For nearly four decades, Leanne Smith Parr has been a cornerstone of Ponca City High School, where she teaches Junior English and AP Literature and Composition to seniors. A proud Ponca City native and member of the Class of 1983, Mrs. Parr began her teaching career at Perry High School before finding her permanent home at Po-Hi. The 2025-2026 school year will mark her 38th year in education, 37 of which have been in the same classrooms where she once walked as a student.
Teaching has always been second nature to Mrs. Parr. Her parents still tell the story of her as a two-year-old, reading aloud to her dog Snoopy and trying to teach it manners. That early spark turned into a lifelong love of literature, writing, and critical thinking skills she now passionately passes on to her students. “I enjoy interacting with the kids and seeing that light bulb go on when they ‘get it,'” she said. “I love it when they share books they’ve read and loved.”
Mrs. Parr credits her former teachers, Linda Powers, Pam Lessert, Linda Grant, and Ann Tipton, for inspiring her own path in education. Over the years, she’s also learned the importance of balance: “You can’t do everything all the time, and you have to have a life outside your job. My family is the most important priority.”
Outside the classroom, she enjoys reading, crocheting, quilting, and attending OSU football games with her sister Kristin, something they’ve done together for 30 years. She and her husband Stephen have two children: Matthew, a 2017 Po-Hi graduate, and Katie, Class of 2019. Matthew and his fiancée, Ally of Po-Hi Class of 2018, complete the family, along with their beloved yellow labs, Maggie and Sage. Teaching alongside her sister in her hometown is something Mrs. Parr doesn’t take for granted. “I feel incredibly lucky,” she says. And Ponca City is lucky to have her.
