It was great to see so many of you at registration over the last two days! If you missed registration, that's okay! Many of the registration tasks can be completed by logging into Infinite Campus and/or visiting the Front Office at West. An additional opportunity for pictures will be available to students as we start the year. Yesterday we welcomed over 200 students into the building through Keys to Success! Launching the school year for over 184 9th graders, student leaders and new students to West. It was fantastic to have students back in the building as we prepare for a fantastic year 2. This week's newsletter includes information on our year 2 launch including our schoolwide goals, equity vision, cell phone policy, dine-in only bell schedule, A/B Calendar, transportation, event guidelines, building hours, students schedules and more!

Jen Ploeger- Principal- jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org

Chai Lee- Associate Principal- cmlee1@sunprairieschools.org

Ed Ford- Associate Principal- ebford@sunprairieschools.org

As we enter Year 2 and build One West we are focused on continuing to build a culture of care, disrupting inequities and rigorous and coherent teaching. Our 3 goals this year for school improvement are:

• Teacher teams collaborate to develop engaging lessons and meaningful assessments for a block setting and reflect/adjust based on feedback from students/peers
• Students, staff and parents/caregivers will have a sense of belonging in the SP West community through consistent communication, collaboration and common expectations.
  
• Every staff member will actively work toward creating an equitable SP West community.
  

Purpose: To create common language, expectations and follow through around cell phone use so that students learn appropriate cell phone etiquette and engage in teaching/learning and peer interactions in class.

Universal Language:

• Off and Away- phone and electronics are in a pocket, backpack or locker- cannot be seen in the classroom, including air pods.

• Teacher Directed- Phone is being used as directed by the teacher in the classroom. Headphones/airpods are being used for music, phone may be out but face down on the table. Music is set then phone is left alone.

• Phone Break- Teacher has directed a class phone break for a set amount of time where students are allowed to use their phone as they would like

Universal Expectations:

• Phone status is set using universal logo and clearly articulated-
  “We are going to be off and away for this portion of class”

• If student is not following expected status the teacher will direct the student to place the phone in the class box or shoe holder for the remainder of class. Student gets the phone back at the end of class with a quick problem solving conversation with teacher.

• If student refuses to put the phone in the box/shoe holder teacher calls behavior support. Youth advocate/dean responds and phone goes to office for the remainder of the day. Documented in IC. Parent/caregiver called for problem solving.

• Repeated instances of going to the office becomes repeated refusal to follow school rules.

• Documented in IC

• Parent/caregiver meeting

• Consistent follow-up with restorative practices coach and/or deans of students which may include: restorative practices referral, lunch detention, ISS, etc.

Last year we experimented with allowing students to order food through DoorDash, GrubHub, etc. Through this experience we learned that students experienced significant loss of instruction waiting for food, even when it was no fault of their own but the food delivery system was running late. Additionally, it led to several instances of conflict stemming from food being stolen and taken accidentally. SPASD has a strong wellness policy to focus on the health and wellness of all of our students and staff which fast food during the day did not support.

This year we are implementing: Dine-In Only. We will continue to be a closed campus with all students staying on campus throughout the school day and are discontinuing ordering of outside food by students during the school day. To support students in having healthy options they are excited to eat during the day we are developing the following systems/supports:

• FFA partnership with school nutrition

• ProStart partnership with school nutrition

• Lunch advisory student group

• What do you want to see?

• Students if you are interested in being a part of the lunch advisory- please reach out to Principal JP

• Timber’s Grab ‘n’ Grub

• We have a fantastic in house coffee shop ran by our students in ProStart: Timber's Grab and Grub. We have worked with district nutrition staff to Timber's to be able to serve breakfast and lunch to students.

We are continuing our Leaders of the Pack program this year. Leaders of the Pack is open to any West Wolf that strives to embody PACK each and every day and is ready to step up as a leader for our community. Activities for leaders of the pack include: volunteering at school wide events, giving school tours, being a buddy for new students and being a guide for our incoming 9th graders. Sign up today!

Preliminary transportation information is viewable in Infinite Campus by logging into Campus Parent, click on ‘More’ then choose 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. Final busing information will be emailed to families on Thursday, August 31.

Busing information will be sent before school starts for 4K students and children that receive specialized transportation.

Your child will receive a bus tag either at their back to school event the first day of school. All students are required to have their bus tag with them to ride the bus to/from school with the exception of the first day.

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.

As we prepare for our first home Wolf football game of the year this Friday night, please review the updated event guidelines for the 2023/2024 school year. We are beyond excited to take the field, stage, pool, court, pitch, course and so much more as Wolves for the first time. Together we can make these fantastic, safe and enjoyable events for all.

Schedules are available NOW in Infinite Campus. If you have questions or concerns about your schedule please reach out to your high school counselor. For students last names A-G Chelsea Saldana, H-O Keith Medema, P-Z Monica Wagner. Contact information here!

NOTE: Between now and the first day of school, there may be slight, but necessary changes to student schedules (room assignment, hour placement, teacher assignment, etc.) We recommend that all students check their schedule again the night before school starts to ensure your student has the most up to date version possible for the first day of class. Our amazing High School registrar is still working on building our advisories in Infinite Campus please check the day before school starts for your finalized scheduled.

Please bookmark these two VERY important documents so they are always at your fingertips. Please note that our bell schedule times have shifted this year (start time 8:35, end time 3:45).

Bell schedule A/B Calendar (the A/B Calendar says East at the top but it is a district document that is the same across all schools using an A/B schedule)

As we all prepare for our fall schedules, starting the first day of school on September 5th our building will be open 30 minutes before school starts (8:05am) and 15 minutes after the day is done (4:00pm) unless the student is with an adult at a supervised event: extracurricular/tutoring, etc. Before and after school the students will use the commons. This allows our students time to hang out and connect with friends, get support they need and have appropriate staff supervision. Please plan rides, drop off/pick up accordingly.

Visitors accessing the building use the orange spaces and access this lot near Rebel Rd

Caregiver drop off and pick up is indicated in red with access from Blue Wolf Way

Student parking is indicated in green and can be accessed from Blue Wolf Way or Ironwood. More details on student parking will be shared at orientation night.

Our motto this year is: One West. Our Community. Our Future! We are coming together in year two as ONE COMMUNITY focused on the learning and success of our scholars. Attendance is a key piece to making that happen. Please read our attendance letter to parents/caregivers here.

Does my student need a graphing calculator for math?

If your student is planning to take PreCalculus, AP Calc, and/or AP Stats, they will benefit from having a graphing calculator, which can also be used for the ACT and in Algebra 2 math classes and beyond. The TI84+ or TI84+ CE are what most students use, but there are other types of graphing calculators as well. The school does have a limited number of graphing calculators available to be checked out, and priority is given to students in AP math classes. For students in other classes who wish to have a calculator, a scientific calculator such as the TI-30 is sufficient. Students will have access to online graphing calculators through their Chromebooks.

The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This test gives students practice for taking the SAT and is the first step in entering scholarship programs conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The test consists of three sections: reading, math, and writing/language. 11th-grade students can register to take the optional exam in the fall. Please look for information for signing up for PSAT at registration.

It was incredible to welcome in over 50% of our 9th grade class to Keys to Success yesterday! Over 184 incoming Freshman in addition to new students in grades 10-12 spent the morning at West learning about the importance of your first year, logistics about West and building connections.

Hello West HS! I am excited to be joining the West team. I am looking forward to taking on this new role and helping to systematize restorative practices across the school. Previous to this position I taught for 15 years as a history and special education teacher. I also spent two years as an Associate Principal. I love working in education because I enjoy supporting students as they grow. I also believe in being a disruptor of systems that lead to inequities for students. I have one child who is 8 years old and going into 3rd grade. In my free time I like to read, exercise, and spend time with my family.

In July, Sun Prairie West's own, Alex Schlobohm, won the men's singles title at the 2023 SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program aka Trappshooting) NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP with a PERFECT score. Congratulations Alex!

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. More information!

• Our wages for substitutes are in the top 5% in Dane County.
• Control your own schedule.
• We financially support you with Department of Public Instruction training (8 hours) for a 3-year substitute teaching license.
• We will provide you with technology training so you have the skills you need to succeed in supporting students and staff.
• Earn a $100 bonus for working 5 days in a month. (More info about the incentive program below)
• Earn an extra bonus for working in targeted schools and positions.
• Lunch provided through our award-winning school nutrition program.
• Full or part time positions are available!

• Thursday, August 24th- Keys to Success for Incoming 9th Graders and New Students 9:00am-11:00am
• Monday, August 28th- Staff return to work to prepare for students!
• Wednesday, August 30th- 9th Grade Student/Parent/Caregiver Orientation 7pm SP West PAC
• Thursday, August 31st- 10th-12th Grade Student/Parent/Caregiver Orientation 7pm SP West PAC

Last year we did a thing that has not been done in over 40 years in Wisconsin: we launched a comprehensive, public High School! The work that was done by this community was no small feat. We learned new spaces, overcame logistical obstacles, built new teams, new systems and structures. It was all new. As a staff we came the historic High School, CHUMS and from across the state and beyond to enter a new building and become the staff of West High School. We experienced significant successes and accomplishments, as well as, challenges and difficulties. We are ready to launch year 2: focusing on our successes and addressing our areas of challenge.

One West. Our Community. Our Future. Our theme for the year is One West. Our Community Our Future.

• Staff. As a staff our year long focus is to break down barriers and create partnerships across teams, departments and experience from Youth Advocates to Teachers to Student Services, Nutrition, Custodial, Admin Associates and beyond. Every adult that works with our students is an educator. This year we are intentionally deepening community and intentional connection.

• Students. As we continue to build West and focus on One West. It is our goal to have 100% of students engaged in a sport, club or activity throughout the year. Our data has shown an incredibly high correlation between involvement in one club or activity and academic success. We are in the process of launching several new clubs/activities and developing additional student voice feedback opportunities including our new Student Senate which will consist of leaders from groups across West to collaborate, break down walls and co-create what it means to be a Wolf.

• Parents/Caregivers. As we enter Year 2 we are focused on communication and connection with our parent/caregivers: increased communication from the classroom and increased opportunities for connection and involvement.

As we continue to create our identity and pride in being Sun Prairie West High School, we strive to foster a positive school culture and safe, effective, engaging learning environment for all students by being ONE PACK living out our community agreements every day.

• Pride: I do my best at all times.

• Accountability: I take responsibility for my actions.

• Collaboration: I work well with others.

• Kindness: I try to understand others and their feelings.

We will be grounding ourselves in PACK at the start and throughout the year in the classrooms, hallways and extracurricular events. Our schools buses, athletic and other curricular events are an extension of school and we will shine to the community by having high expectations in those spaces as well. We will be teaching and learning about PACK during SP30 to launch the year.

As we move into year 2 of an SPASD community with 3 High Schools in Sun Prairie (Sun Prairie East, Sun Prairie West and Prairie Phoenix Academy) we are united in our high expectations and high levels of support for students. Please grab a cup of coffee, refill your water or your favorite beverage and carefully read through our Student Handbook. This includes LOTS of important information from academics to student/parent/caregiver support to school nutrition and student fees.

We are so excited as our athletes have begun to take our fields! Before we know it they will be on the pitch, in the pool, on the stage and on the court as well. Please bookmark our 2023-2024 Athletic and Activities Calendar to mark your personal calendars for exciting upcoming events for the year.

If your student is interested in parking in our SP West parking lot and currently has a valid driver's license (not learning permit) you may purchase a parking permit at registration. Here are the Parking Permit Guidelines for the 23-24 school year. Please review these together as student and parent/caregiver.

SUN PRAIRIE WEST HIGH SCHOOL

PARKING PERMIT GUIDELINES 2023-24

We are excited to be able to provide students and staff with ample parking opportunities to have consistency of parking relatively close to the building. Students may access the student parking lot by purchasing a Sun Prairie West Parking permit for $30/semester and abiding by our parking guidelines.

Students who violate the parking regulations or traffic laws will be subject to various disciplinary actions by the school administration or local police which include but are not limited to:

● Issuance of a $30 Parking Citation (Students and/or parents will be responsible for all fines)

● Repeated violation of parking regulation may result in the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense

● Suspension of parking permit

● Revocation of parking permit

● Issuance of detention, In-School Suspension and Out of School Suspension

Parking Regulations at Sun Prairie West High School:

• Students must park in the student parking lot outside of the Performing Art Center only. Students are not allowed to park in the lot directly in front of the Main Entrance/Athletic Entrance or the side parking lot near Door 24. Both of these parking lots are reserved for staff and visitors.

• Parking permit number must match parking stall number during regular school hours/days-7:00 am-3:45 pm

• Permit must be hung from the rearview mirror clearly visible from the front windshield

• Vehicles must be registered to the assigned parking permit. A change of vehicle must be registered at the Main Office.

• Students are not allowed to loiter in cars during school days/hours.

• Unsafe driving will result in parking permit suspension/revocation

• Students are not allowed to go to their car during the school day, they must ensure they have all their materials with them when entering the building.

• Parking privileges may be suspended or revoked as part of a disciplinary action for violations of the student code of conduct.

• Revoked/suspended parking permits are not refunded.

• Parking permit numbers are randomized and assigned to specific students. Students may not trade parking permits with others.

IF A CAR IS PARKED IN YOUR ASSIGNED PARKING STALL, REPORT THE LICENSE PLATE INFORMATION TO THE OFFICE

Do not take another numbered stall...temporarily park in a visitor stall

Please reference your signed Student Parking Registration Form for additional rules, regulations and notices.

See other side for map of numbered parking stalls.

Keys to Success will be held at West High School on Thursday, August 24th from 9:00am-11:00am at West High School. This is an opportunity for students to be welcomed into West, get to know the building and start created connections with staff and students. ALL new students and incoming 9th graders are welcome! We are excited to see you there!

September is Suicide Prevention Month and while we aren't in September yet we know that transitions, such as the start of the school year, can cause additional stress for our young people. Here are resources as we work as a community to destigmatize talking about mental health and suicide prevention.. Please remember you are not alone in supporting your child/children and they are not alone. We have student support staff available yet this summer and as we start the school year to support your student, please don't hesitate to reach out and we will get them connected: jrploeg@sunprairieschools.org.

A huge shout out to all of our athletes and coaches that have begun their season or are set to begin next week! Interested in joining a fall sport? Please contact our Athletic Department TODAY! Ms. Ripp and/or Ms. Beaver are ready to answer any questions you may have. We are excited to support our Wolves in the pool, on the field, on the course and on the course this fall! Join us!

At the High School level we do not have a standard school supply list. Many teachers will let your teachers know any specific materials they will need for class during the first couple of days. To start the year please have your student bring a notebook/s, pens/pencils and their Chromebook (more information on Chromebooks to come). Especially over the last couple of years Chromebooks have become our students most important school supply. Many students also benefit from having a binder/s.

During the month of August we will be sending the Howl out weekly with more information as we gear up for the start of the school year! What questions do you have that we could answer in a future addition of the Howl? We are co-creating a brand new school and we want to hear your voice! Please fill out this quick survey with questions, topics for future newsletters and highlights/future events.

The safety of our students, parents/caregivers, staff and community is our top priority. Please see our attached annual asbestos report.