Rising from the Prairie

Oct. 30, 2025

Greetings, PPA Caregivers, Families, and Friends

It's hard to believe we're about to turn the page to November! The school year is truly flying by, and we're now in week three of Workshop 2. As our returning students settle into the rhythm of Prairie Phoenix Academy (PPA), we continue to welcome new students to our school community. We extend a particularly warm welcome to these new students and families.

I want to acknowledge that staff and students have navigated some transitions within staff changes. These changes can be difficult and create uncertainty for both students and staff. Please know that we are all working together to manage these shifts with as much stability and care as possible. Our commitment to providing a supportive and high-quality educational experience remains our top priority, and we appreciate everyone's flexibility and understanding during this time.

As we tend to our school community needs, we will continue to uphold high academic and behavioral expectations. Our guide for behavior at PPA is captured in our core values: RISE UP! This is what we expect to see in our classroom.

• R - Respect: Come with a positive attitude and use respectful language.

• I - Inclusivity: All voices, identities, and abilities are welcomed and honored.

• S - Safety: Ring the doorbell to be let in. Only staff can let people in the office. One snack per person.

• E - Empathy: Lead with a hello and a smile! (Note: The image says "Unity & Pride" for U and "Lead with a hello and a smile!" for UP. I will use the acronym's letters and the most relevant descriptions.)

• UP - Unity & Pride: Lead with a hello and a smile!

We want to partner with you, our dedicated caregivers, to reinforce these behaviors at home. When we work together, we create the best environment for learning and growth. Specifically, we ask for your support in reinforcing the importance of:

• Getting to class on time.

• Remaining in class throughout the period.

• Completing all assigned work.

• Embodying the core RISE UP expectations.

Together, we will continue to build a community where every student feels seen, supported, and challenged to achieve their full potential.

Warmly,

Mikki Smith

Acting Principal

Prairie Phoenix Academy & Alternative Programs

Attendance line: 608-834-6900 Line 1

Please use this number when calling in a student for an absence, illness or an appointment.

You can call the office at 608-834-6900 ext. 5507 for any reason that your student will be absent. Please call the attendance line or the office at 608-834-6931 if your student needs to leave early. Calls will be made home when students leave grounds without a guardian's permission.

School day is from 9:00am - 3:20pm.

Follow PPA on Facebook! See our events, photos of activities, and other important updates and information. https://www.facebook.com/PPASunPrairie/

Scholars should be prepared to learn everyday! Chromebooks should be with students daily. To reduce students transporting their wonderful Chromebooks they have the opportunity to leave the CB’s at PPA to be charged. Those that turned in Chromebooks will be able to pick them up from the main office. We will not issue a Chromebook to students if they have one or more already checked out to them. Please have your scholar return any damaged Chromebooks to the main office. We have a limited number of Chromebooks that students may use as loaners but that is on a first come basis.

Today, Blair’s Origami Cranes class took a trip to Baraboo to visit the International Crane Foundation. We saw 14 of the world’s 15 species of cranes and learned so much about crane biology, behavior, habitat, and conservation. Cranes live on 5 continents and are symbolic of good luck, long life, and fidelity in many cultures. We especially enjoyed seeing the Saurus crane at over 6 feet tall and a mated pair of Blue cranes engaged in a crane dance. We are still working on folding 1000 paper cranes. According to an ancient Japanese legend, someone who folds 1000 paper cranes is granted a wish. Sandhill Cranes are the most abundant of all crane species and are still migrating through Wisconsin to their winter habitats in Florida and Texas this week.

In Workshop Workshop, students are almost ready to begin the design of their own workshops. This past week, students have brainstormed ideas and connected their ideas to the existing academic standards in the State of Wisconsin. Ask your student about their ideas, and stay tuned for more information about the workshops your students create!

In PE, students have been recording information about how their bodies feel before and after exercise. So far, students have been describing how they feel subjectively. Beginning next week, students will be recording their vital signs objectively. Sun Prairie EMS will visit us to show us how to take our blood pressure, and in a few weeks we’ll have a guest teacher from a local yoga studio visit for a yoga lesson!

Direct Admit

Direct Admit season is upon us. If you are not interested in your Junior (11th grade) scholar being a part of the Direct Admission process, please fill out the Opt- Out Form linked below.

SPASD Direct Admit Opt-Out form

Linked below is the district website about Direct Admission information:

Direct Admission district website information

Xello Reminder

XELLO is the SPASD Academic and Career Planning software tool used to help students plan for their future. Students can access XELLO by logging in to MySP and clicking on the Xello icon, or by clicking the link provided. Each year and grade level, lessons are released in XELLO that need to be completed. You do not have to go back to complete lessons from prior grades, only the grade you are currently in.

Thank you Jaqhia and Trininity for helping us decorate our Hallway!

Please visit the SPASD Local and Support Resources website for more information about community resources.

Picture Packet Vouchers- If you would like to order a printed picture packet of school pictures, we have vouchers available to cover the cost of a small packet! Please email Ellie Donaldson at ehdonal@sunprairieschools.org!

Reaching Out for Resources - In light of the potential of some federal benefits pausing soon, I would like to remind our families that they are always welcome to reach out to discuss resources they may need. As our social worker, my job is to help address barriers to education, including economic, social, and cultural hardships that many of us are feeling. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at (608) 501-1506 or ehdonal@sunprairieschools.org. Also, a reminder that we do have a food pantry and clothing closet on campus. Please reach out to me or Ayanna Hale at ashale@sunprairieschools.org to shop.

Other resources:

https://sunshineplace.org/

https://energyandhousing.wi.gov/Pages/AgencyResources/energy-assistance.aspx

https://danebhrc.org/

https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/food_resource_guide_eng.pdf

We are hosting a community wide food drive. There will be a purple bin sitting in the front office entrance, for students' families and staff to donate. Thank you all for your support!

Preliminary transportation information is viewable in Infinite Campus by logging into Campus Parent, clicking on ‘More’, then choosing the Transportation tab. If the bus stop does not look accurate, please contact Kobussen. Pickup and drop-off times are continually changing as new students enroll and other students move out of the district.

This year, High School students will NOT receive bus tags. Students will need to be able to show their bus assignment through Infinite Campus when asked. Once the bus information is available, take a picture of it and add it to your favorites for easy access.

Please contact Brinda Thompson at brinda.thompson@kobussen.com or (608) 825-8700 ext. 5509 if you have questions or concerns about your child’s bus route or stop. If you have any other questions related to busing, please contact either Lisa Sprindis at lasprin@sunprairieschools.org or Rhonda Page at rspage@sunprairieschools.org. If your child is NOT going to ride the bus but is eligible, please stop by the bus table at Registration or reach out to one of the people above.

At PPA, we have a pantry with household grocery options, including fridge/freezer selections! Families are welcome to access the pantry.

We also have a clothing closet that is OVERFLOWING! Come shop for clothing for the warmer seasons.

Please reach out to Ayanna Hale, ashale@sunprairieschools.org, or call (608) 834-6900 to ask about shopping.

Email: ntbarre@sunprairieschools.org
Website: https://www.sunprairieschools.org/prairie-phoenix-academy-home
Location: 220 Kroncke Drive, Suite 13 Sun Prairie, WI 53590, USA
Phone:608-834-6900 ext. 5210