Scottsbluff Public Schools

History of Scottsbluff High School

Scottsbluff High School is the largest high school in the Panhandle of Nebraska and is located in the north central part of Scottsbluff. It rests on approximately 15 acres of land where some of the finest facilities in the region are housed.

In 2008, the one hundredth graduating class crossed the stage on the grass field at Bearcat Stadium. Over 100 years of history at Scottsbluff High School has been outstanding and colorful. the student body is made up of students from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This diversity has given Scottsbluff students a rich foundation to build on as they join the work force in the area or go to other endeavors outside this small Midwestern community.

The student population has fluctuated over the last several decades. The student body was at one time over 1,000 students and currently accommodates 850 students in 9th through 12th grade.

SHS has an outstanding list of offerings and opportunities for all students. The Agricultural program is second to none in western Nebraska and has students regularly qualify on a state and national level. The DECA program also has many junior and senior level students studying the finer elements of marketing and business. It is not uncommon for SHS to send upwards of 30 students to national competitions. The Journalism, Yearbook, Speech, Drama, Band and Vocal music programs also compete and score very well at yearly festivals and conferences.

The Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses challenge the students who are looking toward a college or university degree beyond high school. These opportunities give the student a taste of college level rigor and requirements, while at the same time, providing Scottsbluff High School students with college credit, while they are still in high school. It is conceivable for an SHS student to earn an Associate's Degree by the time they graduate from high school. Students can choose over 11 athletic activities to participate in each year. Many students choose to be active in each of the three organized athletic seasons sanctioned by the NSAA. Throughout the history of Scottsbluff High School, there have been many state championship teams and individual state champions walk the halls of the school.

Principal's Message

Welcome to Scottsbluff High School. I am both humbled and honored to be the new principal at SHS. As a Scottsbluff native and an SHS graduate, I have tremendous pride in our community and a strong commitment to the success of our school and students. I have the good fortune of serving with a tremendous team that values and supports every student as we help them seek their passions and begin to define their college, career, and civic goals.

At Scottsbluff High School, we are extremely fortunate to be able to provide a wealth of equitable opportunities for our students. These opportunities range from a great Freshman Academy transition program, Career Academy programming, dual credit opportunities with WNCC, CSU, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, a robust internships program with over 80 business partnerships, an amazing Fine Arts programs, a Cosmetology program in partnership with Fullen School of Hair Design, and several Nationally Registered Junior Apprenticeship programs. Along with our strong core of academics, our school provides a wealth of clubs and activities to meet all student interests including strong athletic programs steeped in tradition, Career Student Organizations that compete at the state and national levels, and a variety of great academic clubs and organizations.

All of our offerings would not be possible without the incredible community support we receive from local businesses and parents. We strive to build and maintain these relationships and understand the important role our school plays in the vitality of our community.

Along with these amazing programs, our staff prides itself on building positive student relationships. Through positive behavior supports, restorative supports behavior program, trauma sensitive practices, and genuine personal relationships, we create a safe educational environment where all students are challenged and encouraged to take risks in order to excel in their academic careers.

As we look to the future, we will focus on continued collaboration between our staff, students, parents, and community to build a positive, unified, and innovative school culture. Our school will continue to seek creative solutions to an ever-changing global environment. We will build upon existing opportunities and seek out new opportunities for our students and staff. Finally, and most importantly, we will support each unique student and their individual needs as they pursue their passions and work toward accomplishing their goals.

Together, we are stronger!