Cardinal Call

Welcome to semester two! On behalf of the full administrative team and our staff, we are excited to kick off semester two. Please take a moment this weekend to look over your scholar's second semester schedule with them. Although many classes are a year long, class periods and teachers can shift from one semester to another. To reduce anxiety and be prepared for the new semester, it can be helpful to take a screenshot of your schedule in Infinite Campus so you can easily access throughout the first few days of the new semester. If you need a printed copy of your schedule, please report to student services and they can print one for you.

Sincerely,

Jim Ertel

Interim Principal

This week the window to request classes for next year will open. Course requests are your opportunity to help chart out your academic career in high school and take advantage of incredible opportunities from Career and Technical Education to AP Classes to classes at Madison College or UW. The window to request classes for next year closes on February 3rd.

Four Year Overview:

• 9th Grade- As you start high school in 9th grade you experience an opportunity for choice and electives and many graduation requirements will fill the majority of your schedule.
• Math- Next year- Math 1
• Science- Biology (other options available but most students take Biology)
• Social Studies- World History or AP Human Geography (AP Hug)
• English - English 9
• PE- Foundations of PE
• Electives:
• World Languages- Spanish, French or German- Many colleges want students to have had two years of the same language
• Begin to explore the awesome worlds of: art, tech ed, family and consumer science, business and marketing, agriculture, computer science and so much more at the high school level

• 10th Grade-
• Continuing through your graduation requirements and options begin to open wider with AP Seminar for 10th grade English, second levels of courses like Drawing, Foods, languages, etc.
• Application Process for the STEM Academy:

• 11th Grade-
• Incredible opportunities begin to open:
• Start College Now
• Early College Credit
• STEM Academy attend Madison College your Junior and Senior year
• Fire Academy
• EMR Academy
• Youth Apprenticeship
• Work Based Learning
• Teaching Academy- The Teaching Academy is available during Senior Year. (Students need to take Intro to Education and Education in Pluralistic Society Junior Year to attend Teaching Academy their senior year.)
• ACCEL Academies: Business Leadership Academy

  Sports, Entertainment, and Tourism Marketing Academy

  AP Environmental Science Sustainability Career Academy

• 12th Grade-
• It is our goal that by senior year EVERY Cardinal would have a dual credit, certificate, or off-site experience. Senior year is an opportunity to bridge into the world after high school while still having your Cardinal support network. The opportunities are VAST including: becoming a certified nursing assistant, emergency medical responder, or fire fighter while still in high school.

The week of January 27 we will be having long SP30 periods. This will provide time for staff to assist students with requesting classes for next school year. Please check in with your scholar about this process. We know that these are very important decisions for families, so please reach out to your student services counselor if you have questions. Request are due February 3rd.

Below are helpful links for selecting courses for next school year. Both the electronic course guide & virtual course expo provide LOTS of information about our course offerings.

Below is a graphic that breaks down what unique programming options we offer that are both on and off campus. These options are for 11th and 12th graders.

As we near the end of the semester we wanted to remind students and families that tutoring is available after school in the LMC on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We have staff on hand that can help with all core content areas and students are able to make up summative assessments during 5th hour with coordination from their instructor.

Congratulations to the following "Cards of the Month". Cards of the month are nominated by staff members for exemplifying leadership, dedication, and kindness. Way to go!

Javion Sanders - 9th Grade - Nominated by Mr. Lucas

Javion has been an all-star in class so far. He's been a great leader by having positive interactions with his peers, participating in class, and lifting up those around him.

Zoe Kennedy - 9th Grade - Nominated by Ms. Plomedahl

Zoe gladly and efficiently comes to the LMC to take care of our space. She cleans our tables without complaint and does an awesome job.

Audrey Johnson - 10th Grade - Nominated by Mr. Lucas

Audrey works hard in class every day, always pushing herself and trying to improve. She is also incredibly kind and thoughtful to all students in the school, showing empathy and understanding. Audrey is a great student but an even better person. We are all proud to call Audrey a Cardinal.

Sarjo Sambou - 10th Grade - Nominated by Mr. Kurt

Sarjo has been working hard to be independent in chemistry, and I am very proud of her progress thus far!

Leah Triebel - 11th Grade - Nominated by Mrs. Suchomel

Leah is a hardworking and conscientious student. She is on the Girls Golf Team and has to miss some school because of it. She uses her SP 30 effectively to get her work done and cares about her grades. She is kind to others and is a very respectful girl!

Alexis Cox - 11th Grade - Nominated by Ms. Orcutt

Alexis is a phenomenal student leader. She goes above and beyond to make sure that student council members have the information they need, feel supported and have an opportunity to participate. She is also very kind and considerate of other students and is always making sure everyone is included. Her accountability for planning and leading events is beyond her years, she is incredibly responsible and resourceful!

Sena’ah Grant - 12th Grade - Nominated by Mr. Mitchell

This school year this student has been really working hard towards graduation.

Danye Turner - 12th Grade - Nominated by Mr. Mitchell

This student had been setting the example for how to get to class and work hard

We want to inform you about a change in our school cafeteria policy. In an effort to be more fiscally responsible and reduce food waste, our nutrition department will now be charging for extra condiments in both middle and high schools. This decision was not made lightly, but we believe it will help us maintain our high standards of meal quality while also teaching our students about responsible consumption.

Here's what you need to know:

- Condiment cups listed on the menus will still be provided free of charge with meals

- Extra or additional condiments will have a small fee

- This change applies to middle and high school students only

- The goal is to reduce waste and manage costs more effectively

We appreciate your understanding and support as we implement this new policy. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to our nutrition department.

Hunger Heroes Fund: Helping Families in Need

Did you know that some of our students have negative lunch account balances? This means they owe money for school meals. Our school district covers these costs, but that takes money away from important educational programs.

That's where the Hunger Heroes Fund comes in! This amazing program helps pay down those negative balances. By doing so, it ensures that every student can enjoy a nutritious meal without worry. At the same time, it allows our district to keep investing in great learning opportunities for all students.

How You Can Help

Want to make a difference? You can become a Hunger Hero too! Here's how:

1. Contact our Nutrition Department to learn about donation options

2. Choose how much you'd like to give

3. Feel great knowing you've helped a family in need

Your donation, big or small, can have a real impact on a student's life. It's a simple way to show that our school community cares for each other. Remember, a well-fed student is a student ready to learn and grow!

If you have any questions about the Hunger Heroes Fund or how to donate, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Nutrition Department.

The local scholarship application is now open. Deadline to complete is February 28th. This is a great opportunity to be considered for scholarships that are only available to Sun Prairie students.

Please see the linked information about our upcoming summer school offerings.

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.

Spring sports sign up begins February 1st. If you have questions about your current sports physical status, please reach out to the athletic office. Thank you!

Ms. Boberg CAA

The Sun Prairie East Musical has arrived! Please come out and support our students in this year's musical Big Fish.

The girls hockey program held staff appreciation on January 14. Thanks for all you do!

Please see the information below on a current Sun Prairie United FBLA and DECA fundraising opportunity.

The Sun Prairie East yearbook staff has been working hard all year to create a unique and memorable 2024-25 yearbook for our school. Don’t miss out on this year’s edition, the last day to order the 2024-2025 yearbook is Friday, February 14th.

Anyone that would like to personalize their book by including their student’s name on the front cover of their yearbook MUST order by January 31st.

Order Your Yearbook Now! Order your yearbook at www.jostens.com.

We can’t wait to share this year’s book at distribution! Don’t delay!

Amanda Gustafson and Katrina Horst, Yearbook Advisors

Please see the linked information for upcoming contests.

• No School - Staff Professional Development - January 27
• Course Requests Due - February 3