Rising from the Prairie

Jan. 22, 2026

Hello Families and Caregivers,

It has been a great week on campus! A personal highlight for me was cooking walking tacos with students and meeting with our Student Senate to discuss their vision for our school.

We want every student to feel that same sense of belonging. Please encourage your student to join us by signing up for the Student Senate or the Black Student Union (BSU)—sign-up sheets are located in the main office.

Sincerely,

Principal Barrett

January 23 - No school due to weather conditions

January 26 - No school for students, PD for staff

January 27 - Second semester starts

Attendance line: 608-834-6900 Line 1

Please use this number when calling in a student for an absence, illness or an appointment.

You can call the office at 608-834-6900 ext. 5507 for any reason that your student will be absent. Please call the attendance line or the office at 608-834-6931 if your student needs to leave early. Calls will be made home when students leave grounds without a guardian's permission.

School day is from 9:00am - 3:20pm.

Follow PPA on Facebook! See our events, photos of activities, and other important updates and information. https://www.facebook.com/PPASunPrairie/

We want to hear your voice! We are currently seeking students to join our leadership teams and help build a stronger, more united school community.

• Student Senate: Help plan events, advocate for your peers, and shape our school.

• Black Student Union (BSU) A space to build community, celebrate culture, and lead positive change.

HOW TO JOIN: Stop by the Main Office today to put your name on the sign-up sheets!

Scholars should be prepared to learn everyday! Chromebooks should be with students daily. To reduce students transporting their wonderful Chromebooks they have the opportunity to leave the CB’s at PPA to be charged. Those that turned in Chromebooks will be able to pick them up from the main office. We will not issue a Chromebook to students if they have one or more already checked out to them. Please have your scholar return any damaged Chromebooks to the main office. We have a limited number of Chromebooks that students may use as loaners but that is on a first come basis.

Pizza with a Purpose - We want to hear from you!

Check out these Flyers for more info! English and Spanish

Building on the spirit of Equity in Action: Community Conversations, the Department of Systemic Equity and Inclusion is excited to launch the first-ever Pizza with a Purpose. This informal gathering creates space for community members to come together, enjoy a slice, and engage in meaningful conversation about the district’s equity work.

Pizza with a Purpose brings the equity conversation out of the district and into the community, increasing access, connection, and shared understanding. The focus will be on the district’s Equity Framework and its five focus areas, highlighting the initiatives and strategies that guide our work. This is a structured space for listening, learning, and dialogue centered on collaboration and growth.

Come for the pizza. Stay for the purpose. Your voice matters.

When:
Saturday, January 24, 2026
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Where:
Pizza Ranch
682 S. Grand Ave., Sun Prairie

There are no classes available to add new students to the Behind the Wheel training. Students who are eager to complete their license should pursue a Private Driving School.

Direct Admit

Direct Admit season is upon us. If you are not interested in your Junior (11th grade) scholar being a part of the Direct Admission process, please fill out the Opt- Out Form linked below.

SPASD Direct Admit Opt-Out form

Linked below is the district website about Direct Admission information:

Direct Admission district website information

Xello Reminder

XELLO is the SPASD Academic and Career Planning software tool used to help students plan for their future. Students can access XELLO by logging in to MySP and clicking on the Xello icon, or by clicking the link provided. Each year and grade level, lessons are released in XELLO that need to be completed. You do not have to go back to complete lessons from prior grades, only the grade you are currently in.

Every Wednesday, Ms. Yang will be hosting Financial Aid, Scholarship and College Applications in the SRC room, come by and get help!

ATTENTION SENIORS! The Sun Prairie area Local Scholarships have now been posted and are available on this website:

https://sites.google.com/sunprairieschools.org/localscholarships2026

The absolute deadline for these is January 31st. Many require a letter of recommendation and some require an essay or essays. Get started now!

An infinite amount of scholarships are available outside of Sun Prairie.

Check out Mrs.Yang's scholarship website for many resources!

FREE Websites for Scholarship Searches

• Unigo
• 50+ Scholarships for Minority Students
• Fastweb
• BIG Future by College Board
• ScholarshipPoints
• StudentScholarships.org
• WEOP (Wisconsin Education Opportunity Programs)
• ScholarsApp

The Youth Apprenticeship (YA) program is a transformative opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to unlock their potential and shape their future.

By combining school-based education with hands-on work experience, YA empowers students to develop essential employability and professional skills. Working under the guidance of a business mentor, students gain invaluable real-world experience while getting paid. Students also learn in the classroom, earning credits towards graduation.

For employers, YA is a chance to shape and inspire the next generation of talent, contributing to a thriving local economy and workforce needs. Youth Apprentices are selected and hired by the employer based on best fit. Once hired, students split their time between the classroom and the job, gaining real-world experience and industry skills.

Please visit the SPASD Local and Support Resources website for more information about community resources.

Picture Packet Vouchers- If you would like to order a printed picture packet of school pictures, we have vouchers available to cover the cost of a small packet! Please email Ellie Donaldson at ehdonal@sunprairieschools.org!

Reaching Out for Resources - In light of the potential of some federal benefits pausing soon, I would like to remind our families that they are always welcome to reach out to discuss resources they may need. As our social worker, my job is to help address barriers to education, including economic, social, and cultural hardships that many of us are feeling. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at (608) 501-1506 or ehdonal@sunprairieschools.org.

At PPA, we have a pantry with household grocery options, including fridge/freezer selections! Families are welcome to access the pantry.

Other resources:

https://sunshineplace.org/

https://energyandhousing.wi.gov/Pages/AgencyResources/energy-assistance.aspx

https://danebhrc.org/

https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/food_resource_guide_eng.pdf

Preliminary transportation information is viewable in Infinite Campus by logging into Campus Parent, clicking on ‘More’, then choosing the Transportation tab. If the bus stop does not look accurate, please contact Kobussen. Pickup and drop-off times are continually changing as new students enroll and other students move out of the district.

This year, High School students will NOT receive bus tags. Students will need to be able to show their bus assignment through Infinite Campus when asked. Once the bus information is available, take a picture of it and add it to your favorites for easy access.

Please contact Brinda Thompson at brinda.thompson@kobussen.com or (608) 825-8700 ext. 5509 if you have questions or concerns about your child’s bus route or stop. If you have any other questions related to busing, please contact either Lisa Sprindis at lasprin@sunprairieschools.org or Rhonda Page at rspage@sunprairieschools.org. If your child is NOT going to ride the bus but is eligible, please stop by the bus table at Registration or reach out to one of the people above.

Email: ntbarre@sunprairieschools.org
Website: https://www.sunprairieschools.org/prairie-phoenix-academy-home
Location: 220 Kroncke Drive, Suite 13 Sun Prairie, WI 53590, USA
Phone:608-834-6900 ext. 5210