PHS UPDATE October 8, 2026

October Rotary Student of the Month

This Month's Rotary Honoree is senior Sydney Cohen. She will be honored Thursday, October 22 at the Rotary Club of Parker's weekly meeting. The Rotary club seeks to honor students every month who exemplify their organization's motto, "Service Above Self".

Sydney has been chosen as a result of her 300+ hours of community service, exemplary work ethic, and excellent academic merit.

COLORADO FREE APPLICATION DAY CELEBRATION

Attention Ponderosa Seniors, Families, and Community!

Did you know that applying to Colorado colleges can cost $45 to $70 per application? Let's save our senior families some money!

Ponderosa High School's AVID 2027 Senior Class is hosting a Colorado Free Application Day Celebration on Tuesday, October 20.

Whether our Mustangs are heading to a 4-year university, exploring trade schools, entering the military, or jumping straight into the workforce, this event is built for EVERY Ponderosa senior.

Kickoff: Tuesday, October 20, following the Homeroom Senior Meeting and throughout the Access block

Where: Senior Hallway

What to Expect for Seniors: Submit applications to several Colorado colleges completely free! There will be a Trade and Military hub that will have trade school programs, scholarship lists, and military branch information. Looking to enter the workforce? We will have a resume building/polishing station.

Incentives and Perks: Free Santiago's Burritos for the first 25 seniors who complete an application! There will also be raffles and giveaways.

What Seniors Need to Bring:

-Charged technology

-Personal email address

-Portal logins (Common App)

-Academic details (GPA, AP scores, etc.)

-Parent/guardian contact info, highest education level

-Social security number or ITIN (optional)

-Resume/list of high school clubs, sports, work experience, volunteer hours

How can YOU help? We want to keep our seniors fueled while they work! We are asking our Ponderosa family and community for bulk snack donations. If you are interested in helping, please sign up on our Sign Up Genius. The drop-off deadline is Monday, October 19 in the Front Office. Please label them for the Senior Event.

Thank you for supporting our AVID seniors and helping the Class of 2027 take their next step!

ABOUT METAMORPHOSES

Metamorphoses is a play based on a poetic collection of Greek myths. Each of the tales – beautiful, strange and often cautionary – comes to some form of radical transformation. Through pain, love or an attempt to escape an unbearable moment, the characters end up changed into birds or trees, or melting into rivers. There is humor in the stories as well as tragedy, but the ultimate expression of the piece is that of a faith in the ability of great love to cause great change. - M. Zimmerman

Metamorphoses is staged in and around a shallow pool of water onstage, with moments of beautiful and abstract storytelling.

Tickets

5A - Mill Levy Override Information

Ponderosa Families -

Ballot Measure 5A will have a major impact on our district's future, so please take time to review it before casting your vote. Check out the great resources below to learn more about how schools are funded and how 5A would impact DCSD. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have before you vote.

Ryan Hollingshead

Principal

Read About the MLO Proposal and How Schools are Funded

One Minute Videos

Video #1 - The 2026 MLO in One Minute

Video #2 - How Would Students Benefit from the 2026 MLO?

Video #3 - How Did DCSD Determine the Need to Place an MLO on the November 2026 Ballot?

Video #4 - How Would the 2026 MLO Impact Security in DCSD?

Video #5 - How Does DCSD Demonstrate Financial Transparency?

Video #6 - What is the return on investment (ROI) for Douglas County taxpayers?

Video #7 - DCSD passed an MLO in 2023 - why is a 2026 MLO needed?

Are you Registered to Vote?
Ballots for the 2026 Colorado General Election have been mailed. Check your voter registration status and track your ballot at GoVoteColorado.com.

WEATHER DELAYS AND CLOSURES

With the changing of the seasons, it’s a good time for a refresher on how our school district handles school delays and closures in the case of inclement weather (assuming we actually get snow this year!). Be sure to review this page of our website to learn how we call a delay or closure and how soon you can expect to be notified when a delay or closure is determined. This is also a good time to make sure you are signed up to receive emergency messaging from our school district so that you are notified right away in the case of a school delay or closure.

OFFICIAL YEARBOOK INFORMATION - Class of 2027

OFFICIAL YEARBOOK INFORMATION

CLASS OF 2027

All submissions and payments will be made online.

Senior Portraits - Due by October 9th

Senior Bios - Due by October 9th

Senior Baby Ads - Early bird deadline: TBD, final deadline TBD

LOTS OF INFORMATION and DETAILS ON THIS LINK!

COUNSELING NEWSLETTER

New information is added often!!

PURCHASE YEARBOOK

We sold out last year so purchase your yearbook early through Jostens!

Order and pay at Jostens: PURCHASE A YEARBOOK. Your order will be dropped if you fail to pay by Dec 11th.

We do order a limited amount of extra yearbooks to sell at distribution at $25 above the regular price. First come first served. We sell out almost every year. Order early!

CANVAS FOR FAMILIES

We are excited to announce that Ponderosa will be leveraging Canvas as our LMS (Learning Management System) during the upcoming school year. Please view the embedded document for more information.

PONDEROSA HIGH SCHOOL PARENT'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Stay connected with the Mustang Moms and Dads on Facebook.

THE FOUNDATION FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS

Are you Interested in going to a Rockies baseball game or is attending a play at the Buell Theatre more your style?

Tickets can be purchased directly from the Community Event website.

BELL SCHEDULE
DELAYED START BELL SCHEDULE

NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY SCHEDULE

FALL FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

2026 - 2027 SCHOOL CALENDAR

CURRENT EVENTS

10/12 - 16 🥬 NO SCHOOL - Fall Break

10/20 - 22 FREE APPLICATION DAYS

Colorado is once again offering free application days for all public 2-year and 4-year institutions

10/20 Homeroom through Access Block

Ponderosa High School's AVID 2027 Senior Class is hosting a Colorado Free Application Day Celebration

10/21 4:30 - 7:00 PM TASTE of DCSD

Castle View High School, Castle Rock

Come taste what's cooking across our district! Sample school menu favorites, meet our Nutrition Services team, and discover the flavors, programs, and ideas shaping meals throughout DCSD. Bring your family and your appetite!

10/22 - 10/24 🎭 Ponderosa Theatre Presents:

METAMORPHOSES

10/29 JOSTENS AT PHS TO TALK TO SENIORS AND SOPHOMORE STUDENTS

DURING HOMEROOM

10/29 4:00 - 6:00 PM 🎃 TRICK OR TREAT STREET @ PHS

11/6 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Professional Development Day

11/23 - 27 🦃 NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK

12/18 NO SCHOOL

12/21 - 1/1 ⛄ NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK

1/4 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Professional Development Day

5/20/2027 10:00 AM 🎓 GRADUATION

NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE: The Douglas County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, genetic information, or physical characteristics, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to, treatment of, or employment in educational programs or activities. The School District’s Compliance Office is located at 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, complianceofficer@dcsdk12.org, 303-387-0067. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public.

PHS UPDATE October 8, 2026 PHS UPDATE October 8, 2026