The Howl

Greetings West Wolves and Parent/Caregivers,

Wow! We've made it to the end of 1st quarter. Over the last two weeks we have celebrated amazing finishes in our fall athletic seasons, the launch of our first musical at SP West and our preparing to end our first quarter of the school year. Thank you for all that you have done to make this possible and we know that it also hasn't always been easy or perfect. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, suggestions, conversation as we continue to Create the Future together.

Jen Ploeger- Principal- jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org

Chai Lee- Associate Principal- cmlee1@sunprairieschools.org

Chad Whalley- Associate Principal- ctwhall@sunprairieschools.org

As we launch this new community together please give us feedback on our communication so that we can learn and grow together. https://tinyurl.com/SPWestCommunication or en español: https://tinyurl.com/SPWestCommunicationEsp

We are already halfway through the semester! Mid-semester grades are due by teachers next Wednesday at 7:00am. These are a half-way check-in for the semester and they also can have athletic eligibility implications. Coaches have been speaking with their students and I also wanted to make sure that everyone received this common information. We want you to be eligible as we start the winter season.

Student-athletics with a failing or incomplete grade that is posted next week will serve a 15 school day and night athletic suspension.

Thanksgiving and other non-school days coming up will bring the 15 school day and night suspension into early December. Students, please ensure your grades are on point for this grade posting as it will affect eligibility of winter sports that are beginning. Please connect with your teachers to get the help and support that you need in classes that you may be on the border. Also take advantage of 5th hour tutoring and WIN time.

Once a grade is posted they cannot go back and complete work that is undone to change their athletic suspension. While students are still able to improve their grades throughout the rest of the semester changes to the grade will not result in a reversal of athletic suspension. The posted grade is what will determine a suspension. The only exception will be a teacher error when posting a grade.

As we are preparing for our mid-semester progress update and you are diving into your student's grades you will notice that grades are broken into two categories: formative and summative assessments.

Formative Assessments (10% of the grade in most classes): These are assessments for learning during the learning process, practice on the way to the goal! These could include: homework, in class assignments, discussions, etc.

Summative Assessments (90% of the grade in most classes): These are assessment of learning at the end of that particular learning cycle, "game day". These could include: tests, projects, essays, presentations, etc.

Students have the opportunity to redo formative and summative assessments until 2 weeks before the end of the semester to demonstrate further mastery of learning and improve their grade.

Hello families of senior students at SP West HS,

There has been some confusion around senior photos, so we, as a Yearbook staff, wanted to send an update and give families an extension. Please read the following information carefully.

• All senior portraits are due by November 15, 2022. (This is an extension from the 1st.)
• All senior portraits will be uploaded directly to Jostens using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/SPWSenior23
• Be sure to include the student's first name, last name, and grade (12). The "description" box is not required.
• To purchase a Yearbook, go to www.jostensyearbooks.com. Type in "Sun Prairie" and make sure you click on Sun Prairie WEST. (The yearbooks for East and West high schools will be different this year, so it is very important that you purchase the correct one.)
• Yearbooks must be pre-ordered to be guaranteed a copy of the 2023 Yearbook. The price for the full-color book is $68 and will remain so until Nov. 18; the price at that time will be $70 until we place the final pre-order in January.
• Submission of your Grad Ad is due by December 1, 2022 if you wish to purchase one. You will purchase these at the same link where you can purchase the yearbook. Simply scroll down and click the button that says "Create My Ad."

Bus Tags

Students must have their bus tag with them when riding the bus and may be denied if the driver doesn’t recognize the student or if they don’t have a bus tag. Replacement bus tags can be picked up at the school. Students can keep a picture of their bus tag on their cell phones.

Bus Stops

Students should be waiting at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time.

If you drive your child to the bus stop in the morning, please park at least 50 feet away from the stop to give the bus room and to ensure good visibility. Students should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching the bus to board.

Riding an Unassigned Bus

Students are only allowed to ride their assigned bus and may not ride home with friends, even with a note from a parent. Please make alternative arrangements for these special circumstances.

Looking for the latest in West Wolves Gear? Looking to stock up your closet for the cooler weather? Needing ideas for holiday shopping? Look no further. Visit our West Merch Website that our business classes will keep current with the latest online stores that are open for your purchases: tinyurl.com/SPWestMerch

Interested in being part of this opening year of SP West? The Sun Prairie Media center needs volunteer videographers to film home and away games throughout the year across the sports seasons. No experience required, training and equipment will be provided!

KSUN, KIDS-4, 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio, and sunprairiemediacenter.com will be the places to tune to for live coverage of home and away Sun Prairie Wolves high school games/meets/matches throughout the year. The SPMC is always looking for announcing and camera operator help during sports. If interested, please contact SPMC director Jeff Robbins at staff@sunprairiemediacenter.com. or your school Librarian, Ms. Hilmer, jehilme@sunprairieschools.org

As we launched West we have provided student an opportunity to order in lunch, however, we have seen an uptick in incidents related to food ordering recently. A reminder the expectation is that food is ordered during the first 15 minutes of lunch and students are eating in assigned locations and NOT missing class for food. Additionally, we need every student to be honest and not take others food. We do not have the staff to manage food deliveries and if we do not see an improvement in food delivery related behavior this week we will need to change our policy and no longer allow deliveries.

The end of 1st quarter is fast approaching. The quarter officially ends on November 8th. Teachers- you can start to submit your grades on November 2nd the window closes promptly at 7:00am on November 9th and grades will be available to students and parent/caregivers on November 10th. Students, please make sure to use all of your resources to get your grades up before this important deadline.

Empty Bowls Fundraiser

We are VERY excited to invite you to the Empty Bowls dinner put on by three departments at West HS. Our Art department has made over 100 bowls, fired and decorated them. You’ll be able to grab a bowl and have your soup and roll in the COMMONS!. Where does the money go? We will 1st pay back Art for the clay and the Family Consumer Sciences (FCS) dept for the food. All money left will be donated to the Sunshine place or to the FCS department to buy food for students in need.

• When you get to West HS, you will park, enter the building, grab a bowl and head to the FCS department commercial kitchen which is room 1621

• We will have you pick which soup you want to eat and have a roll

• $15.00 for adult if you want to keep your bowl

• $10.00 for children under 10 if they want to keep their bowl

• $7.00 if you want to use a bowl from our kitchen and RETURN it to us!

• November 16, 5pm - 8pm

• Please fill out this google form so we can get a head count of how many people are going to attend

We continue to increase to develop and increase our supports around student attendance. Student attendance is one of the biggest indicators of academic success and graduation rate!

Please remember to call in your student BEFORE they are absent so that we know that they are safe and can excused their absences: 608.478.1707. If you are unable to in advance please call in ASAP all absences must be corrected within 2 weeks of the date missed.

The main entrance door closes at 4:00pm unless there is an athletic event. Our office staff is off work at 4:00pm. Athletes that may leave and come back please enter through door 24.

Hello AP families! The deadline for ordering Advanced Placement exams is November 15, 2022. Students who enroll in AP Classroom will automatically be registered as “Yes” for AP exams. Students and families who do not wish to test please contact Branden Jones, SPWHS AP Coordinator, via email at bajones@sunprairieschools.org to opt out no later than October 31. A $40 late fee will apply for students who decide they want to take the exam after 11/15/22. Unused/canceled exam fees are also $40 per exam.

AP exam fees are $97, except for the AP Seminar exam fee which is $145. Families can contact Mr. Jones for scholarship and fee reduction information for qualifying households. Exam fees will be posted to Infinite Campus later in November.

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