The Howl

Greetings West Wolves and Parent/Caregivers,

Welcome to 4th Quarter! We are officially 75% through something that very few people nationally ever experience, starting a comprehensive public high school from the ground up. It is not for the faint of heart. Thank you for your partnership. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your grace. As we move into the final quarter of the year our focus is: celebrate successes, try new things to strengthen our systems, structures, supports, culture and community for next year. This quarter you will see us engaging students, staff, parents/caregivers and the community in conversations around topics such as: cell phones, attendance, planning for joy, etc as we build on successes this year, identify areas of growth and strengthen for the future.

Jen Ploeger- Principal- jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org

Chai Lee- Associate Principal- cmlee1@sunprairieschools.org

Chad Whalley- Associate Principal- ctwhall@sunprairieschools.org

Over the next several weeks we have many drills that we will be doing to ensure that we are ready in the case of an emergency. We always hope that these situations won't actually come to be, however, we need to be prepared in case an emergency would arise. Last week we conducted our first practice tornado drill as we learn the systems of the new building preparing for the statewide test later this month. Today we will be engaging in our 2nd active threat drill of the year. We know that active threat drills bring up many emotions in all of us as school shootings are far to much a reality in our country. We also know that we need to practice and prepare. We are working together as a team to minimize the negative impact this drill may have on all involved. Please read more details on the active threat drill below. Also please note that when it is announced over the intercom it will be very clearly stated that this is a drill and an opportunity to learn and practice.

Active Threat Drill- TODAY- 4/11/23

The safety of students, staff, and visitors is a top priority at Sun Prairie West High School. We hold a variety of drills throughout the year which not only enable us to practice our response to emergencies, but teaches our students life long skills to respond to situations that could happen at college, the workplace, and beyond. In addition to monthly fire and evacuation drills, we hold two active threat drills each year. This communication is to inform you that we will hold our second active threat drill on Tuesday, April 11. Because of our partnership with the Sun Prairie Police Department in this drill, there will be a large police presence on our campus for part of the day. Know that we will clearly identify the drill as a practice drill to accompany some pre-teaching that our first hour teachers will do. Please accept this notice as we do not wish to cause alarm or concern.

When practicing active threat response, we empower our staff and students to make decisions based on the situation and environment (we use the ALICE model). While a first thought may be barricading and hiding, we emphasize the importance of knowing ALL options: Counter, Evacuate, Barricade, Hide.

Based on where the threat is identified as it relates to your location:

Evacuate: Find the closest exit and get out of the building. In a real event, run to a space where you can no longer see the building. Neighborhood, business, wooded area, etc are all options. Getting to safety is the number one priority….information on where to reunify will come via email, police announcements, phone calls, etc. For a drill, get out of the building and gather as a class/group to discuss where you would go and what you would do should it be a real event.

Counter: Whether you barricade and hide or evacuate, having something in your hand to throw as a distraction is best practice should you encounter the threat. Something as simple as wadded up paper can disrupt the focus and through process of the threat enabling you with the time needed to get away.

Hide and Barricade: While some classrooms have more glass than we are traditionally accustomed to, note the spaces near you that still offer barricade and hide options. Science rooms, science storage rooms, bathrooms, and teacher work rooms offer spaces to hide and/or barricade.

Our focus for this drill will center on barricading with feedback provided to staff and students from our SP police officers and school officials. We are happy to answer questions and provide support should your child have questions or concerns.

Bus Evacuation Drills- Week of April 17th

Per state law, the district is required to practice bus evacuation drills twice a year. Bus evacuations will be held the week of April 17th and buses could be delayed on the days the drill occurs.

Sometimes it could become necessary to exit the school bus by the back door. Please talk with you children about doing these steps safely:

• Keep calm

• Listen to the driver’s instructions

• Beginning with the last seats, move to the back door

• Do not push or shove

• When you get to the back door, sit on your bottom and scoot to the edge

• Slide off the edge slightly pushing yourself out away from the bus

• Keep your knees bent

• Walk quickly away to the safe spot designated by your driver

• Wait for further instructions from your driver

Parents, please remember that if your child’s bus is evacuated for any reason (bus breakdown, emergency, etc.) students are not allowed to leave the scene. Students must stay with the driver and wait for further instructions. If another bus is dispatched, students are to ride that bus and only get off at their assigned stop.

As we head into the beginning of 4th quarter we are focused on resetting attendance expectations as we finished the year strong and prepare for strengthened systems and structures supporting ALL students being in class, every block, every day, bell to bell. Please review this slide deck with your student.

Graduation supplies, including caps/gowns/honor cords, were delivered to Sun Prairie West High School on Wednesday, April 5th.

If students' balances were paid in full on delivery day, Midwest left the products in the main office. These can be picked up by the students.

If you still owe a balance, you may pay with a credit card by visiting mwscholastic.com and click on ‘Pay Invoice’ at the top of the page. Delivery of graduation products will incur special handling costs.

Any questions regarding your payment? Please send your emails to payments@mwscholastic.com.

Sun Prairie West was the state runner-up team - second place in the state! Sun Prairie students won state championships in four categories: Saanvi Kandanelli (expository speaking), Connor Wilkinson (prose interpretation), Jackson Nesbit and Eli Gillitzer (play acting), and AJ Boissonnas (oral interpretation of literature).

Individual honors also included:

• Yogitha Rajkumar, 2nd place, informative speaking
• Kara Bekkedal, 2nd place, oral interpretation of literature
• Reethu Teegala, 2nd place, oratory
• Mrinank Panda, 2nd place, special occasion speaking
• John McLean, 3rd place, radio speaking
• Shreya Bhargava, 3rd place, moments in history
• Suhani Pandey, 3rd place, prose interpretation
• Asha Sundaram, 4th place, special occasion speaking
• Pragnya Vella and Leela Bourenane, 5th place, duo interpretation
• Molly McArdle and Haley Rollins, 5th place, group interpretation
• Ethan Flood, 5th place, informative speaking
• Julia Morriss, 6th place, informative speaking
• Rylee Hull, 6th place, storytelling
• John Kudrle, 6th place, special occasion speaking

Semifinalists (top 12 in the state) included:

• Ceylon Trinity
• Savannah Sandridge
• Taylor Sandridge
• Juanita Duarte
• Jojo Knauss
• Nicole Meier

Senior Ethan Flood was also awarded a scholarship.

Other students who qualified for the state tournament included:

• Sripada Thammera
• Sanjay Jagadees
• Souyra Prabaharan
• Katy Garcia
• Amelia Johnson
• Caitlyn Royalty
• Adrian Whalley
• Siddhi Rajkondawar
• Matthea Jones
• Mia Boyd
• Addison Boott
• Amanda Walter
• Anna Block.

Forensics is competitive acting and public speaking. Students have been working on their performances since November and attending competitions since January.

The Down Syndrome Association of South Central Wisconsin is looking for volunteers! Students- please consider signing up here.

Please consider taking a moment to celebrate a staff member that has had a positive impact you so far this year! This may be someone that you have connected well with, you have seen working hard, has tried something new or you just want to pause and recognize for all of their work as we launch SP West. You can fill out the form as many times as you would like to recognize different staff. They will receive an email with your note and, if public, will be included in our staff Newsletter next week! https://tinyurl.com/SPWestStaffShoutOut

Summer School

Summer school registration is now open. To be eligible for summer school transportation, you must register by May 16. We have numerous summer opportunities for students:

• Initial Credit classes (meaning it is the first time the student is taking a credit-earning class)

• Credit Recovery options (students who have previously failed a class may have the option to retake it in the summer)

• Enrichment classes (no credit offered; students take these classes for personal enrichment)

Registration is in Infinite Campus. See here for more info: High School Summer School Information

Thank you to all of the parent/caregivers that joined us our March in person meeting.

We then began conversations to partner to begin to develop systems and structures. This month's topic: cell phones. One of the suggestions that has come from our monthly meetings is to have more variety in the options for our parents/caregivers to participate. The next new option for connecting with the Parent/Caregiver Partnership is THIS THURSDAY at 7:15am in 1016 at West or via Zoom.

Parent/Caregiver Partnership Opportunities:

• Thursday, April 13th at 7:15am- Coffee with the Principal in 1016 in the Front Office at West or via Zoom.
  
• Tuesday, April 25th- 6:00pm in person at West
• Tuesday, May 23rd- 6:00pm in person at West
• If this month's lunch and morning options are successful please look for more opportunities coming up in May.

Did you know 97% of youth who vape, use flavored products? Synthetic Nicotine has been called a “loophole” for recent policies and laws.

Synthetic nicotine, which is created in a laboratory and not derived from tobacco, has become increasingly popular. Stanford University identified six manufacturers of synthetic nicotine and 98 brands claiming to contain synthetic nicotine.

Many e-cigarette makers that used tobacco-derived nicotine have recently switched to synthetic nicotine to avoid regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For example, Puff Bar, the top vape brand among youth, was told by the FDA in July 2020 to stop selling their flavored, tobacco-derived e-cigarette products. In March 2021, the company returned to the market with synthetic “tobacco-free nicotine.”

In addition, many of the chemical methods through which companies such as Puff Bar make the synthetic nicotine their products contain are unknown…Nicotine use during adolescence can disrupt the formation of brain circuits that control attention, learning, and susceptibility to addiction. Research has shown early age of smoking and pleasurable initial experiences are correlated with daily use and lifetime nicotine dependence.

Synthetic nicotine is still nicotine—a highly addictive substance that research suggests is as addictive as heroin, cocaine or alcohol. Nicotine is especially harmful to adolescents, as it impacts brain development. A young person’s memory, attention levels and ability to learn are all negatively affected by nicotine. Products containing synthetic nicotine will not help you quit smoking like nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) and other quit-smoking products can. (https://www.lung.org/blog/synthetic-nicotine)

Read more in “What is synthetic nicotine and what does it mean for the youth vaping epidemic?” from truthinitiative.org

We have students working to start our very first Stomp and Shake team. If you or someone you know would be interested in being a coach for a Stomp and Shake team for the 23-24 school year please reach out to Mr. Nee and Principal JP ASAP. Stomp and Shake has deep roots in HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and would enrich our culture and community here at West with additional opportunities for students. Please reach out for more information as we work to launch this new club. Thanks!

Continued changes are coming and have come to our lunch lines. Distributed dining is now available in 1300/1400 seating area! This is another option for students to grab an a la cart lunch. Perfect for students that enjoy eating in the quiet lunch area or any other students that would like to try a new dining option.

Thank you for everyone's partnership addressing our bathroom culture at West. We continue to celebrate improved culture around our bathrooms! Thank you for partnering with us as we build our Wolf community, we truly are stronger together. Bathrooms should be a safe place for all students!

Reminders:

• Students should only be going into the bathroom to use the restroom. There is access to mirrors and sinks in the hallway to check your hair, wash you hands etc. Therefore, there is no reason for a large group of students to enter the bathroom together.
• Students that are in the bathroom in the bathroom when we receive a report of vaping will be searched. We will be piloting a vape sensor very soon to see if it is a model that meets our needs as a district.
• Students responsible for vandalism will be given consequences in our behavior matrix including paying for repairs, suspension and possible recommendation for expulsion for repeated behavior over time.

Spring has officially sprung, I finally feel safe saying I don't think we will have any more SNOW DAYS! Woo hoo. We have ONE MORE to make up, but no more asynchronous. This one will be in person.

• Friday, May 26th- This date was originally scheduled as a professional development day. With the snow day last week it is now a student attendance day. Please mark your calendars and plan for students to be AT school this day!

With the spring approaching, Counselors wanted to send the Junior presentation to all Junior families as a refresher one more time:

If any junior student would like to meet regarding their future planning, students are welcomed to make an appointment with their assigned counselor between March 26 and April 28, 2023. Please use the scheduling links below:

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

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

Ms. Wagner (Last names P-Z): https://wagner-counseling.youcanbook.me/

A few reminders as we continue 2nd semester:

• Parents/Caregivers be sure to use the pick-up/drop-off lane for dropping off and picking up your scholar. DO NOT pull into the student lot or the staff/visitor lot as this causes congestion and potential accidents.

• Handicap stalls are ALWAYS reserved for vehicles with a license plate or placard. Never pull into a handicap stall to wait for someone you are picking up or dropping off. We have had several instances where our scholars are unable to be picked up by their accessible vehicle because other vehicles were in those spaces.

• Students: make sure you have your parking pass and parking in the student lot.

• As we continue 2nd semester we will be rebooting parking lot enforcement including tickets. Please reach out with what questions you have.

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. Contact mtiseli@sunprairieschools.org with any interest/questions or contacts.

• Support Staff Substitutes

• Substitute Teachers