Cardinal Call

Thank you to all the families that joined us for conferences this past Thursday and Friday. It was great to connect with all of you. As we near the spring season, we also enter the statewide standardized testing window. On March 11th we will be hosting our 11th grade students for the ACT exam. Below we have a number of highlights as it relates to testing. Please review them carefully.

Sincerely,

Jim Ertel

Principal

A reminder, on March 11th, all SPASD 11th graders will be taking the ACT at SP East, SP West and PPA (you take the assessment at your primary school. ONLY 11th graders report to school on the 11th. JEDI students take the exam at the PPA). The ACT is our state test for High School students and communicates academic readiness for college and careers. The ACT on March 11th is free to all juniors (and required). 9th, 10th, and 12th graders do not have school on March 11th. Now that we are about a week away, there are more details about the day of testing below.

Why

• Demonstrate your learning, skills and post-secondary readiness.

• State required test for 11th graders

• This information is used for:

• State report cards

• District scorecard for your school

• Students can choose to share with colleges, scholarships etc.

• Your school uses it schoolwide to identify areas of success and areas of growth

Test Preparation

• Be ACT Ready!

• Information about the different sections of the test

• Test taking tips

• Info on how to log into Methodize Test Prep for studying

Testing Day

• Transportation:

• We ask that Juniors arrive between 8:00-8:35am with testing beginning promptly at 9:00am. Room assignments will be communicated directly with scholars and also posted on test day.

• All scholars must be in their assigned location at 8:35am. Failure to do so will result in scholars needing to take the make-up exam on March 18th.

• Busses will run as normal in the morning

• Buses will pick students up after testing at 1:15pm

• What to bring:

• Picture ID

• Fully charged Chromebook and charger

• May bring ACT-approved calculators.

• What not to bring: The following will not be allowed in the testing room. Students will be provided a locked/supervised place for these items:

• Backpacks

• Large bags

• Cell phones

• Smart watches

• All other electronics

• Food

• Drinks

ACT Schedule - Tuesday, March 11th

Testing Schedule

• 8:05-8:35am

• Juniors report to testing locations for check-in

• 9:00am

• Test sessions begin. Scholars arriving after this time will not be permitted to test and will need to attend the makeup session on March 18th.

• 1:00pm

• Morning testing is completed. Students can grab a “to go” lunch and head to their bus or leave the building.

• 1:15pm

• Buses run after school routes

*Students testing with accommodations may have a different schedule for this day. A separate communication is shared if applicable.

Results

• Students can access their results in their myACT once results have been published (takes several weeks after testing)

• Paper copy of results is mailed 3-8 weeks after testing

• Students choose whether or not to send their results to colleges through myACT

At SP East, we are hoping to provide a special breakfast and variety of snacks for students on ACT day. We will provide donuts and hope donations will help fuel them through the morning. Click here to sign up. Thank you! Please drop off snacks to the SPEHS main office by March 10th at 4pm.

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. More information about testing room assignments will be coming as the date gets closer. If you have questions in the meantime, please refer to your school assessment coordinator’s information below.

Sincerely,

Rachel Looper

Assistant Principal - East

Now Available: ACT Prep WIN time! Please sign up for Wednesdays and Thursdays in Flexi. We will use the Methodize test prep in Xello, and we will work on it together.

If you would like to sign up to bring breakfast snacks prior to the ACT test on March 11th, please use the sign up genius below. Our hope is to have some grab and go snacks for scholars as they arrive for the exam in the morning. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Mitlyng.

Below are this week's ACT tips from our high school leadership team. Take a look as we get closer to ACT day for juniors on March 11th.

Congratulations to Freyja Swanson, Ethan Kranz, and David Lee, whose digital photographs and drawings have been selected to represent SPEHS at the statewide Youth Art Month show, happening at East Towne Mall for the month of March!

March 3rd-7th marks national breakfast week. Let's keep our eye out for a mystery guest at lunch!

Tutoring is available after school in the LMC on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We have staff on hand that can help with all core content areas and students are able to make up summative assessments during 5th hour with coordination from their instructor.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-choice test that measures a person's aptitude for military service and other careers. It's also used to help students identify their interests and potential career paths. You don’t have to be planning on joining the Military to take the test.

What the ASVAB measures

• Aptitude: The ASVAB measures aptitude in verbal, math, science and technical, and spatial domains.

• Future potential: The ASVAB helps predict future academic and occupational success.

Who can take the ASVAB

• High school students in grades 10 through 12 may take the ASVAB to help them identify their interests and potential career paths.

• If interested in taking the ASVAB free of charge, fill out the form below:

ASVAB Form

ASVAB Website for more information

UW - Eau Claire: 3/12/25 Block 2B

Madison College: 3/5/25, 4/2/25

Please see Ms. Johnson in student services for a pass.

Seniors, don’t miss out on free money for college! Join Ms. Albright in room 2760 on Thursdays in the month of February during WIN time for scholarship help (sign up in Flexi). We’ll review general scholarship info, explore valuable resources, and work on applications (especially the local scholarship application). Take advantage of this opportunity to get support and maximize your chances of earning scholarships!

9th, 10th and 12th graders, wondering what to do on March 11th while the juniors take the ACT? Check out the STEM Open House at Madison College. This is ALL of their STEM programming (not the STEM academy). Register HERE

Best of luck to our teams still competing in winter postseason tournaments and congratulations to those who have finished their seasons! Athletes should check their student emails for postseason surveys to share feedback about their experience. Spring sports are around the corner and we are excited for them to start. A reminder for all students participating in sports or activities to review the co-curricular handbook.

You may have noticed more construction traffic in the parking lot. Thank you for your patience as the final stages of work is being completed on the baseball and softball turf fields. This June, construction will start for the multi-purpose turf field being installed on the infield of the track.

Ms. Boberg CAA

Our boys basketball team clinched their first conference championship OUTRIGHT in Sun Prairie East history on Wednesday night at Sun Prairie West. Way to go! They will take on Badger at home on March 7th at 7:00 PM in first round of the playoffs.

Congratulations to our Sun Prairie Bowling teams for a successful season! For the 2024-25 season, SP East Boys and Co-op Girls team both secured the D4 Division Championships and are headed to state!

Members of the Sun Prairie East Boys varsity bowling team are Tyler Cassidy 11, Eli Hawley 9, Easton Wildes 11, Gavin Cassidy 10, Bill Hunsicker 12, Joe Myhre 12, and Coach Eric Myhre.

Joe Myhre also qualified for State in the singles division and earned a spot on the D4 All-District Varsity Boys 1st Team!

Eli Hawley was named D4 Freshman Varsity Boys Player of the Year!

Sun Prairie members of the Girls Co-op bowling team are Aly Rostan (12-SP East), Lilly Ryan (12-SP East), Jadyn Baker (9-SP East). They are coached by Cher & John Breunig. Freshman Jadyn Baker was named to the D4 All-District Varsity Girls 1st Team!

Congratulations to our United Cheer Team for placing 5th at State with their West Competition Routine!

This winter season of Sun Prairie United Esports has been a whirlwind of excitement. We have two teams this Winter competing in Mario Kart and Fortnite. We are heading into the WIHSEA State Championship currently ranked #2 in the State for Mario Kart on Saturday March 1 at Madison College Truax Campus. Congratulations to our following Mario Kart team members; Owen Gouldthorp (West), Colin Girton (West), Azure Wyatt (East) and Sam Filter (East)

Our Fortnite team made it to the WIHSEA State Championship, which was held virtually last night Wednesday February 26th. Our team finished with an outstanding 5th place in the State Fortnight Playoffs! Congratulations awesome team. Please congratulate any of the following team members; Ethan Lea (West), Aeva Dunkel (West), Genaro Mendaz Aranda (West) and Ellyson Wos (West).

Our prom theme for this year will be "Night in Paris." The dance will be May 11th from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM at the Alliant Energy Center.

Sun Prairie is looking to start a robotics team! If you are interested you can reach out to Curt Mould at cdmould@sunprairieschools.org. Please take a look at the flyer below fore more information.

The Boys Swim team sent 8 athletes to state last Saturday, competing in all three relays and four individual events. Left to right: Benjamin Geiszler, Soren Eisner, Camden Johll-Bayliss, Daniel Elliott, Eli Krystowiak, Coby Zander, Roman Maretski, and Blake Ellingson

• March 10th- Boys and Girls Track
• March 17th- Softball, Boys and Girls Lacrosse
• March 24th- Baseball, Girls Soccer
• March 31st- Boys Tennis, Golf Boys

The WIAA is seeking applications for its statewide student leadership team. If you are interested, the application is linked below.

Please see the linked information for upcoming contests.

• ACT Testing - March 11th - 11th Graders ONLY
• Spring Break - March 24-28
• Prom - May 11th