THE HOWL
Monday, August 31st, 2026
Dear Families,
Welcome back — or if this is your first year with us, just welcome. I walked through the building last week with the custodians and it's hard not to get a little excited watching the halls go from empty to full again. There is something about the promise of a new school year that never gets old for me.
Please ask your student to double check their schedule today to accommodate for any changes.
High school moves fast, and it matters. Our expectations for effort and respect haven't changed, and neither has our belief that every student here is capable of more than they think. Grades, choices, and habits this year start shaping what comes after graduation — whether that's college, a trade, the workforce, or something else.
So here's what I'd ask of families: stay engaged even as your student wants more independence. Check in on more than just grades — ask about friendships, stress levels, sleep. And if something's not working, reach out early. We'd rather solve a problem in September than much later in the year.
Thanks for trusting us with your children this year. We are excited to greet them!
Warmly,
Peg
To further support the bell-to-bell cell phone policy implemented in Fall 2025, we will be introducing a universal classroom cell phone collection system across the building beginning this upcoming school year. Throughout the past year, students, staff, and families provided valuable feedback regarding the challenges created by inconsistent classroom procedures related to cell phones. One of the most common themes we heard was that varying expectations from room to room made the policy more difficult for both students and staff to implement successfully and consistently.
In response, our school has worked collaboratively to develop a universal system that creates greater consistency, predictability, and clarity across all classrooms and learning spaces. Each classroom will be equipped with a cell phone caddy where students will place their phones at the beginning of class and retrieve them at the end of the period. These caddies will be placed in a location that is monitored by the teacher and away from doorways for security purposes. This consistent process is intended to reduce instructional disruptions, increase student focus and engagement, minimize conflicts surrounding phones during class time, and support a stronger overall learning environment for all students.
Research continues to show that frequent phone access during instruction can negatively impact attention, learning retention, classroom participation, peer interaction, and overall student wellness. By creating a consistent schoolwide process, we aim to help students be more present during learning, strengthen classroom culture, and ensure that expectations are clear and equitable across the building.
Prior to implementation, students will participate in lessons focused on the purpose behind the system, procedures and expectations, and the importance of maintaining focused learning environments. Additional information regarding classroom procedures and family supports will be shared before rollout. We appreciate the partnership and support of our families as we continue working together to create safe, focused, and engaging learning environments where all students can be successful academically, socially, and emotionally.
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.
Early College Course Applications
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.
