Cardinal Call

Monday marks our 2024/2025 9th-11th grade academic awards night. The staff is super excited to celebrate our scholars and all the hard work they have put into their studies this school year. We would also like to thank the Rotary Club of Sun Prairie for their sponsorship of the events for the high schools. Also a reminder that Friday is a professional development day for the staff, so students DO NOT have to report to school on Friday. Let's have a great week!

Sincerely,

Jim Ertel

Principal

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and we are teaming up with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to keep our roads safe.

Over 9,000 crashes a year in Wisconsin involve distracted driving, and cell phones are one of the biggest distractions. That’s more than just a number; as this video shows, our actions and decisions while driving can have serious consequences for others.

I encourage you to take WisDOT’s Buckle Up Phone Down pledge and commit to safe driving. One text behind the wheel. One trip without a seat belt. That’s all it takes to change a life forever.

The challenge is on! Click here to pledge to always buckle up and put your phone down while driving. Every trip, every time! Indicate which high school you attend so we can have a friendly competition among our three high schools. Let’s see which school has the highest rate of students, staff, and family take the Buckle Up Phone Down pledge!

Thank you for doing your part to keep our roads and community safe!

Linked below is the April French Newsletter

Hmong Heritage Night is April 24th at Sun Prairie West from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Please stop by and enjoy this cultural celebration.

Can your third block class be the winner? Thank you to our local businesses for helping us to make this challenge possible.

Please consider supporting our Hmong students attending the Hmong National Development Conference.

Over spring break a group of Spanish 3+ students from both SP East and West traveled to Peru for a Language Immersion and Service Learning trip! The group spent time in Lima, Cuzco, and the Sacred Valley, where they were assigned to the Sacred Valley Project, an organization that provides housing and tutoring for girls from remote highland areas that otherwise would not have access to secondary education. The group's job was to clear a field so that the girls could use it for sports like volleyball and soccer, as well as for a vegetable garden. The group also made a .5 mile assembly line to transport rocks from town to the project site. Highlights of the trip were practicing Spanish with students from the Sacred Valley, and of course- Machu Picchu!

Please save the date for our spring academic awards nights.

• Academic Awards Night 9th-11th grades: April 14
• Senior Scholarship Awards Night/Academic Awards: May 15

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.

As we look to the 2025/2026 school year, please mark you calendars for our "Keys to Success" event. Keys to Success is a optional orientation program for new students to the Sun Prairie High Schools. More information can be found in the flyer linked below.

Please review the linked document below for important information from our Nurses' office regarding measles cases and the the immunization registry.

Attention Seniors! If you received a Direct Admit Letter, the deadline to accept the offer is May 1. You can find your letter in Infinite Campus under Forms. Follow the links provided in the letter.

Message from UW Systems:

• To connect with your Direct Admit UW universities and start your path to college, go to the Universities of Wisconsin admissions portal (apply.wisconsin.edu/direct-admit) and complete the Direct Admit Wisconsin form. The sooner you complete this step, the closer you are to becoming a Universities of Wisconsin student. Find a helpful checklist of next steps at wisconsin.edu/direct-admissions.

SSM Health has posted their 2025-26 YA positions. You can access all positions from SSM Health’s Apprenticeship Program page (link below). Students are expected to apply for the youth apprentice program at their high school before applying for an SSM Health YA position. Our recruiter will verify this by sending an email to their respective consortia/school leader.

https://jobs.ssmhealth.com/us/en/apprenticeship-program

Spring season is in full swing. Please take a look at our updated Prom FAQ sheet as well as some important reminders about release time and a locker room closure.

Ms. Boberg CAA

Students participating in athletics may be scheduled for early release on game/meet days. They must attend class until their designated release time, which will be reflected in their attendance on Infinite Campus. Release times are communicated by coaches and can be found in our athletic scheduler: Big 8 Conference Schedule. Students who leave earlier than allowed or skip their last period will receive an unexcused absence. Students should be attending as much class as possible and should only leave during the designated time. Thank you for your support!

Attention football players! The mandatory spring player/guardian meeting will be held on Sunday night April 27th starting at 6PM in the Performing Arts Center at SP East High School. Please plan on attending and reach out to Brian Kaminski with any questions.

Sun Prairie East forensics team earned 2nd place in the state at the WFCA state competition.

Individual honors included:

1st place, Poetry Interpretation, Jimena Cruz

1st place, Prose Interpretation, Connor Wilkinson

2nd place, Solo Acting Serious, Anna Block

3rd place, Play Acting, Micheal Murdock and Addie Bresina

4th place, Group Interpretation, Mia Boyd and Ayla Germann

4th place, Solo Acting Humorous, Ella Novoselac

5th place, Expository Speaking, Julia Morris

6th place, Farrago, Amanda Walter

These students were in the top 12 in the state: Lucy Hahn, Grady Lobenstein, Ayden Retcheski, Lacey Janko

Forensics is a really great way for these students to feel connected to the SP East community and use their voices to spread powerful messages.

All locker rooms will be closed on Friday 4/18 from 9am - noon for plumbing repairs. Please plan accordingly.

As our Prom on May 10th draws closer, please be on the lookout for more information about ticket sales. In the meantime please note these important dates:

• Guest forms will be available beginning April 21 in the main office, they MUST be returned by May 1 at 1:30 pm.

• Administration will have guest form approval completed before May 5 and will email the Sun Prairie East student when approval is granted.

• Ticket sales will run from May 5-May 8. This ticket window WILL CLOSE at midnight.

• Guest forms for West will be on blue paper, East guest forms will be on red paper.

• No re-entry to the dance, initial entry must be before 9:30 PM.

Please see the linked information for upcoming contests.

• 9th-11th Grade Academic Awards Night - April 14
• Prom - May 10
• Senior Awards Night - May 15
• AVID Senior Night - May 27, 6-8 PM at the SPWHS Auditorium