SPASD In Focus Newsletter | Dec. 25
Highlighting important issues with clarity and transparency.
Dear Sun Prairie Community,
We hope you enjoyed a restful break and time with loved ones. As we head into the final weeks of the semester, I am proud of the continued progress our students are making—in their learning, their growth, and their connections with one another. Your partnership helps make that possible. As we refocus, please remember the importance of consistent school attendance, which plays a key role in student success. This is also a busy time of year, so I encourage everyone to take care of themselves with healthy habits—good nutrition, plenty of sleep, and strategies to manage stress.
Together, we can help our students finish the year strong.
Dr. Brad Saron, Superintendent
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) recently released the annual state report cards for all public schools and districts in Wisconsin. These report cards show how schools are doing in key areas and help us celebrate successes and find ways to improve.
This year’s report cards are based on data from the 2024–2025 school year. It’s important to remember that state report cards are only one way to measure progress.
The report cards are based on four main areas:
Achievement: How well students perform in English Language Arts (ELA) and math on state tests.
Growth: How much students improve in ELA and math from year to year.
Target-Group Outcomes: Results for students with the lowest test scores.
On Track to Graduation: How well students are progressing toward graduating on time.
These scores are combined into a single overall accountability score ranging from 0 to 100. This number is not a percentage or a traditional grade. Instead, it places each school into one of five ratings.
You can find our district and school report cards on the DPI website. Click the green box, type “Sun Prairie,” and you’ll see our results.
Please note: Some high school data from 2023–2024 about post-secondary preparation and arts courses were incorrectly reported. We have submitted a correction (called a data errata letter) to the DPI. That letter is posted on the East and West High School websites.
2024–2025 State Report Card Key Insights
We are proud to share that this year, Sun Prairie Schools earned a rating of “Exceeds Expectations” for the 2024–2025 school year and marked four years in a row of improvement!
Here are some key insights:
As a district, we are above the state average in English Language Arts (ELA), graduation rates, and 8th-grade math.
Our ELA growth is much higher than the state average (79.3 locally compared to 66.0 statewide).
Our Overall District Score is rated as “Exceeds Expectations.”
Our growth score shows that our students are improving faster than students in about 83% of districts statewide.
Of our 15 schools, 7 are rated “Exceeds Expectations,” up from 6 last year.
In ELA, all student groups performed above average.
We are below the state average in math, math growth, and chronic absenteeism.
Sun Prairie East and West High Schools are both rated as “Exceeds Expectations.”
All three middle schools improved their overall scores and are rated as “Meets Expectations.”
Prairie Phoenix Academy did not meet expectations this year, after seven years under an alternative rating system.
Our elementary schools continue to make progress, with schools that had lower scores last year showing improvement this year.
Continuous Improvement
These insights don’t tell the whole story, but they show that we are moving in the right direction. We are committed to continuous improvement across all schools and departments. You can learn more about our improvement plans and see past school and district report cards on our Strategic Framework web page.
Do you have 30 minutes? Listen to our latest podcasts.
1) Directors of Athletics & Activities, Jenna Boberg and Eric Nee, talk about East and West Athletics, the landscape of athletics, and our facilities. Listen here
2) Sun Prairie East Principal, Jim Ertel, shares how the Bell-to-Bell No Cell initiative is working in schools in advance of the new legislation requiring it. Listen here
Referendum Committee - Help us plan where to spend our referendum monies that were passed with the goal to improve the student experience with these three focuses: Early Childhood, Changing Demographics, Junior/Senior Year Experience. This will be at least a monthly commitment of 2 hours or so in the evening, starting in February 2026.
Community Engagement for the Referendum Committee - This is a one-time engagement opportunity with members of the Referendum Committee to offer your input on the ideas for recommendation to the Board.
Portrait of a Graduate Steering Committee - The Board is looking for several members of the public to join our steering committee. This group will be helping to guide community engagement, gather input, review themes, and recommend a final Portrait of a Graduate to the Board. The committee meetings will be at least a monthly commitment, but the time commitment will also include engaging with the community in planned events outside of the committee meetings. This committee is planned to start in January 2026.
Community Engagement for the Portrait of a Graduate Committee - This is a one-time engagement opportunity to offer your input on what you believe the characteristics of a graduate from Sun Prairie Area School District should be.
Sign up HERE for a committee.
Workshops
Student Results Policy 2: Student Academic Outcomes and
Operational Expectation 11: Instructional Programming — including State Report Cards
Results
Operational Expectation 5: Financial Planning (2024–2025) was brought to the School Board as “In compliance.” Click HERE to view the screencast presentation regarding Operational Expectation 5.
Operational Expectation 10: Learning Environment (2024–2025) was brought to the School Board as “In compliance with exceptions noted.” Click HERE to view the screencast presentation regarding Operational Expectation 10.
Student Results Policy 3: Student Personal Development Outcomes (2024–2025) was brought to the School Board as “Making reasonable progress with exceptions noted.” Click HERE to view the screencast presentation regarding Student Results Policy 3 (SR 3): Student Personal Development Outcomes (2024–2025).
Four-year-old kindergarten (SP4K) is often a family’s first connection to the public school system. This early connection provides an opportunity to build trust, share resources, and establish meaningful partnerships that can last throughout a child’s education. Our strong, inclusive SP4K program lays the foundation for a child’s future success and strengthens the fabric of our school community. Our District’s SP4K program gives all children access to a high-quality early learning experience, at no cost to families. SP4K is available both in elementary schools and at community daycare sites, giving families flexible options that meet their needs while maintaining the same high standards of instruction and care. This means that every child has the same chance to learn, grow, and feel confident before kindergarten begins.
Our District SP4K programs, whether in one of our five elementary schools or in one of our six community partner locations, provide developmentally appropriate, play-based learning experiences that nurture curiosity, creativity, and early literacy and numeracy skills. This approach supports the whole child, ensuring that students enter kindergarten ready to thrive, socially, emotionally, and academically.
Offering 4K through the district ensures that every child, regardless of background or family income, has access to high-quality early education. It levels the playing field, allowing all students to develop the foundational skills that support future academic and social success.
When 4K is part of the school district, educators can collaborate across grade levels to create a seamless transition from 4K to kindergarten. Students benefit from consistent expectations, and families experience a smooth, supported entry into the school system.
Research is clear: Children who participate in high-quality early learning programs are more likely to succeed in school and beyond. They demonstrate stronger academic performance, better social skills, and higher graduation rates.
Did you know that SP4K enrollment is coming up? We will open our enrollment process for the 2026–2027 school year on February 1, 2026.
We will have two School Board seats up for election in the spring.
IMPORTANT DATES
- December 1, 2025: Earliest date nomination papers can be circulated
- January 6, 2026: Candidate deadline for filing all documents needed to appear on the ballot (5:00 pm)
- January 13, 2026: Deadline for drawing of ballot order
- February 17, 2026: Spring Primary Election (if needed)
April 7, 2026: School Board Election
April 14, 2026: Board of Canvassers Meeting Deadline
April 27, 2026: Oath of Office and Election of Board Officers
CONTACT INFORMATION
- Contact Tricia Markevitch at 608-834-6538 or email for more information about School Board election paperwork.
- Contact the Wisconsin Elections Commission (email) for information about the election and to access electronic versions of the required forms (http://elections.wi.gov/forms).
- Contact the Wisconsin Ethics Commission (email) for information about campaign finance or ethics.
View the informational presentation to learn more.
Get ready, Sun Prairie! It’s time to Race Through the Prairie, presented by the Sun Prairie Area School Community Organization!
On Saturday, June 20, 2026, teams of kids, adults, and families will take on an Amazing Race–style adventure throughout our city, collecting clues, completing fun challenges at local landmarks, and testing their teamwork and creativity.
Prefer to stay in one spot? Join the kid- and family-friendly challenges at West High School, where you can still be part of the fun without traveling around town.
Everything leads up to a big community celebration at West High School in the afternoon, open to everyone! We’ll have music, food, games, and plenty of cheering as we celebrate our racers and our schools.
About SPASCO: The Sun Prairie Area School Community Organization (SPASCO) brings together the school-community organizations of all nine Sun Prairie elementary schools to support students, teachers, and staff. SPASCO believes our community is stronger together than we are apart, and works to ensure that every school has equitable community support.
Interested in forming a team? Fill out our interest form.
Want to volunteer or join a subcommittee? Let us know here.
Ready to learn more about sponsoring the event? Email us at spascofundraising@gmail.com.
Mark your calendar and get ready for a day full of teamwork, laughter, and community pride — all for Sun Prairie kids!
The Central Heights 8th-grade band performed at the Wisconsin Music Educators Association conference!
Facebook Comments
We value our community and are committed to sharing timely, accurate information about our schools. Recently, we decided to turn off comments on our District Facebook posts.
This change is not about avoiding feedback; rather, it is about making sure our online spaces remain respectful, accurate, and focused on sharing important information with families, staff, and the community. Over time, comment sections have increasingly been used for misinformation, personal attacks, or unrelated debates.
We know this approach isn’t unique—other nearby school districts, including Middleton–Cross Plains, Verona, and Elmbrook, have taken similar steps to keep their pages focused on information-sharing.
As a District, we value two-way communication, and we still want to hear from you. You can:
Send us a direct message on Facebook.
Email us at socialmedia@sunprairieschools.org.
Call our District Support Center at 608-834-6500.
Submit questions or feedback through our website.
Attend School Board meetings or community engagement sessions.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping us keep communication respectful and productive.