The Howl
October 19, 2025
PreACT Planning
Dear 9th and 10th Grade Scholars, Families, and Caregivers,
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, we will administer the PreACT Secure exam to all 9th & 10th grade students during the school day.
Why the PreACT?
The PreACT Secure is a state-mandated assessment that helps monitor students’ academic readiness for college and careers. There is no cost for participation. In addition to providing data to our educators to inform future instruction, it also provides valuable information to support student growth. The assessment helps students:
Identify academic strengths
Spot areas to improve
Gain experience with ACT-style questions
Plan for college and career readiness
What’s on the PreACT Secure?
English – 35 minutes | 48 multiple-choice questions
Math – 45 minutes | 36 multiple-choice questions
Reading – 40 minutes | 33 multiple-choice questions
Science – 35 minutes | 36 multiple-choice questions
Testing Location
9th and 10th grade students will test at their primary school of enrollment
JEDI Virtual students will test at the Prairie Phoenix Academy location
Test Day Details
Students will begin testing at the regular school start time.Dismissal will be at 1:00pm. Students with individualized testing schedules will receive additional communication from assessment coordinators.
Bring your fully charged device, a water bottle, and a snack (you may access your snack during break). All other testing materials will be provided. It is optional to bring an approved calculator.
Room assignments will be posted in common areas.
To maintain a secure testing environment:Large bags, cell phones, smart watches, and other electronics are not permitted in testing rooms.
Bus routes will run as usual for students testing that day.
We ask that 9-10th graders arrive between 8:00 and 8:35 am, with testing beginning promptly at 9:00 am. Room assignments will be communicated directly with scholars and posted on test day. All students must be in their assigned location at 8:35 am. Failure to do so will result in scholars needing to make up the exam at a later date and time.
PreACT Secure Schedule - Tuesday, April 7th Testing Schedule 8:05-8:35 am 9-10th graders report to testing locations for check-in 9:00 am Test sessions begin. Scholars arriving after this time will not be permitted to take the test and will need to make up for the test at a later date and time. 12:00 Morning testing is completed. Students will have lunch. 1:00 pm Buses run after school routes. *Students with accommodations may have a different schedule for this day. If applicable, a separate communication will be shared.
Students approved for testing accommodations will receive additional information about their individualized schedules. If you have questions, please contact your school’s assessment or student services team:
Amy Giza and Ami Fimreite (504), Kevin Proper and Kira Jacobson (Multilingual), Steph Sauer (IEP)
Preparing for the PreACT Secure
Students are encouraged to explore preparation resources, tutorials, and practice questions to become familiar with the testing experience.
Learn more about the PreACT Secure here:
ACT High School Assessments Information for Families - English
ACT High School Assessments Information for Families - Spanish
ACT High School Assessments Information for Families - Hmong
The PreACT mirrors the ACT, so these materials can double as preparation for both assessments: Test Prep & Kaplan Test Prep & PreACT Secure Practice Tests
All students also have access to free ACT & SAT prep through a program called Methodize that students can find under the Resources tab on Xello (an academic & career planning application on school issued devices).
We look forward to this opportunity for our scholars to demonstrate their college and career readiness and take the next steps toward their post-secondary goals.
Sincerely,
John Barth
jebarth@sunprairieschools.org
Alisa Weinberger
alweinb@sunprairieschools.org
Sun Prairie West Job Fair
All SP West students are invited to attend the Job Fair on Wednesday, April 1 during their lunch. Employers will either be seeking current part-time employees, interns or apprentices, or sharing future full-time career options for students after they graduate high school. This is a great opportunity for students looking to do Youth Apprenticeship, and it will give students a chance to talk to potential employers and work on networking skills in a professional setting.
Here is a current list of employers attending.
College Rep Visits
Representatives from the following colleges will be in Student Services during WIN time. Students should sign up in FlexiSched with Mrs. Griffin
Wednesday, April 1 - UW Whitewater
Parent Portal Update Emergency Contacts Directions
Parents and caregivers, please update emergency contact information in Infinite Campus these directions.
UW Madison Precollege Business Events
The following opportunities are being offered by the UW Madison School of Business and Precollege Programs. Event information and application materials are included in the linked handout:
Precollege Summer Camp: Business Basics - June 15-18, for current freshmen (applications due by April 30)
Precollege Summer Camp: Junior Business Basics - June 22-25 OR June 29-July 2, for current sophomores and juniors (applications due by April 30)
UW Madison Engineering Summer Program
UW Madison is hosting an Engineering Summer Program from July 11-July 31. Current sophomores and juniors can apply by March 2. More information and application links can be found on this website.
Senior Cap and Gown
Seniors: Remember that you need to place your order for your Senior Cap and Gown for graduation. Orders can be placed through the Midwest Scholastic store linked here.
Donations
We kindly invite you to support our school community by contributing to student recognition, staff appreciation efforts, and cap-and-gown assistance for graduating seniors. Your generosity helps us celebrate hard work, honor dedication, and ensure every student can walk proudly at graduation. Thank you for making a meaningful difference! Donations can now be made through the Infinite Campus school store. Donation Link
Event Guideliness
Please review the SPASD event guidelines. Our athletes are ready to take the field, stage, pool, court, pitch, course and so much more this school year. Together we will continue to make these fantastic, safe and enjoyable events for all.
All West students will need their student ID or if they have not yet received their 25/26 student ID, they will need to look up their Infinite Campus profile. This can be done in advance and screenshotted for quick access.
Building Hours
- Building opens at 8:05: Students may enter the building at 8:05 and will remain in the commons 8:20. Between 8:05-8:20 students may eat breakfast and socialize in the commons. At 8:20 students may begin to move to their classes.
- If your transportation situation makes it impossible to drop off your students later than 8:05 they will be allowed to stand in the vestibule (between the glass doors) until 8:05, particularly on inclement weather days
- Building Closes at 4:00: At 4:00pm the building closes daily. All students must be with an adult (coach, club/activity, 5th hour tutoring, etc) or leave the building for safety as we do not have supervision available after 4:00pm.
Please plan rides, drop off/pick up accordingly.
