years now. In its place is the Ponder Boot Company. Today, there are only about 1950 people living within the Ponder city limits although there are hundreds more living in the greater community. Now Ponder is famous for Ranchman's, the steakhouse that can claim such customers as Cindy Crawford, Meatloaf, Dwight Yoakom, Farah Fawcett, and Robert Redford.
For more information about Ponder's history check out the book on Ponder written by Nita Seals, Ponder: The Little Town With The Big Rodeo, at the Ponder City Library.
Public Services
City Hall
405 Shaffner Street
PO Box 297
Ponder, TX 76259
940-479-2396-Phone
940-479-2100- Fax
Visit City Hall Website
Betty Foster Public Library
(Located within the city hall municipal building)
405 Shaffner Street
PO Box 297
Ponder, TX 76259
940-479-2683- Phone
940-479-2314- Fax
Visit Public Library Website
Ponder Volunteer Fire Dept.
102 E. Bailey St.
P.O. Box 386
Ponder, TX 76259
940-479-2488 (Non-emergencies)
940-479-9271 (Fax)
Chief-Charlie Williams
Visit Fire Dept Website
Area Churches
Christian Faith Fellowship
114 W. James Street
940-488-1041
Pastor-Darryl Baker
Visit Christian Faith Fellowship Website
First Baptist Church
Hwy 2449 & Hwy 156
PO Box 216
940-479-2455
Pastor-Kim Broadstreet
Visit First Baptist Church
Ponder United Methodist Church
104 Remington Park Lane
940-479-8111
Pastor-Rocky Ellison
Visit Ponder United Methodist Church