As we end April this week we celebrate and honor Arab American History month with many resources to learn about this incredible and important community within our One West Community. Check it out! This week the Spotlight section is ON FIRE! Check out all of the incredible things happening in the classroom, through fieldtrips, academic competitions, on the field, heritage celebrations and so much more, the list goes on and on. We are looking forward to a fantastic strong finish to the school year. As the weather heats up and the sunshine shine bright it can be easy to become more relaxed on good habits we have created all year. This year we refocus on the basics: on time to class from bell to bell, SP30 reset, focus on academic excellence and our One West community.

This week's Howl:

• Greetings Wolf Pack!
• Upcoming Events
• Arab American Heritage Month
• Dia del Nino/Children's Day Festival
• Less than 2 weeks 'til PROM!
• Teacher Appreciation Donations
• Working Wednesdays
• HOSA Fundraiser
• GSA Fundraiser
• JUNIORS!
• Spotlights!
• Wolf Study Lounge
• In Case you Missed It!

NOW- SP West Guest Forms for PROM Available in Front Office

April 28th- School-wide treasure hunt! During passing time.

April 30th- Children's Day Festival at West 5:00-7:30pm

May 1st- Guest Forms due to the wooden box by 1:30pm (HARD DEADLINE)

May 2nd- School lunch hero day (celebrating our Nutrition Staff)

May 3rd- HOSA Night Out at Forward Madison

May 4th- Jazz Band Send-Off Concert to New York 7:30pm

May 5th-8th- Prom tickets on sale for SP West Juniors and Seniors only through Go Fan- closes 11:59pm on May 8th (HARD DEADLINE).

May 5th- 16th- AP Testing

May 8th- SP West Blood Drive 9am-2pm

May 8th- Housing is Wellness Renting 101 Fieldtrip

May 10th- Prom!- 8pm-11pm- Monona Terrace- More details to come!

May 14th- Senior Celebration Night 6:00-8:00pm, West PAC, Free SP West Senior Yard Signs given out that night

June 12th- Last day of school

June 13th- Graduation!

As we end the month of month of April this week, we could not send the month off without honoring and celebrating Arab American Heritage Month. Americans of Arab heritage have advanced the nation’s achievements in diplomacy, science, technology, as well as in art and culture. Americans whose heritage connects to one or more of the 22 Arab countries have a rich history in this country dating back to 1527 when, according to the U.S. Department of State, the first people from Morocco and Lebanon immigrated to this country. Those two men, from Morocco and Lebanon respectively, were considered the first "Arab Americans." Visit the resources below to learn more about the incredible impact of Arab Americans on our language, culture, science, etc.

We can't wait to have you join us this Wednesday night from 5:00-7:30pm for our Children's Day Festival, hosted in our very own SP West commons. Student art raffle, folkloric ballet and much more! Please bring a gently used book to donate. See you on Wednesday night!

Prom season is upon us. A few key reminder:

• Guest Forms:
• Bringing a Guest to WEST'S PROM: Our guest forms are on blue paper and available in the Front Office. They are due THIS THURSDAY at 1:30pm. HARD DEADLINE. If you are a West Junior and Senior and would like to bring a guest that is either from another school OR a Freshman or Sophomore at West they need to have a turned in and approved form to attend. Your form has been approved unless you receive an email saying it is not approved.

• Going as a Guest to ANOTHER PROM: If you are going to another school's prom as a guest, bring your guest form to the ADMIN office between 1400 and 1500 during lunch or passing time. Please allow 24 hours for it to be signed and returned. Please note: East's guest forms are due Thursday at 1:30pm at East so please bring your form Monday or Tuesday to ensure you can get it signed and turned in on time.

• Tickets: Prom tickets are on sale May 5th-May 8th and available for West Juniors and Seniors through Go Fan. Ticket sales stop at 11:50pm on May 8th. Hard deadline. No tickets will be sold after that time. The code it asks for when buying tickets is your student ID number.

• PROM! 8pm-11pm at the Monona Terrace. No entry after 9:30pm. If you plan to go to both East and West's prom that evening ensure you leave time for parking and walking in as you need to enter prom by 9:30pm.

• Dinner Reservations: May 10th is going to be a very busy night with many Proms and UW graduation happening. Please make plans now for your Prom dinner and consider eating in Sun Prairie and supporting local establishments before heading into Madison.

Yearbook Distribution Coming Soon!

Yearbook distribution is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 20th through Thursday, May 22nd. Students who preordered a book can pick theirs up before school (8:05–8:35 AM), during their scheduled lunch, or after school (3:45–4:00 PM). Just bring your Student ID Number to pick up! Early graduates, STEM, and apprenticeship students are more than welcome to stop by during these times as well. If you're unable to pick up during distribution, books will be available in the Main Office the following week.

Still need a yearbook? We have fewer than 40 copies left! Order yours now while supplies last: Yearbook Purchase Link

If you have any questions, please reach out to Natalie Fowler at nefowle@sunprairieschools.org

Sun Prairie West High School is gearing up for Teacher Appreciation Week beginning on May 5th and we couldn’t be more excited! This annual tradition is a wonderful way for families and the community to come together and show our appreciation for our teachers.

Please consider donating something to our “Grab and Go Breakfast.” We believe it is vital to show our gratitude for the hard work, dedication, and impact our teachers have on our students and community.

Thank you for your support! We will be accepting donations of fruit, muffins, bagels, granola bars, etc. for our grab and go breakfast to start off the week on Monday, March 5th at the Front Office starting 7:00am-8:15am.

Muza Sheet Metal will be at lunches this Wednesday, April 30. Stop by their table for an awesome interactive activity and to learn about careers in sheet metal fabrication and installation!

The weather is getting warmer and school is almost out! Why not celebrate AND support Sun Prairie HOSA by watching the Madison Forward Soccer Team take on Union Omaha on May 3rd! Check it out!

Support our SP West GSA Club by purchasing some apparel to wear during Pride Month (or every month!). Store is open until May 11th, and orders will be ready for delivery around May 23rd. For each item purchased $2 will be donated to Sun Prairie Pride fest. Thank you for your support!

Attention Incoming Seniors! It’s time to start thinking about your senior portraits! Many of you will be scheduling sessions over the summer, so please keep in mind that all senior portraits must be submitted by Friday, October 31st. An upload link will be shared at the beginning of the school year to make submitting your photo easy and convenient. Be sure to plan ahead and capture a portrait that reflects you!

Thursday night, our community gathered for an evening of fun with music, performances, art, activities, and food in celebration of the rich and vibrant culture of the Hmong community. This year marks 50 years since the Hmong people first arrived in America. We honor this milestone with the theme: “Our Roots, Our Legacy, Our Future.”

Thank you to the staff, students, and volunteers who made this event possible, and to all the attendees for taking part!

Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West Softball united forces as they faced off last Thursday night at their Hits for Autism game. Together we raised $1010 for the Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin.

The 9th grade network competition for April was Puzzlemania! Each network SP30 classroom had to put together a corner of a puzzle and get it out to the den to complete the whole puzzle. We had a blast!

Select students from Women’s Studies and Contemporary Literature had the opportunity to go to the University of Wisconsin for The Great World Text conference. They got to listen to the author Cho Nam-Ju speak and present their projects over her book Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982. Asha Sundaram, Jojo Knauss, and Katy Garcia presented on behalf of our school to the whole conference and Jasper Muniz was the keynote ambassador for Sun Prairie West and asked the author a question! Some students even got to get signatures from the author!

Forensic Science students dropped simulated blood to measure, calculate and predict the size of blood drops from different fall heights.

If you haven't heard--there were TWO wolves in the house on April 15, 2025, as Madison College was here for their 10th annual Accepted Day Event!

A little history--In 2016, SPHS and Madison College piloted an on-site visit/field trip to the Truax campus, in an attempt to increase the number of students who actually set foot on campus each fall. This visit was aimed at assisting any accepted student in becoming familiar with campus, introducing them to the supports that they can access, exploring them the enrollment process and helping to gain confidence in launching from high school to college life. Overtime, this event has morphed a bit-- now they travel to our location to ensure access to all accepted students and have incorporated course registration activities. This year, 10 West Seniors met with representatives from the Access Navigators and Enrollment Teams, who assisted these accepted students in physically scheduling their courses for the fall! WOW!

To commemorate this partnership, Wolfie and Timber made their 2nd Canine Kinship appearance together during the 2nd block for a photo opp!

Local businesses who hire high school students are here on Wednesdays throughout the year to make sure our students know all of their options for employment both now and in their future. Last week, SP West welcomed Mission Respite for Working Wednesday!

Senator Melissa Ratcliff and her Chief of Staff. They responded enthusiastically to our request for a conversation about human rights, and even traveled here to West HS for the meeting. Senator Ratcliff was impressed with our students' presentations, and she provided valuable insight on the process of legislating at the state level.

We discussed local impact and personal connections to topics including: Refugees & Migrant Rights; Disability & 504 Protections (pursuant to the Texas v. Becerra lawsuit); LGBTQ+ Rights; Racial Disparities and Justice; Discrimination in Employment; and Women’s Rights.

20 of our German 3 and 4 students from Sun Prairie West and East High Schools recently participated in the annual German Day competition at UW-Madison on April 10th—and they did an amazing job!

They placed 5th overall among many competitive schools from around the state. The students gave it their all in a variety of categories including skits, ensemble singing, poetry recitation, and more.

New Year, Same Supports! We’re excited to share some updates to our before and after school tutoring support program to better support your learning:

• Afternoon Study Lounge Relocated: The afternoon study hall has been moved to a new space—the Library—to provide a more focused and resource-rich environment.

• Additional Teacher Support: We’ve added more teachers to our tutoring sessions to ensure students get the help they need.

Be sure to take advantage of these new changes and set yourself up for success this year!

Let’s make this a fantastic year of learning and growth!

We need YOUR input too! Do you have an idea of something that should be included in the Howl? Your ideas are always welcome. Email our Admin Associate to the Principal, Jordain Blank at jnblank@sunprairieschools.org.

If you don't already, please follow SP West on Facebook!

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.

We strive to keep The Howl as streamlined as possible with all of the important information for our community. To the end once something has appeared in The Howl, it will move here to the "In Case you Missed It!" section. Take a moment to peruse and make sure you have not missed important info!

This past week, students and families of AP students received more detailed communication about our upcoming AP exams. It was sent to the email addresses on file in Infinite Campus and to the student’s school email. Below is a copy of the testing schedule set by the College Board which was also included in the email you received. If you did not receive the email or have additional questions, please reach out to Amy Cassiday at akcassi@sunprairieschools.org.

Cap and Gown Delivery

Midwest Scholastic delivered caps, gowns, cords, and other supplies to Sun Prairie West last week.

• Unpaid orders were NOT left at school. These will be delivered after payment and will incur special handling costs.

• Paid orders were left at school and can be picked up in the front office.

Any questions regarding your payment? Please email Midwest Scholastic at payments@mwscholastic.com.

Any questions regarding the graduation ceremony? Please see the FAQ sheet on the Sun Prairie West Graduation website.

Cords and Stoles

Graduates who earned honor cords also received them with their caps and gowns. These are based on student’s GPAs after the first seven semesters. Below you will find a table explaining the colors:

Some students will also wear stoles at the ceremony. Graduation stoles are fabrics that drape on the shoulders and can represent many different things. Sometimes stoles are referred to as sashes--these are the same product.

Stoles that are acceptable to wear at graduation include:

• Perfect 4.0 Achievement

• National Honors Society

• Approved Sun Prairie Educational Programs (AVID, STEM Academy, Madison College programs)

• Representations of cultural identity (BSU, kente stoles, serape stoles, paj ntaub, etc.)

Stoles that are not acceptable to wear at graduation include:

• Images/messages that are not school appropriate

• Stoles that do not follow the approved guidelines.

• Other celebrations can be shown on cap decorations.

Sun Prairie West High School will be giving every graduate a yard sign at the Senior Awards Night in May. If students cannot attend this event, they can pick one up in the front office at a later time. This yard sign is FREE and is NOT the same yard sign sold by Midwest Scholastic seen in their email last week.

Students!!! Shout out your teachers and show them some love with Teacher Superlatives. Take a quick minute to fill out this form!

We are teaming up with the @Wisconsin Department of Transportation to encourage students, staff, and families to take the Buckle Up Phone Down pledge! Over 9,000 crashes a year in Wisconsin involve distracted driving, and cell phones are one of the biggest distractions.

The challenge is on! Pledge to always wear your seat belt and put your phone down while driving at: wisconsindot.gov/bupd/spsd. Choose your high school so we can see which school gets the highest percentage of pledges!

We all have a role in keeping our roads and communities safe!

#BUPD #BuckleUpPhoneDown

This spring there have been measles cases in several states. Measles is a very contagious virus. It spreads easily and quickly when people cough and sneeze. If you haven’t had the measles vaccine, just being in a room with someone who has measles can make you sick.

Measles can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. It can be prevented by the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.

• The vaccine is safe and effective. The best protection against measles is measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

• Most people are vaccinated as young children because two doses are required to go to school. One dose is usually given at 12-15 months of age, and a second dose is given before the start of kindergarten at 4-6 years of age.

• Most people who get measles are unvaccinated. When the measles finds a group of unvaccinated people, it can spread very quickly.

Check your immunization records

You can check your child’s immunization record on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or with your healthcare provider.

If our school records do not show that your child has received two doses of the MMR vaccine you will receive additional communication from the school.

Get Vaccinated

• If you have health insurance: reach out to your healthcare provider to make an appointment.

• If you don’t have health insurance or if your child is on BadgerCare: You can make an appointment with Public Health Madison Dane County by calling (608) 266-4821.

Watch for Measles Symptoms

Measles symptoms begin with a fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed by a rash that usually spreads from the head to the rest of the body. If you or your child has these symptoms, call your healthcare provider. Do not go to a clinic, urgent care, or emergency room without calling first.

For more information on measles, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/

Senior Celebration is on Wednesday, May 14th from 6:00pm-8:00pm. ALL Seniors and their Parents/Caregivers are welcome! Students who are being recognized at the event will receive an individualized invitation via email closer to the date. We will be celebrating the Class of 2025 through: Academic Awards, Local Scholarship Announcements, Department Awards with refreshments provided by our ProStart students. Excited to see you there!

Midwest Scholastic will be delivering caps, gowns, cords, and other supplies to Sun Prairie West on Thursday, April 17th during lunches (12:11-1:30pm) in the PAC Lobby. This is the only time Midwest will be at our school.

• Unpaid orders will NOT be left at school. This will be delivered after payment and will incur special handling costs. If you would like to pay prior to delivery day, you may do so with a credit card by visiting mwscholastic.com and click on ‘Pay Invoice’ at the top of the page.

• Paid orders will be left at school and can be picked up in the front office.

Any questions regarding your payment? Please email Midwest Scholastic at payments@mwscholastic.com.

Any questions regarding the graduation ceremony? Please see the FAQ sheet on the Sun Prairie West Graduation website.

Check out this article written by a fellow high school student on AP test study tips. AP tests are coming. Study now and you've GOT THIS!

It's hard to believe that Prom is going to be here before we know it! Here are some important dates/information to put on your calendars as we get ready for Prom.

• SP West Prom is for SP West Juniors and Seniors. Freshman or sophomores may attend SP West Prom ONLY if a guest form is turned in and approved within the deadlines below.

• Due venue availability SP West and SP East's proms are BOTH on May 10th this year from 8pm-11pm.
• Can I go to both proms?
• Yes, but you would need to buy a ticket for both.
• When would I have to arrive?
• The last entry for both proms is 9:30pm
• Where are the proms held?
• SP West- Monona Terrace
• SP East- Alliant Energy Center
• Are there guest form for both proms?
• Yes, if students from East want to go to West's prom or students from West want to go to East's prom you MUST have a guest form approved during the deadlines below (deadlines are the same for both schools). Guest forms to attend West's prom will be on blue paper, guest forms for East's prom will be on red paper.

• Important information:
• SP West Prom- 8pm-11pm on May 10th at the Monona Terrace
• Guest Forms available starting April 21st in the FRONT OFFICE
• Guest Forms due in the wooden box int he FRONT OFFICE NO LATER than 1:30pm on 1st
• Guest Forms to attend EAST's Prom should be dropped off in the admin office with at least 24 hours allowed for processing.
• Tickets on sale for SP West Juniors and Seniors only May 5th to May 8th- 11:59pm on Go Fan.

Support scholars taking national exams by becoming an AP Proctor! We are seeking proctors to work between May 5 and May 23 at East High School, West High School, and the PLC at the Hilltop Campus. Test proctors are responsible for test room security and the administration of exams. We have many opportunities to help, both full day and half day. Pay is $20/hour and proctors must be high school graduates over the age of 18 and pass a background check. Please complete this form by April 2 to indicate your interest, and share with your neighbors!

Attention Seniors! If you received a Direct Admit Letter the deadline to accept the offer is May 1. You can find your letter in Infinite Campus under Forms. Follow the links provided in the letter.

Message from UW Systems:

• To connect with your Direct Admit UW universities and start your path to college, go to the Universities of Wisconsin admissions portal (apply.wisconsin.edu/direct-admit) and complete the Direct Admit Wisconsin form. The sooner you complete this step, the closer you are to becoming a Universities of Wisconsin student. Find a helpful checklist of next steps at wisconsin.edu/direct-admissions.

Juniors! Thank you to those who attended your Junior Academic and Career Planning Presentation on March 14, 2025 during SP30. Now that you have had time to review the Junior Planning Presentation, schedule a time TODAY to meet with your counselor for your 1:1 Junior meeting follow up. Our goal is to meet with 100% of our juniors to hear your wonderings, dreams, goals and plans for after high school so we can assist you in the next steps.

Parents, please encourage your students to use the following Booking Links below to schedule a meeting with their counselor:

• Ms. Saldana (Last names A-G): cmsalda.youcanbook.me

• Mr. Medema (Last names H-M): https://keithmedema.youcanbook.me/

• Ms. Wagner (Last names N-T): https://wagner-counseling.youcanbook.me/

• Ms. Thao (Last names U-Z): https://pthao-west.youcanbook.me/

Check out these awesome summer STEM opportunities