The Howl

It was exciting to see more student athlete's returning to campus this week as we fall starts being to officially start up. Check the upcoming events dates to see when different fall sports begin. It's not too late to join! Reach out to Ms. Ripp for more information. We are excited for August as anticipation for the school year begins and we continue to prepare for the 25-26 school year for staff, students, parents/caregivers and our community.

In the Howl this week:

• Upcoming Events
• Points of Pride and Data
• No Cell Pell-to-Bell. Phones Down. Futures Up.
• Registration: Pack Shack
• Community 5K
• Auditions! Fall Musical
• SP West Girls Golf Coaches vs Cancer Fundraiser
• Athletes: NIL Workshop
• Date Correction: Welcome Back Wolves Night
• Welcome New Staff
• Juniors!!
• Student Volunteer Opportunities
• Student Job Opportunities
• Summer Highlights
• Too Important to Miss

August 5th- Football Began. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.

August 11th- Girls Golf Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.

August 12th-

• Girls Swim and Dive Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.
• Girls Tennis Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.

August 16th- Community 5K- 8:00am and 8:30am

August 17th- NIL Virtual Workshop for Athletes and their Parents/Caregivers (more information below)

August 18th-

• Boys and Girls Cross Country Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.
• Boys Soccer Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.
• Boys and Girls Volleyball Begins. Reach out to Ms. Beaver to join.
• Registration- North Gym- All students and their parents/caregivers 8:00am-4:00pm

August 19th- Registration- North Gym- All students and their parents/caregivers 8:00am-4:00pm

August 20th- Jazz Kick Off at East 6-9pm. Click Here to register.

August 21st-

• Keys to Success for incoming 9th graders and new students. West PAC 9:00am-11:00am
• Jazz Kick Off at East 6-9pm. Click Here to register.

August 25th- All Staff Return

August 27th- Welcome Back Wolves Night! 6:00pm-8:00pm

September 2nd- First Day of School!!!

September 3rd- Fall Musical: Guys and Dolls- Auditions 4-6pm

September 4th- Fall Musical: Guys and Dolls- Auditions 4-6pm

September 16th- Juniors! Deadline for signing up for the PSAT.

October 13th-17th- Homecoming Week!

October 22nd- PSAT (Optional test for Juniors- pre-registration required)

As we head into year 4 of Sun Prairie West we are excited to build on the successes that have been created in our first three years. This summer the SPASD communications team put together beautiful Points of Pride and Data Dashboards for each of our schools. Check out West's below:

While there is always room for improvement we are incredibly proud of the growth that has happened over the first three years. Check out this data from year 1, year 2 to Year 3 at SP West.

Additionally, our Equitable Multileveled Systems of Support Coordinator, Amy Cassiday helped us analyze our AP data over the last three years and there is MUCH to celebrate. A HUGE shout out not only to our brilliant scholars but their dedicated and committed educators who go above and beyond expectations to help them thrive in and out of the classroom.

Shout Outs to the following teachers who are a part of the 90%+ club with their students celebrating over a 90% pass rate (3 or higher):

• Ms. Dorner- AP English Lit

• Ms. Peters- AP US Government
• Ms. Updike- AP Seminar

Shout Outs to the following teachers whose students beat the average pass rate for their specific national exam:

• Ms. Andreasen- AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics
• Mr. Barth- AP United States History
• Ms. Bosonetta- AP Environmental Science
• Ms. Dahlgren- AP Human Geography
• Ms. Dorner- AP Literature
• Mr. Hall- AP Physics 1

• Ms. Herrera- AP African American Studies
• Mr. Ladell- AP Psych
• Ms. Meier- AP Drawing
• Mr. O'Connor- AP Psych
• Ms. Peters- AP US Government

• Mr. Pibal- AP Comp Sci Principals
• Ms. Piotrowski- AP Language and Composition

• Ms. Rogers- AP Calc AB
• Mr. Swanson- AP Calc AP
• Mr. Thompson- AP United States History
• Ms. Updike- AP Seminar

Tune in to next week's Howl for the 25-26 Theory of Action and academic focus to build on our successes and focus on our areas of growth to ensure every child experiences success.

Linked below is our Bell-to-Bell No Cell poster! As students and staff return to our buildings they will see these posters and flyers in public spaces and classrooms. “Bell-to-Bell No Cell” is the theme for our focus on increasing the use of instructional time and improving scholar outcomes.

Why: Recent research has shown that cell phones in the classroom have been associated with negative effects including, academic achievement, social engagement, anxiety, etc. Even having the phone on the table has negative side effects. In the Spring of ‘25 94.8% of SPASD High School staff reported that cell phones were having an impact or serious impact on learning in their space.

What: The district policy has been and will continue to be that students should only be using school issued devices when directed by the teacher during class. The shift is consistent implementation of no cell phones or personal electronic devices in class, bell-to-bell, every day at both East and West.

How: When students return to school we will have lessons prepared for SP30 and content area classes about electronic device expectations. Our top priority is teaching students how to use devices responsibly and to build skills around safe and productive technology use.

More to Come: When you stop in for registration please keep a look out for more information in our welcome back packets! We will also be sharing more details on these policies in each Howl as we get closer to the start of the school year.

The Pack Shack: Sun Prairie West's School Store will be open during registration August 18th and 19th. Stop in to grab the latest spirit wear and the official 2025-26 Pink Out Shirt!

Here’s a sneak peek of how it’s all coming together…

Back to school registration is on August 18th and 19th from 8am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm, located in the North Gym at SP West HS. Please be on the look out for more information coming soon. We look forward to seeing you there! Our goal is for each family to come to registration. Mark your calendars.

Sign up today to join us in our community 5K next Saturday at Sheehan Park. Proceeds from the race support the Sun Prairie West Cross Country Team and additional Sun Prairie West High School booster clubs. Funds to to scholarships, awards, uniforms, supplies and competitions.

We know that students that are involved in 2 more activities have greater outcomes both in and out of the classroom, including a greater sense of belonging at school. Auditions for Sun Prairie West’s fall production of Guys and Dolls will take place on Wed. Sept 3 and Sept 4. Come join in on the fun! Scan the URL for audition information and the sign-up form.

Cancer has touched all of us in some way. And we want to stop this disease in its tracks. Please consider supporting the Sun Prairie West Girls Golf Team as we spend the next few weeks fundraising for the American Cancer Society. Then, on the day of the event, we'll honor the lives lost to cancer, celebrate survivors, and support the caregivers who so selflessly help others.

• Sun Prairie East & West High Schools will be hosting a virtual workshop led by Influential Athlete, our strategic partner in NIL education, on August 17 at 7 p.m.
• Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86943367425...
• We encourage all student-athletes and their parents to attend. This workshop will be an invaluable opportunity to learn how to effectively approach NIL, preparing for college athletics and beyond.
• Please RSVP using this LINK: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdcpD0fGzbQIh.../viewform

CORRECTION: Sorry for the typo last week in the text. Welcome Back Wolves Night is Wednesday, August 27th (not the 28th)

Join us for a Back to School Night: Welcome Back Wolves Night! This evening held before school on August 27th from 6:00pm-8:00pm provides an opportunity for community building, meeting teachers, launch of expectations and vision for 2024-2025 school year. More details to come but mark your calendar for a fantastic night of community as we continue to build and rebuild One West.

Over the next several weeks we will be welcoming our new Wolf staff here! Please take a moment to get to know these new members of our community and to send them a quick Wolf Welcome!!!

The PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is a valuable standardized test co-sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. It serves as both practice for the SAT and as the first step toward qualifying for scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Program. The PSAT helps students assess their skills in key areas—Reading, Math, and Writing/Language.

This test is particularly important for 11th-grade students who are looking to gain insight into their SAT performance and open doors to scholarship opportunities. The PSAT is typically offered in the fall, and 11th-grade students can register to take the exam on an optional basis.

Important: If you would like to take the PSAT exam during the fall of the 2025-2026 school year on Wednesday October 22nd, please complete the attached Google form by Tuesday September 16th, 2025.

For more details or questions, feel free to reach out to Ms. Thao and Mr. Medema!

Don’t miss this opportunity to start preparing for the future and potentially earn scholarships!

There are still open shifts for great roles across the whole weekend—everything from keeping parade attendees safe, serving hot corn, handing out t-shirts, chatting with visitors, bagging corn, to helping keep things tidy and cheerful. Volunteering is a great way to connect with the community, and yes—you get an exclusive volunteer t-shirt, all-you-can-eat hot corn, and front-row access to all the fun.
If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I’ll jump in next time,”—this is that time. Let’s make this year the one where you step in, bring a friend, and be part of what makes Corn Fest so special.
Can Sun Prairie count on you? Visit the link and scroll to the bottom for Signup Genius links:
sunprairiecornfest.com

Talamore Senior Living (located near SP West!) is looking for food servers with flexible shifts, starting at $16/hour (must be at least 16 years old).

Scan the QR code for more information and to apply, or contact Jonathan Riffle at jriffle@unidine.com

Our Sun Prairie United Cheer team hosted a state wide cheer camp at SPW August 4th and 5th. Athletes from around the state came to learn from collegiate coaches and from each other as they kick off their 2025-26 seasons.

As part of the friendly competition our team received the following awards:

• JV - Spirit Stick
• Varsity - Spirit Stick, Most Spirited, Most Improved, and a Bid to America’s Cup Nationals
• Individual Awards for Leadership - (JV) Lian, Rocelyn, and Khianna ; (Varsity) Alaina, Jazarye, Mya, Amani, and Bee

This summer we had 260+ students participate in our Summer School Strength & Conditioning program. The students showed great progress from the first week through until the last week of the program. Students interested in S&C opportunities during the school year should be on the lookout for information regarding Wolves S&C once we return to school.

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.

Too keep The Howl as short and usable as possible we work to not duplicate information from week to week. Check here for information you may have missed.

Please give a warm Wolfe Welcome to our new staff, or new to a position staff.

At the High School level we do not have a standard school supply list. Many teachers will let your teachers know any specific materials they will need for class during the first couple of days. To start the year please have your student bring a notebook/s, pens/pencils and their Chromebook (more information on Chromebooks to come). As we implement our new Bell-to-Bell No Cell practices this year it is essential that every student has a charged Chromebook every day. Many students also benefit from having a binder/s to organize their materials.

We know that students who are involved in 2 or more activities outside of the classroom have in increased: sense of belonging, academic success and social-emotional well being. We are fortunate at West to offer MANY opportunities for ALL students. Don't see something that you are excited about? Connect with Mr. Nee (eanee@sunprairieschools.org) to work on creating something new. Fall sports have begun or are beginning very soon. It's not to late to sign up! Reach out to Mindy Ripp (mjripp@sunprairieschools.org) and/or Amber Beaver (albeave@sunprairieschools.org). Join TODAY!!!

As we prepare for the 25-26 School Year here are two important documents for you to have handy. Our A/B Day Schedule and our Regular Bell Schedule. The A/B Day schedule is set for the year and will not change even if we have snow/cold days. Please note that Semester 1 starts and ends on an A Day and Semester 2 starts and ends on a B Day. This was unavoidable with other constraints so just a heads up.

Do YOU want to be a Leader of the Pack? Leaders of the Pack is open to any West Wolf that strives to embody PACK each and every day and is ready to step up as a leader for our community. Activities for leaders of the pack include: serving on Student Senate, volunteering at school wide events, giving school tours, being a buddy for new students and being a guide for our incoming 9th graders. Sign up today!

Calling ALL incoming 9th graders and new students to SP West. Keys to Success will be held at West High School on Thursday, August 21st from 9:00am-11:00am at West High School. This is an opportunity for students to be welcomed into West, get to know the building and start created connections with staff and students. ALL new students and incoming 9th graders are welcome! We are excited to see you there! Haven't registered yet? No problem. Please register TODAY.