SPASD In Focus Newsletter | 3/21/25
Highlighting important issues with clarity and transparency.
Dear Families and Community Members,
As the calendar turns to spring months, we know that spring break is just around the corner—a welcome pause for students, families, and staff alike. This uplifting feeling of hope and growth mirrors the work we're doing across all of our schools and programs. We are excited to share insights into these efforts through this newsletter, a commitment to keeping you informed and connected.
In Focus is designed to be a transparent and informative resource, providing updates on key District initiatives, celebrating areas of success, and addressing important topics that impact our school community. We believe that strong partnerships between our schools and families are essential for student results. We hope this newsletter will serve as not only a resource but also an invitation, strengthening our connection and fostering a sense of shared vision as we move forward into the promising season ahead, together. As always, please reach out with questions.
Dr. Brad Saron, Superintendent
In January, we presented to the School Board the potential to refinance $64M of the District's outstanding bonds. At the time, the Board set the goal of at least $1M in interest savings. We are very pleased to announce that PMA and Baird worked on the refinancing, and we achieved $3.6M+ in interest avoidance. This will lower the debt tax levy for the next three years by over $1.3M yearly. Here is a summary of the presentation from PMA.
We're excited to launch our new video series, Like No One Else: Student Stories. In this series, students from across our District share their unique experiences and opportunities, offering a personal glimpse into their journeys. Watch our Facebook page for a new student each week.
This week we are featuring Asha, a senior at Sun Prairie West! Asha plays the flute in the band. Learn more about how the Sun Prairie music program is setting her up for success!
Mid-Year Check-In
Get the latest updates on our progress. Watch a quick screencast from Superintendent Dr. Brad Saron and Director of Digital Media, Innovation, and Strategy Dr. Curt Mould as they break down key highlights from this year’s Mid-Year Strategic Update.
📺 Watch the update HERE.
📊 See the District Scorecard HERE.
Stay informed and see how we are making an impact together!
We are excited to welcome John Paynter (pictured in the red and black shirt) as the new Grounds Manager for our District! In this role, John will lead our Grounds Team in maintaining clean, safe, and well-kept outdoor spaces across our 483 acres of District property, including athletic fields, school campuses, and hardscapes.
John brings extensive experience in grounds management. Since 2020, he has been a building substitute teacher at Patrick Marsh Middle School. Previously, he held key leadership roles at Stuart’s Landscaping and Garden Center, serving as Operations Manager, Production Supervisor, and Tree Farm Manager. He is also the president of Wisconsin Plants Direct, with locations in Rio and New Richmond, and is an active member of the Wisconsin Master Gardener Association.
You may have noticed work occurring on our outdoor athletic fields at both Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West. This work will address inequities that currently exist between the schools. By next summer, at the end of the project, both schools will have a varsity baseball field, a varsity softball field, and a multipurpose field with synthetic turf. This may feel confusing when put side-by-side with the recent operating referendum. It is important to note that these funds come from the 2019 capital referendum. Because those are one-time funds that must be used for facilities, they cannot assist the District with ongoing operational costs. These field improvements had always been on the potential project list, but they were considered a lower priority than other projects. Because our large-scale construction projects were completed on time and under budget, we were able to tackle additional projects like these field improvements.
Please take a few minutes to dive into the Sun Prairie Community Schools Mid-Year Impact Report. There is power in schools, families, and communities working collaboratively to support one another and to ensure that ALL students flourish in thriving school communities. Sun Prairie Community Schools have partnered with over 70 community organizations during the first semester, including nonprofits, family leadership groups, faith-based partners, colleges and universities, and local businesses.
Here are some highlights of the impact we have seen from supporting the whole student, the whole family, and the whole neighborhood:
Chronic absenteeism has decreased by 8.5% across all of our Community Schools sites. When kids are in school, they can learn.
School-based food pantries operate at all of our Community Schools sites in partnership with Sunshine Place. From September 2024 to January 2025, 931 students and 305 adults were served.
Weekend meal bags to support weekend food security are distributed in four neighborhoods. In partnership with Sunshine Place, 4,848 food bags were distributed from September 2024 to January 2025.
362 students enrolled in 16 out-of-school-time programs across all of our Community Schools sites.
475 adult learners participated in one of ten free adult and/or family programs during the first semester. This supports the whole family to thrive.
57 three- and four-year-olds enrolled in free, neighborhood-based Early Learning Playgroups. Investing in early education supports long-term success.
We have eight Community Schools sites: Westside Elementary, Northside Elementary, Creekside Elementary, C. H. Bird Elementary, Patrick Marsh Middle School, Central Heights Middle School, Prairie View Middle School, and Prairie Phoenix Academy.
Knowing where to look for information on how your student is doing can be confusing. How do you know what to pay attention to? How do you check their attendance? Here are a few quick resources to help you navigate the online parent portal.
Watch a quick video on how to navigate Infinite Campus HERE.
Grades
You can visit your student’s grade book in the parent portal in Infinite Campus.
At the elementary schools, grades are final at the end of each semester.
At the middle schools and high schools, grades are entered more frequently. Parents/caregivers can access grades by visiting the "Grades" link, selecting the course, and navigating within the course to see information about individual assignments and assessments.
The Communications Committee Is Underway
The Communications Team is responsible for the District's strategic communication. Our work is informed by the Strategic Plan and Communications Plan. We are currently ending a three-year plan (2022–2023, 2023–2024, 2024–2025) and creating a new one. A committee of students, staff, parents/caregivers, and community members will meet in March, April, and May to review survey data and trends in communication and identify strategies that will inform the new Communications Plan.
Coffee with the Superintendent
To continue to engage our community and seek two-way communication, Superintendent Saron hosted a coffee event for the community in March. Six community members attended. The conversations focused on final exams, CKLA, and the hiring process for the District’s new Finance Director.
Community Conversations
Dr. Michael Morgan, our Director of Systemic Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, hosted another “Equity in Action: Community Conversations” event to promote open dialogue, two-way communication, and learning about our District’s equity work. The three attendees engaged in a good conversation about restorative justice practices in education, how our District is held accountable for equity initiatives, and ways we live out our District’s Equity Statement.