Wow, what a fantastic start to May that we have had. Celebrations of our students and community are beginning, Educator Appreciation week was nothing short of fantastic, our student scholars have been dominating AP tests, sports are entering the post-season, the energy is palpable. We celebrate all that we have accomplished and continue to strive to improve up until the final day of the year. Please see important information in the Howl this week on vaping and students flushing vapes at school. We need your partnership to bring this to an end. We also continue to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Jewish American and Mental Health Awareness month.

• Upcoming Events
• Daily Announcements
  
• May Celebrations and Recognitions
• Celebration
• Bathrooms, Toilets and Vaping
• Know the Risks of Vaping
• SP West Educator Appreciation Week
• Senior Information
• Prom Tickets
• Future Wolves
• Charger Sale
• Library Materials and Chromebooks
• Yearbooks
• New Lunch Option- SAMPLES!
• 5th Hour Tutoring
• Classroom and Student Spotlights
• In Case you Missed It!

• May 6th-May 17th- AP Testing

• May 9th (8:00am)- May 15th (4:00pm- hard deadline)- Prom tickets for sale (juniors and seniors) on GoFan

• May 15th- Senior Celebration Night

• May 18th- Junior Prom (open to juniors and seniors)

• May 21st- AVID Senior Celebration Night @ SP East 6:00pm-8:00pm

• May 22nd- Wolf Welcome- 8th Grade Transition Day and Evening

• May 23rd- NHS Induction Ceremony @SP West 6:00pm-7:00pm

• June 7th- Graduation at 5:00pm at Alliant Energy Center (no tickets necessary)

Have you ever walked by the screens while in the building at West and thought, I want to make sure my student knows about that? Here are our student announcements so that parents/caregivers can have the same information to remind and encourage student involvement.

As we continue through Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander's month, please take a moment to watch this short video hearing the voices of Asian American's from a variety of cultures, heritages and their experiences.

This video explores and celebrates the culture of several families through a variety of Asian heritage through food, traditions and cultures.

This week's focus on Mental Health Awareness Month brings us two videos sharing about the importance of mental health and resources available to ANYONE including 988. Learn more:

May is also Jewish American Heritage month. Please take a moment to see many influential Americans who are Jewish.

Over the last several weeks we have made tremendous gains in the vandalism that we were experiencing previously in bathrooms: kicking in of doors, breaking of sinks, breaking of paper towel dispensers and stealing of soap dispensers. We have also improved and increased our use of our vape detectors and increased our consistency in following up with any student suspected of vaping in the bathroom. This has led to identifying many students who have been vaping and following up with consequences and support. We have also seen an increase of students sharing information with staff so that we can work together to ensure our bathrooms are open and safe to all.

However, due to these increases in monitoring, follow-up and community collaboration (staff and students), we have a new problem. Students are flushing vapes at an alarming rate. Students have now taken to flushing vapes when finished or when an adult enters the space. This is causing additional bathrooms to have to be closed because toilets are becoming plugged. Often, when we are working to solve when systemic problem the pressure put on the system causes new behaviors and new problems on the path to a true solution. That is what we are experiencing now.

We need your help and partnership. Please take to your student about the dangers of vaping in general and ensure that your student is not bringing vapes to school. We have learned from students that they are hiding them in bras, underwear, etc... places we can't search. Students who are suspected of flushing vapes will have an administrative conversation and phone call home. Students who are found to be flushing vapes will face consequences equal to vandalism and violation of school rules.

We are making progress in establishing the culture that we all desire: One West an intentional school community where students, staff and families feel seen, valued and heard. We work to: understand our own story and the story of others, identify and eliminate barriers; problem solve solutions; build relationships; actively listen to and lift the voices of our students, in order to create equitable opportunities and outcomes. Our community supports and empowers high expectations for all students and all staff so that all students are college, career and community ready AND where bathrooms are open and safe. Together we can get through this latest challenge to be able to reopen bathrooms for all.

There is a common misconception that vaping is completely harmless. The truth is, vaping is not safe, especially for teens and young adults. Research shows that 66% of teens think their vaping instrument only contains flavored liquid.

What many don’t understand is that these liquids may also contain toxic substances such as formaldehyde, diacetyl, and acrolein. Inhaling these chemicals can significantly harm their lungs. Many vaping liquids also contain nicotine, which can be very addictive for teens and young adults, and can seriously impact their brain development.

Exposure to nicotine at a young age can make it easier for teens to get hooked on vaping and using other tobacco products. Research has also discovered that individuals who vape are more likely to go on to use marijuana or smoke traditional cigarettes compared to their non vaping peers.

Resources: Your student can work with West Student Services staff on a quitplan, for more education, and other community resource referrals. You can also call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT NOW or text "READY" to 200-400.

Conversation Starters: Talking to Your Teen About Vaping

How to Talk to Kids About Vaping Risks Visual (photo)

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone who helped contribute to the Teacher Appreciation nacho bar on Thursday. It was FANTASTIC and so greatly appreciated. Thank you also to everyone who provided financial contributions to support. We are preparing to celebrate our staff at the end of the year as well, if you would like to donate, please consider donating to support our educator appreciation week by either through Venmo at @john-nelson-160 (last 4-7296) or by donating directly to our Financial Admin Assistant Tina in the Front Office all donations will go to our staff celebration fund.

Staff (and students) had a blast participating in "The Contest" last week with the grand finale on Friday. Check out some of the joy that took place. Be on the lookout/ask your student about it in the future as there is more to come.

There will be a senior class meeting during SP30 TOMORROW (5/13). We will discuss graduation logistics and answer questions. If students are unable to attend, we will send out the slideshow and resources presented through the HOWL after the presentation.

Senior Yard Signs will be available for pick up during our Senior Celebration Night on Wednesday, May 15th. Don't worry! If you are not able to attend, you can grab your sign starting Thursday, May 16th in the Front Office. Reminder, it is one sign per Senior student.

Don't forget the Senior Celebration THIS WEEK!

Graduation is quickly approaching. Wondering: Where is graduation? What time does it start? Do I need tickets? Find all of your answers in the document below.

• When: Tickets to SP West Prom are currently on sale and the sale ends promptly Wednesday, May 15th at 4pm.
• How: Tickets are being sold through Go Fan - the same app we use for all athletic events.
  
• Access Codes: Students will have to enter an access code to purchase tickets. That code is their 5 digit student ID number.
  
• Who: Juniors and Seniors have access to purchase 2 tickets. One for themselves and one for a guest- all students who purchase a guest form must have an approved guest form. Your guest form has been approved unless you hear from administration (This includes virtual, GEDO and PPA students whose home school is SPW)
• Cash Sales: If any students need to pay cash for their tickets, and are not able to purchase through the Go Fan app, please send them to the athletic office and we can help them.
• Troubleshooting: If after trying all of the above and they are still having trouble, please see the athletic office.
  

If you are interested in attending prom at another school (including SP East) you will need to have a Guest Form signed. The Guest Form is obtained at the school whose prom you are planning to attend and needs to be signed by an administrator here at West.

• Bring your Guest Form for a DIFFERENT school to the back ADMIN OFFICE to Ms. Blank
• You grades, attendance and behavior will be reviewed. If you are failing a class, have missed more than 10% of the school year or have had a suspension you will need to meet with an administrator to check-in before the form will be signed. This does NOT mean you won't be able to go, however, it is an opportunity for a check-in and planning for success for the remaining 6 weeks of the school year.
• Behavior that has led to suspension may result in not being able to attend, particularly suspension occurring between now and the end of prom season.

On Wednesday, May 22 all 8th grade students will be coming to Sun Prairie West High School in the morning to get an introduction to the high school, take a tour and meet staff. That evening from 6pm-7pm, families will be invited to an 8th Grade Introduction to High School presentation and tour. We hope to see you there! Go Wolves!

There will be a charger sale on Thursday, May 16th in the cafeteria. This is a great time to replace a lost charger - chargers are normally $30, but for one day only, you can purchase a charger for $15! Cash or card accepted.

This letter is to provide information about your student’s chromebook as we approach the end of the year. Students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will keep their school-issued device over the summer unless they are leaving the district, in which case the device should be returned by June 7th, 2024. Students can still access school applications and use their device. Filtering software will still be active throughout the summer. Students are expected to care for their device over the summer just as they would during the school year.

Seniors must return their devices before graduation on June 7th, 2024.

Device Collection for Seniors will begin on June 5, 2024 in the LMC. Students will be called to the library by last name. If you no longer need your device, feel free to turn it in earlier. Devices and chargers will be collected. If you have lost your charger, there will be a charger sale on Thursday, May 16th in the cafeteria. Chargers will be $15 - cash or card will be accepted. The regular price for a missing charger is $30.

Google Takeout Instructions (transferring student account data to a personal account) were posted in the senior class Google Classroom and are linked below. Seniors will lose access to their district accounts on June 30, 2024 and should begin transferring their data as soon as possible to avoid loss of files. Since your personal Google account is not considered the “owner” of your school account’s data, you may lose access to those files once your student account is deactivated, unless you go in from your personal account and “MAKE A COPY”.

Fines for overdue library materials, missing Chromebooks and chargers will be assessed on June 7th. Any materials needing to be returned after this date should be brought to the District Service Center at 501 S. Bird St.

Link Here for Google Takeout Slideshow

Link Here for One Pager Instructions for Google Takeout

Congratulations! Best Wishes!

Ms. Walters & Mrs. Dahl

Yearbooks are in! Yearbooks will be available for pick up on Tuesday, May 21st, Wednesday, May 22nd, and Thursday May 23rd before school (8AM-8:30AM), during both lunches, and after school (3:45-4PM).

Early Grads: Yearbooks could be picked up during the distribution times listed above or in the Main Office from May 28th and beyond.

On May 14th the Nutrition Department will be sampling vegetarian ‘Chickn’ Nuggets and Boneless Wings and a Cocoa Chickpea Sandwich for students. This will be available during both lunch periods and if you fill out the accompanying survey, you will get a cookie!

As we begin to approach the end of the school year, remember that 5th Hour Tutoring is available to ALL students. Make plans to come and get that extra help/encouragement to get that grade up! Coaches encourage student-athletes to ensure their academics are taken care of first, so if you need to attend and may miss some practice, please talk to your coach!

In Digital Storytelling, students are working in the library to make stop-motion short films. They found or made their own subjects and settings and then take pictures frame by frame of the story to put together into a short film at the end.

They even made their own sound effects in the sound studio!

If you don't already, please follow SP West on Facebook!

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.

Information from previous Howls that's too important to miss!

Looking for housing or more information on housing stability steps? Check out these community events coming up with our partners at Sunshine Place!

Students also have the opportunity to attend the Renting 101 workshop! If your student is interested, have them speak with their school social worker Ms. Sirianni or Ms. Fahey

Kobussen has a Lost & Found for items left on the bus. The driver keeps the lost item on the bus for a few days, then turns it in at the Kobussen terminal. If your child has a lost item don’t forget to check with Kobussen. Feel free to stop by the terminal at 1500 Forward Drive, Sun Prairie or call (608) 825-8700.

Individual Senior Wolf invitations have been sent out for our Senior Celebration on Wednesday, May 15th from 6:00pm-8:00pm (students being recognized need to arrive by 5:15pm). ALL Seniors and their Parents/Caregivers are welcome! Students who are being recognized at the event received an individualized invitation on Friday afternoon via email. We will be celebrating the Class of 2024 through: Academic Awards, Local Scholarship Announcements, Department Awards with refreshments provided by our ProStart students. Excited to see you there.

Its hard to believe that fall sports will be here before we know it! Fall sports have kick off meetings between now and the end of the school year. Are you interested in a fall sport? Reach out to Ms. Beaver and Ms. Ripp in the Athletic Office for more information.

Last week we held College Information Night. Topics covered included:

• Academic and Career Planning

• Accessing Post Secondary Information

• Navigating the College Application Process

• Preparation opportunities for students

• How to Pay for College

• Annual TO DO LISTS

If you missed it you can view it on our website or HERE

This spring there have been measles cases in several states. Measles is a very contagious virus. It spreads easily and quickly when people cough and sneeze. If you haven’t had the measles vaccine, just being in a room with someone who has measles can make you sick.

Measles can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. It can be prevented by the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.

• The vaccine is safe and effective. The best protection against measles is measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

• Most people are vaccinated as young children because two doses are required to go to school. One dose is usually given at 12-15 months of age, and a second dose is given before the start of kindergarten at 4-6 years of age.

• Most people who get measles are unvaccinated. When the measles finds a group of unvaccinated people, it can spread very quickly.

Check your immunization records

You can check your child’s immunization record on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or with your healthcare provider.

If our school records do not show that your child has received two doses of the MMR vaccine you will receive additional communication from the school.

Get Vaccinated

• If you have health insurance: reach out to your healthcare provider to make an appointment.

• If you don’t have health insurance or if your child is on BadgerCare: You can make an appointment with Public Health on their website or by calling (608) 266-4821.

Watch for Measles Symptoms

Measles symptoms begin with a fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed by a rash that usually spreads from the head to the rest of the body. If you or your child has these symptoms, call your healthcare provider. Do not go to a clinic, urgent care, or emergency room without calling first.

For more information on measles, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/

Do you have the Infinite Campus app on your phone? If not, please download it today! See the directions below on how to access Parent Portal.

Why is Parent Portal important?

• Get real time updates on grades
• Get real time updates on attendance
• Set notifications to keep you up to date on your students progress

Infinite campus is our Number 1 communication tool with parents/caregivers. Have it right at your finger tips!

1. Go to the Sun Prairie Area School District web page

2. Click on Infinite Campus

3. Click on Campus Parent

4. Enter your Username and Password (if you’ve already logged in to Campus Parent Portal

previously/have a username and password)

5. Click on New User? (if you have not set up your Infinite Campus Parent Portal

6. I need to obtain my Activation Key: Please email: enroll@sunprarieschools.org

7. Once you’ve received your Activation Key, copy and paste it directly into the Activation Key

area. You will be prompted to move forward with setting up your Campus Portal Account.

1. Search your app store for Campus Parent
2. Enter your Username and Password (if you’ve already logged in to Campus Parent Portal
3. previously/have a username and password)
4. Click on New User? (if you have not set up your Infinite Campus Parent Porta
5. I need to obtain my Activation Key: Please email: enroll@sunprarieschools.or
6. Once you’ve received your Activation Key, copy and paste it directly into the Activation Key area.
7. You will be prompted to move forward with setting up your Campus Portal Account

A few important parking reminders and expectations as we continue to have situations that are unsafe for students.

• When dropping off students ONLY use the RED Student Drop Off Zone. We are seeing many parents/caregivers dropping students off in the YELLO Bus Loading Zone, Student Parking and Visitor Staff Lots. This creates situations in which there are moving cars where others are trying to park, blocked parking spots and student being nearly hit by cars when trying to walk through designated areas.
• Do NOT pull into light blue designated accessible parking, or block these spots, for any length of time if you do not have a government issued tag/license plate. We have students that require the use of these spots and on a regular basis are having their access limited due to others blocking or being in the locations.
• The DARK BLUE service road behind the building is for Emergency Use only. Prepare for these gates to begin being closed as we have seen an increase in individuals using this back road at the end of the day in an attempt to avoid traffic. Unfortunately this creates unsafe circumstances and a student was nearly hit last week.
• The gray circle near the end of the staff parking and service road is designated for specialized transportation pickup only. The only pick up that should take place in this location is specialized buses and parent/caregivers working with their student's IEP team.
• Finally, students a reminder to park in your student designated parking spot in the GREEN LOT.

We are working to have an increased presence in these locations with our School Resource Officer and Administration to enforce these important safety measures, warnings and tickets may be issued for infractions.

We know that drop-off, pick-up and parking can be difficult and busy times at a comprehensive High School. Please ensure that you are planning ahead with appropriate time. If we all work together the system will work and keep everyone safe.