THE HOWL
Monday, September 21st, 2026
Dear families,
This is a fun and exciting week filled with Homecoming activities. Please take time to read all of the information below so that you are fully aware of all of the fun as well as the expectations.
On June 22, 2026, the Sun Prairie Area School District School Board approved an update to
District Policy INDA, Patriotic Exercises and Flag Displays to include the Ho-Chunk Nation flag.
This work was led by Genny King and the First Nations Flag Committee throughout the
2025–2026 school year. This change recognizes the history of the land, honors the continued
presence and sovereignty of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and ensures our district’s values are
reflected in the symbols we display.
September 30 marks the National Day of Remembrance for Indigenous Boarding School Survivors. This day—and the surrounding Orange Shirt Week—serves as a solemn time to honor the children, survivors, families, descendants, and communities impacted by the Indian boarding school era across the United States and Canada. Together, we acknowledge the lives of the children who never returned home, honor the resilience of survivors, and recognize the lasting effects on Native communities.
Additional Learning:
National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS)
“Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools” PBS Utah
In service,
Peg Shoemaker
Principal
🐺 Homecoming 2026: Mark Your Calendars!
Homecoming Week is just around the corner! September 28th–October 3rd will be a week full of school spirit, activities, athletics, and opportunities for our Wolves to come together and celebrate our school community.
Our goal is for Homecoming to be fun, inclusive, respectful, and safe for everyone. All Homecoming activities are school-sponsored events, so school expectations and rules apply throughout Spirit Week, at athletic events, the parade, pep assembly, dance, and on social media connected to school events.
Spirit Week Themes
Monday, Sept. 28: 💤 PJ Day
Tuesday, Sept. 29: 🤠 Country vs. Country Club
Wednesday, Sept. 30: 🪩 Disco
Thursday, Oct. 1: ✨ Dress to Impress
Friday, Oct. 2: 🐺 School Color Day
Freshmen: Gray
Sophomores: Light Blue
Juniors: Navy
Seniors: White
Homecoming Events
Monday, Sept. 28: Homecoming Flag Football
Wednesday, Sept. 30: Homecoming Parade
Friday, Oct. 2: Pep Assembly + Homecoming Football Game
Saturday, Oct. 3: Homecoming Dance
🎟️ Important Dance Information
Students planning to attend the Homecoming Dance should keep these important dates in mind:
Guest Forms
Available in the Front Office beginning Monday, Sept. 14
Due by Friday, Sept. 25 at 3:45 PM
No late forms will be accepted.
Dance Tickets
Available through GoFan beginning Monday, Sept. 28
Hard deadline: Thursday, Oct. 1 at 4:00 PM
GoFan access code: Student ID Number
Students must bring their Student ID or Infinite Campus summary page to enter.
Dance Eligibility
Students must meet all eligibility requirements to attend. A student may not have:
An OSS between Sept. 14–Oct. 2
An ISS between Sept. 28–Oct. 2
An overall attendance rate below 90%
Families and students can check attendance through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
🛡️ Safety & Expectations
Student safety remains our top priority. Limited bag and pocket searches will take place upon entry to the dance. Alcohol, drugs, vapes, tobacco, THC products, and other prohibited substances are not permitted. Students who engage in unsafe behavior or violate school expectations may be denied entry and/or lose eligibility for future school events.
One important reminder: Once a student leaves the dance, re-entry is not permitted.
We can't wait to see our Wolves show their school spirit and make Homecoming 2026 a great week for our entire school community!
34 Interviews Later... 🎉
We are thrilled to share that we have finished interviews for our Peer Restorative Justice program! Staff at West helped wrap up 34 interviews! Through this hands-on experience, scholars learned the art of interviewing, gained incredible public speaking confidence, and explored deep conversations about what it truly means to build community and their part in creating a space where all feel welcomed and supported. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, time and supported our scholars in developing these vital real-world skills.
College Rep Visits
Representatives from the following colleges will be in Student Services during WIN time this week. Sign up in FlexiSched with Mrs. Griffin.
Wednesday, September 30 - UW La Crosse
Read-Along Corner 📖
This semester, some of our staff are engaging in a professional book study of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
We want to invite you to read along with us!
Every couple of weeks, the Howl will feature a brief Read-Along Corner. We have aligned our read-along schedule directly with our staff book study, breaking the book down into short, manageable sections over this fall semester
.
You do not need to read every page to participate—each newsletter update will feature:
A Quick TL;DR Summary: Key takeaways from the assigned chapters.
A "Table Talk" Prompt: A simple, non-judgmental discussion question to spark conversation at home.
A "Try This Week" Action Step: A practical, low-friction idea to experiment with at home.
We hope that reading along together will create a shared partnership around healthy technology habits, real-world resilience, and strong community connections for our students.
We are excited to read along with you!
Next Chapters: Introduction & Chapter 1 on October 5
College Goal WI
SENIORS - Do you need FAFSA help? College Goal WI is Wednesday, October 14, at 6:00 p.m. in SP East’s LMC. Financial aid experts will be available to offer support as you fill out the FAFSA. All attendees are entered into a drawing through College Goal WI to earn a scholarship!
It is highly recommended that both the dependent student and a parent/caregiver attend the event together so that the FAFSA can be submitted that evening. Things to bring with you:
Your own device (chromebook or laptop)
FSA IDs for both the student and parent/guardian. You must have this before completing the FAFSA. You can create one here.
2025 Federal Tax Return and W2s.
2025 untaxed income records (if applicable)
Driver’s license
Social Security Number, Alien Registration Card or Permanent Resident Card
Date of birth for parents
Month and year of parents’ marriage, divorce or separation
* If you can’t attend College Goal WI, check out these resources and video guide for filling out the FAFSA form.
JUNIORS and SENIORS interested in taking early college courses in Spring 2027 should submit applications by OCTOBER 1. Applications are available in Student Services. The Start College Now program is for courses at Madison College, and the Early College Credit Program is for courses in the UW System.
AP Exam & Fee Information
AP Students & Families: Over the last several years, Sun Prairie West High School has been left with a large bill of unpaid AP exam fees. In an effort to become more fiscally responsible and ensure that our AP exam order accurately reflects students’ plans, we are changing the date of when AP exam fees are due. This year, AP exam fees will be posted to students’ Infinite Campus accounts by October 1st, 2026. Each AP exam costs $99, and payment for AP exam fees will be due by November 1st, 2026. Please be aware that students whose AP exam fees have not been paid by the deadline will not have an AP exam ordered for them. Students who need to order a test after November 1st will need to pay an additional $40 late order fee. These fees are set by the College Board, not the district. For students who are on free or reduced lunch programming, AP exam fees are waived due to Wisconsin state law (Wis. Stat. sec. 120.12(22)).
Please reach out to Amy Cassiday, AP Coordinator, at akcassi@sunprairieschools.org or 608-478-1700 ext. 1888 with questions.
A reminder that during the school day, students will be required to show their school ID when entering the building. We will be using a new scanning system to help manage student arrivals and departures during the school day. Your school ID will be needed for this.