NBC hires Ningen as next superintendent

by Mary Le Arneal
Published 12/13/22

Patrick Ningen has been hired to be the superintendent of North Bend Central schools beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

Ningen (sounds like ‘singing’ with a ‘n’) is presently serving at superintendent at Creek Valley Public Schools. There are 180 students in PreK through 12th grade at the school that serves Chappell, Lodgepole and Sunol communities.

Ningen, 47, is a graduate of O’Neill High School. He has his bachelors degree from Wayne State College, masters from Chadron State and Educational Specialist Degree from Wayne State in 2018.

He was a math teacher and coach at St. Paul, Papillion-LaVista and Hay Springs before moving to Chappell. He has been at Chappell 14 years, Ningen initially served as principal at the high school and elementary school before becoming superintendent five years ago.

“My philosophy of education is to provide a safe, high quality learning environment for all students, with high expectations and support provided to staff to accomplish their goals as educators,” Ningen said. “Although the world of education has continually changed for hundreds of years, what it takes to be a good educator has not. Compassion for students, building relationships, and having high expectations will create a high achieving school district, and one staff, students, and parents deserve and can be proud of.”

Ningen said he was looking forward to getting back to the eastern half of the state to be closer to family. He was looking for a school district of a certain size. NBC met both of his criteria.

He and his wife Laurie visited North Bend a month before the interviews, driving around the town and seeing the outside of the schools. After doing some research, he was impressed with NBC’s high level of achievement and investment, not only in scores but in expectations for kids and staff.

“It was obvious people held the school in high regard,” Ningen said. “Getting kids well prepared for lives outside of school and after school was a big reason we wanted to come there.”

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