Welcome to the 2nd annual West Wolves Homecoming Week! We are excited to celebrate as a Wolf community and come together around fun, joy, celebration and friendly competition. There are a lot of important updates in the Howl this week so please read carefully! Here's what's in the Howl this week:

• Upcoming Events
  
• Homecoming and Athletic Events for the Week
• Homecoming Information Including: Dress Up Days, Evening Activities and Pep Assembly Schedule
• Senior Class Presentation
• Yearbook Information: Purchasing, Senior Photo Upload and Senior Purchasing of Grad Ads
• Door 24- Morning Practices and Clubs
• Recruitment for AVID Coaches/Tutors
• Daily Announcements
• Adapted Sports Season Information
• Classroom Corner- Music (Orchestra)
  
• Latinx Heritage Month Slide, One West, Equity Vision, Non-Discrimination

In Case you Missed It:

• Mental Health Resources
• HBCU Real Talk
• Music Studio Information
• CBITS Information for 9th Grade Students/Parents/Caregivers
• Democracy Project
• Apparel: Wolf Wear, Adapted Sports League, AVID
• Subs Needed!

Jen Ploeger- Principal- jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org

Chai Lee- Associate Principal- cmlee1@sunprairieschools.org

Ed Ford- Associate Principal- ebford@sunprairieschools.org

• October 4th- Homecoming Parade- Main Street
  
• October 6th- Progress Reports available in IC
  
• October 6th- Homecoming Game- Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium
• October 7th- Homecoming Dance- West Competition Gym
• October 19th- Regular school day from 8:35-3:45pm
• October 19th- Conferences 4-8pm
• October 20th- NO SCHOOL- Conferences
• October 20th- Conferences 7:30am-11:30am

We are very excited for our SP West Homecoming Week NEXT Week! This week tickets are on sale from 9/25 at 8am to 9/29 at 4pm HARD deadline. Ticket purchase are through GoFan using the QR code below. If you need to pay with cash or have additional questions please see Mindy Ripp in Athletics or Kinsey Detert in the front office. Check out all the information below on events throughout the week including dress up day themes for student's at school each day.

On Friday afternoon we will have an all school pep assembly. We will be following the schedule below for the day. If a student does not want to attend the pep assembly they MUST be called out by a parent/guardian. Please call as early as possible (even call right now) as that helps our Admin Assistant Ms. Johnson significantly! Please call: 608-478-1707 and press 2 if they are going to be leaving for the pep assembly. You can also email Ms. Johnson at rjohnso@sunprairieschools.org. We hope that all students choose to attend and all students that remain at school must be in the competition gym for the assembly.

This past Wednesday your senior attended the Senior Planning Presentation with their School Counselors. Students were able to get valuable information about post-secondary options, how to apply for colleges, scholarships and financial aid. In addition, they heard from their Senior Class Advisors about graduation and upcoming important dates. HERE is the presentation that was shared for your reference.

Do you have a morning practice or a club that is meeting in the morning before 8:05am? Please ensure that you are using DOOR 24. It is on the side of the building in the athletics wing. The front office does not open until 8:05am and is unable to have students enter before that time. If entering through door 24 you should be proceeding straight to a supervised activity/club/sport.

Have you ever walked by the screens while in the building at West and thought, I want to make sure my student knows about that? Thank you to for the reminder to include our student announcements here every week so that parents/caregivers can have the same information to remind and encourage student involvement.

We've only been at it for three weeks but already the Orchestra students have been hard at work getting ready for several upcoming performances! You can come see us perform our Fall Concert on Tuesday October 17th at 7pm at SP West PAC, on Thursday November 2nd at the Sun Prairie Public Library where we perform children's books for their Story Time, or on Tuesday November 14th at Empty Bowls where we will provide background music.

Music students in band, choir, and orchestra often come before school (like this intrepid crew) or stay after school for their curricular lessons.

Here we have cellists and violists working on our October concert music (Oct 17th, SP West PAC, 7pm) in their sectional groups. They have to navigate building a community and group identity that helps them perform to their best for the concert. The Chamber Orchestra students have been performing together for a few years so some natural leadership and accountability happens within this group work. They get things done but you can see they are also able to have some fun. The first group is cellists, the others are the violas crammed in my office.

We have also launched our Folk Jam for students who want to learn to play folk instruments or do some alternative and improv styles on their violins/violas/cellos. Here Miles is giving the banjo a try.

Last, this picture is from last year but shows a Senior at our Sun Prairie Public Library Stories and Strings event we collaborate on. Here Alex is showing a little one his violin and helping her make some sounds with his bow. This event is coming up again in a few weeks and the orchestra students are really looking forward to it.

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION

No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student’s sex (gender identity, gender expressions, and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession, or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. Harassment is a form of discrimination and shall not be tolerated in the District. It is the responsibility of administrators, staff members and all students to ensure that student discrimination or harassment does not occur.

(SPASD District Policy JB)

If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Spanish, please contact us at 608-834-6620. Si un estudiante, padre ó guardian prefiere tener esta información traducida en Español, por favor contactenos en el 608-834-6620.

If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Hmong, please contact us at 608-834-6630. Yog tus me nyuam lub xiv los yog niam thiab txiv/tus neeg muaj cai saib xyuas tus me nyuam xav tau qhov ntawv ntawm no ua lus Hmoob, thov hais rau peb paub rau ntawm 608-834-6630.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Here are resources as we work as a community to destigmatize talking about mental health and suicide prevention.. Please remember you are not alone in supporting your child/children and they are not alone. We have student support staff available yet this summer and as we start the school year to support your student, please don't hesitate to reach out and we will get them connected: jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org.

WHAT: HBCU Real Talk: Provided by Big Future for FREE

WHERE: Virtual

WHEN: October 3 and October 10 @ 7pm CT

Real Talk, our virtual event series for Black students and their parents, is back! We’re kicking off the season with two nights to help students decide whether an HBCU or PWI is right for them. These events are the perfect opportunity for students to interact directly with admissions reps and current college students.

Night 1: Tuesday October 3, 7pm

HBCU’s, PWIs and You: Join us and connect directly with HBCU and PWI reps from across the country as they share real talk on selecting a college home that aligns with each student’s personality and college and career aspirations.

Night 2: Tuesday, October 10 7pm

The Real Tea on HBCU’s and PWI’s: Want to know what college life is really like at HBCU’s and PWIs. Students and their families can connect with current Black students who will spill the tea!

Sign up HERE

We are committed to partnering with you in supporting your child as a strong learner. This school year, Sun Prairie West high school is offering a program to students who have experienced stressful events or who are experiencing other stressors in their lives. People who have experienced a trauma or those experiencing significant stress may develop symptoms. This can show up as not wanting to go to school or as difficulties with class work and concentration.

In partnership with Journey Mental Health Center and the United Way, we are offering a program for all 9th graders called REST (Resilient response to the Effects of Stress and Trauma).

The staff at Sun Prairie West High School will be screening all 9th graders on Monday October 9, 2023.

Students whose questionnaire score indicates symptoms of depression or traumatic stress will have a face-to-face conversation with a school staff or REST Team member. These conversations are meant to provide support and to determine what resources would be useful for the student.

This form only covers the screening and follow-up conversation. If you DO NOT want your child to participate in the REST screening, please complete the form below and return to Susi Sirianni, Sun Prairie West school social worker by Friday October 6, 2023 or just reach out to Susi Sirianni and express that you would like your student to NOT participate. If you have questions or would like more information about the REST screening, please call Susi Sirianni at 608-478-1700 ext 5335 or email sesiria@sunprairieschools.org.

As we start the 23-24 if you are looking for Wolf Wear, please consider supporting the Pack Shack (our school store) and purchasing items for this online store.

Did you know that last year Sun Prairie Schools were the FIRST schools in the area to start an adapted sports league? Our students competed in soccer, floor hockey and whiffle ball. As the teams enter year 2 please consider supporting this fantastic program by purchasing ASL (Adapted Sports League) apparel: https://spadaptive2023.itemorder.com/

Is your student in AVID? What to support the AVID program on a district level? Check out the AVID apparel store, open now!

As we prepare to start the year we are in need of awesome subs to help take care of our students when staff are out. Are you looking for a new opportunity? Do you know someone looking? Can you help spread the word? Please help us get the word out so that we can ensure that our students have the very best people supporting them even on days staff (teachers or support staff) need to be out. Having an ample supply of fantastic subs is also a great way to support our staff by allowing them peace of mind when they are out. More information!

• Our wages for substitutes are in the top 5% in Dane County.
• Control your own schedule.
• We financially support you with Department of Public Instruction training (8 hours) for a 3-year substitute teaching license.
• We will provide you with technology training so you have the skills you need to succeed in supporting students and staff.
• Earn a $100 bonus for working 5 days in a month. (More info about the incentive program below)
• Earn an extra bonus for working in targeted schools and positions.
• Lunch provided through our award-winning school nutrition program.
• Full or part time positions are available!