PONDER J H

381 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

Ponder Junior High, located at 501 Shaffner St in Ponder, Texas, serves as a core academic hub within the Ponder Independent School District. As a small-town school, it generally focuses on providing a tight-knit educational environment that emphasizes foundational learning, character development, and student engagement during the critical middle school transition years. The school is integrated into the broader Ponder community, reflecting the district’s commitment to preparing students for the academic rigors of high school while fostering a supportive campus culture.

Beyond its core curriculum, Ponder Junior High typically offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including athletics, UIL academic competitions, and elective programs designed to help students explore their interests. By maintaining smaller class sizes compared to larger urban districts, the school aims to provide more personalized attention to its students. Residents and parents in the area generally view the school as a central pillar of the community, focused on promoting both academic achievement and the overall well-being of its young learners.

381

Total Students

24.0

Full-Time Teachers

15.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

44.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PONDER J H
Demographic	Student Count
White	218
Hispanic	143
Black	1
Asian	1
Two or More	14
American Indian	4

White
218 (57.2 %)
Hispanic
143 (37.5 %)
Two or More
14 (3.7 %)
American Indian
4 (1.0 %)
Black
1 (0.3 %)
Asian
1 (0.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	N/A
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	PONDER ISD
Phone:	(940)479-8220
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	381
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	24.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	130
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	40

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 119

Grade 7 125

Grade 8 137