EVERY FAMILY, EVERY DAY NEWSLETTER |
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Congratulations to the more than 500 awardees!
On April 24, over 2,000 people gathered at Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field for this year's B.E.A.M. (Black Excellence Achievement Makers) Awards. Former school board member Marilyn Ruffin founded the B.E.A.M. Awards to be a community-wide event celebrating Black students and adults in Sun Prairie.
At the start of the second semester, District staff submitted names for recognition of the Black excellence they've witnessed from the students. At the event, 10 Black women and men who are leaders in Sun Prairie congratulated each awardee as they walked on the field. This year's event celebrated over 700 awards!
Congratulations to the awardees! Thank you to the B.E.A.M. Team, all volunteers, and all sponsors for making this event possible! And thank you to everyone who came to the stadium to support the awardees!
You can see more photos from the B.E.A.M. Awards HERE.
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Update from the Department of Systemic Equity and Inclusion |
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Michael Morgan
Director of Systemic Equity & Inclusion
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Manuel Turrubiartes
Administrative Associate for Systemic Equity & Inclusion
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Teran Peterson
Community Liaison
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The Department of Systemic Equity & Inclusion/Community Cabinet has now completed its fourth meeting. After the cabinet members submitted feedback to identify the topics that the Community Cabinet wanted to focus on, District Department Leads were contacted to present on each topic in the coming months.
For the March meeting, Michael Morgan, Director of Systemic Equity and Inclusion, presented on Race, Equity, and E-Teams. In his presentation, the mission and vision statement, equity statement, and core values were used to open up the discussion to clearly define what equity is and to set the scene for all of the work that SPASD is doing to add to our efforts of equity. Mr. Morgan then presented student race demographic data to highlight our diverse student population. Lastly, Mr. Morgan closed off the presentation by outlining the work that is done by our E-Teams (Equity Teams) at each school. He included that the district has 15 E-Teams; one for each site, including the District Support Center. E-Teams are made up of diverse staff that work in collaboration with site leaders, principals, DSEI, and other committees in each school site to identify Problems of Practice (PoP). Teams then develop strategies for addressing their PoP that results in closing the opportunity/achievement gap for marginalized students.
In April, the DSEICC welcomed guest speaker Janet Thomas, Assistant Director of Student Services, as she presented on Social Emotional Learning and School-Based Mental Health.
Some of the topics that were covered included:
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in Sun Prairie
- How SEL can be used as an equity strategy
- Restorative Justice in 4K-12
- Welcoming Schools
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
After the presentation, Community Cabinet members met as a group and reflected on the data. There was time built in for them to ask any questions they had regarding our district’s equity framework and equity work that is being done.
In the coming months, we will hear presentations from district department leads on the following topics:
- Recruitment and retention of diverse staff
- Behavior Intervention
- Culturally responsive teaching and learning
More information regarding those presentations will be shared in the upcoming newsletters; stay tuned.
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Black History Mobile Museum |
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Over 1,200 students visited the Black History 101 Mobile Museum from April 25-27th. Afterward, they were able to have great conversations about the importance of Black history and how it is American history.
Founded by Dr. Khalid el-Hakim, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum is an award-winning collection of over 10,000 original artifacts of Black memorabilia dating from the trans-Atlantic slave trade era to hip-hop culture. Among this unique collection are rare artifacts representing categories including (but not limited to) slavery, politics, Jim Crow, science, religion, education, music, sports, and civil rights.
Some of the highlights of the collection were documents signed by Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Mary Mcleod Bethune, W.E.B. Dubois, Paul Robeson, Rosa Parks, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., George Washington Carver, Lena Horne, Carter G. Woodson, Angela Davis, and many other historical icons.
Through this event, students and community members were able to make connections between the past and present-day and identify windows (a story that opens up a new perspective to us, we are learning something new, we are engaging with someone else’s cultural practices) and mirrors (a story that we can see ourselves in, it resembles us or our cultural practices in some way).
Thank you to the Sun Prairie Education Foundation for graciously awarding our three middle schools a grant so that our students and our community could have this opportunity.
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Central Heights Middle School |
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Mr. Kyree Brooks Selected to be Central Heights Associate Principal
The Sun Prairie Area School District is excited to announce Mr. Kyree Brooks as the Associate Principal of Central Heights Middle School. Mr. Brooks holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Health and Performance from UW-Whitewater and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education from UW-Madison. This fall, he will begin his doctoral studies at UW-Madison in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.
Currently, Kyree serves as a Dean of Students at Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School. Before his work in Sun Prairie, Kyree served as Coordinator of Student Engagement and Positive Behavior in the Madison Metropolitan School District and worked as a special education teacher in previous years.
Mr. Brooks is ecstatic to take on leadership in a new school dynamic, produce equitable outcomes for the Central Heights Middle School community, and provide quality resources to students, families, and staff. Kyree will assist in providing direction, achieving school academic goals, and guiding the successful opening of Central Heights this fall as our new 6th-8th grade middle school.
We are excited about the passion, skills, and talents that Kyree will bring to Central Heights Middle School. Please help us warmly welcome Mr. Brooks to his new role!
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Congratulations to our Grow Your Own Graduates! |
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Our Grow Your Own Program serves as a workforce development initiative to recruit and retain diverse teacher talent. It provides the great people already working in the Sun Prairie Area School District the opportunity and support to become licensed teachers. Our District offers financial aid/tuition to encourage support staff employees to complete a degree in education while providing them opportunities for career and professional growth.
The following seven staff members graduated from the program this year:
- Carly Allard
- Oliver Kao
- Nathan Morter
- Tahiya Nazish
- LaRon Ragsdale
- Danielle Seim
- Katherine Wisz
“Through the Grow Your Own Program, I feel that I’ve made great strides as an educator, giving me the tools and knowledge to support every student, every day. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity the SPASD has given me, and am very excited to continue supporting our students as a Special Education Cross Categorical Teacher.” - Oliver Kao
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Congratulations to Our 2022 AVID Graduates!
Here is what a few of our AVID graduates' future plans entail:
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- Attending the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities to pursue a degree in Engineering
- “AVID has been a support to me throughout my high school career and given me a family to always come back to.
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- Attending the University of Wisconsin - Madison to pursue a degree in Biology
- “AVID has helped me become successful in and out of the classroom. In school, I learned about self-responsibility and motivation. Outside of school, it taught me how to effectively communicate and to have confidence in everything I do.”
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- Attending Madison College for the first two years, then transferring to UW Oshkosh for Criminal Justice.
- “AVID has helped me be extremely prepared for college & has given me the necessary skills to be successful in my college career.”
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- Planning on getting an apprenticeship and pursuing a career as an electrician
- “AVID has helped me consider all of my options in higher education and determine what is right for me.”
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- Attending the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee to pursue a degree in nursing.
- “AVID has made me more organized, more mature, and helped me conquer hard work.”
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- Attending Benedictine University to pursue a degree in Health Science.
- “AVID has helped me to organize my life and schoolwork. I have become much more productive through AVID than any other program.”
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College Tours
Some of our AVID scholars recently visited the University of Wisconsin - Madison. They listened to a presentation from the Admissions Department and went on a campus tour.
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Learning about HBCUs
Our high school AVID classes learned about different HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and HBCU alumni. Some of the AVID classes met with Jillian Patton, a Sun Prairie High School AVID alum who currently attends Lincoln University of Missouri, via Zoom. She talked about what it is like attending an HBCU.
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Sun Prairie Alum Inspiring Future Women Leaders in STEM |
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Meet Kyla Smith
Former Sun Prairie High School student Kyla Smith is opening doors for herself and future generations of women in STEM.
Smith will graduate from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater next month. She will then attend Rutgers University to pursue a doctoral degree in toxicology.
“I want to influence policy regarding contaminant exposures, particularly for communities that don’t have a voice within the government,” said Smith. “My goal is to ensure there is not a disproportionate amount of contaminant exposure in communities of color and low-income communities by educating policymakers on the negative effects contaminants have on the human body.”
Smith decided to apply to colleges as a first-generation student in the spring of 2018. When she first entered college at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, she had no idea what she wanted to do. Ultimately, she decided to major in biology since she loved her science and math courses in high school. Professors and mentors at her university later introduced her to the field of toxicology, which allows her to combine her passion for issues relating to healthcare and environmental justice.
However, getting to where she is today was not always easy. “I have faced microaggressions as a woman in STEM, particularly a black woman in STEM,” said Smith. “I have had to prove my intelligence multiple times in groups of mainly white males. There were times I felt like I did not belong just because of the lack of representation of people that look and identify the same as I do in my classes.”
“I want all girls pursuing a degree in STEM to know they belong,” Smith said. “You deserve to be where you are.”
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Every school site has a dedicated Equity Team that meets monthly with our Director of Equity and Inclusion to work on their problems of practice. We continue to have Courageous Conversation (Beyond Diversity) training opportunities as a prerequisite for staff members on equity teams.
Most of the instructional coaches and all of the new teacher mentors have been reading Elena Aguilar's book: Coaching for Equity: Conversations That Change Practice. This has been transformative in providing additional strategies for disrupting practices in our system.
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Secondary Boundary & Bell Time Changes - Beginning Fall 2022 |
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New Interactive Map for 2022-2023 Boundaries
- Sun Prairie West High School will open as a 9-12 grade High School.
- The Cardinal Heights building will become the District’s third middle school (serving grades 6-8) and will be called Central Heights, joining Prairie View and Patrick Marsh.
- Prairie Phoenix Academy will be relocated to the Central Heights building with a separate and dedicated space.
This will change the grades served at each middle and high school.
- There will no longer be an upper middle school.
- Eighth graders will be redistributed to the District’s three middle schools.
- Ninth graders will shift to Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West High Schools.
This new configuration will eliminate one school transition for students as they progress through the grades, allowing for more stability and relationship building while attending a school.
Please check Infinite Campus to see what school your secondary students will attend next year. Click on More and then on 2022-2023 School Assignment.
Click on School Locator in the top right corner. Type your address in the "Find address or place" field. The schools in your boundary area will dropdown. Click on a school to see if your student is eligible for busing.
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Click on School Locator in the top right corner. Type your address in the "Find address or place" field. The schools in your boundary area will dropdown. Click on a school to see if your student is eligible for busing.
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Sun Prairie Schools FUTURE BELL SCHEDULE (Fall 2022)
Since September 2020, the Secondary Boundary and Bell Time Task Force has diligently worked to recommend new boundaries for all secondary schools and to examine district-wide bell times to be effective September 2022.
4-Year-Old Kindergarten - District Sites
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Start Time: 7:40 a.m. / 11:42 a.m.
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End Time: 10:23 a.m. / 2:40 p.m.
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Early Release: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m.
4-Year-Old Kindergarten - Partner Sites
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Start Time: 7:50 a.m. / 11:32 a.m.
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End Time: 10:33 a.m. / 2:30 p.m.
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Early Release: Thursdays at 1:20 p.m.
Elementary School (Grades K–5)
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Start Time: 7:40 a.m.
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End Time: 2:40 p.m.
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Early Release: Thursdays at 1:30 p.m.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
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Start Time: 8:25 a.m.
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End Time: 3:35 p.m.
High School (Grades 9–12)
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Start Time: 8:35 a.m.
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End Time: 3:45 p.m.
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month |
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April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 1 in 4 women, 1 in 6 men, and 1 in 2 transgender individuals will be victims of sexual assault by the age of 18. A team of three Sun Prairie High School students worked with District administration to create an awareness campaign around this important topic. Together, this group has accomplished the following:
- Informative staff training with the Rape Crisis Center
- Personally designed posters and buttons for students and staff
- Worked with the Chief of Police and School Attorney to output resources
- Formed a health committee to explore changes to the District’s health curriculum
- An interactive table at high school lunches for students to get resources or ask questions
- Presentations during Cardinal30 advisory to share resources, answer questions, and educate students
- Social media posts on the District’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to increase awareness
We are so proud of these students and are inspired by their strength and leadership on this important issue.
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Celebrating 10 Years of Sun Prairie Community Schools
Sun Prairie Community Schools opened its first two sites in 2012. This year, as we plan to open our sixth site, we also celebrate ten years of impact in the Sun Prairie community!
In celebration of these past ten years of impact, we asked the community to help us design a logo to commemorate this milestone. Congratulations to Sun Prairie resident and graphic designer Jim Nicodemus for his winning design!
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First Lady Kathy Evers Visits C.H. Bird
On May 9, the Bird community welcomed First Lady Evers and a team of state and national leaders focused on elevating family voices.
Thank You to the students and families of C.H. Bird Elementary School for sharing their experiences and advice on how we can continue improving our schools.
Special thanks to:
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CHB Site Coordinator Shenika Moss for her work bringing these groups together.
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Principal Toepfer & AP Witzling for their continued support and leaning into deepening relationships with students, families, and community partners.
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The Black Student Union leaders for sharing their stories & for serving as hosts for the First Lady and her team.
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Prairie Phoenix Academy Students Start New Hot Sauce Business
Twelve PPA scholars embarked upon a new adventure, where they learned cooking, marketing, and financial skills. Their teacher Aram Donabedian and the CEOs of Tomorrow have guided these scholars through rigorous training with outstanding results as they created Phoenix Bangin’ Sauces and developed their own hot sauce.
Fuego Verde is handmade by Phoenix Bangin’ Sauces and gets your tastebuds bangin’ with real heat from Thai chili peppers. Fuego Verde was a huge hit and sold out online in less than 48 hours while raising money for an impactful local organization, Briarpatch Youth Services
Stay tuned: Phoenix Bangin’ Sauces is on the rise
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Westside After-School Tutors and Mentors
Prior to March 2020, our after-school program was blessed to have 2 - 3 tutor/mentor volunteers with us each afternoon. Now that we are welcoming back volunteers, we have been blessed to have them with us again! Thanks to all our volunteers and partners who make our Westside After School Program so successful! We couldn't do it without you!
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Patrick Marsh Black Student Union
Thank you to Quinton Cummings of Heartland Church for coming to speak with Patrick Marsh Middle School BSU students in March! Great voice and awesome encouragement for our young leaders!
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Northside Saturday Scholars Sessions
Northside continues to celebrate successful Saturday Scholar sessions in partnership with the 100 Black Men of Madison! Each week, scholars come it a smile and a joy to learn!
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We are seeking to diversify our workforce. To see all available positions, including the positions listed below, please scan the QR Code or visit Frontline.
- Substitute Teacher
- Elementary Principal - Creekside Elementary
- Elementary Teachers
- Middle School Teachers
- High School Teachers
- Principal's Administrative Associate - Sun Prairie West High School
- Advanced Learning Program Coordinator - District-Wide
- College, Career, and Life Readiness Coordinator - Sun Prairie East High School
- 4K-12 Literacy Coordinator - District-Wide
- Substitute Support Staff
- Community Schools Instructor
- Instructional Coach - Sun Prairie West High School
- Library Media Specialist - Central Heights Middle School
- Lead Administrative Associate - Central Heights Middle School
- Custodians - Sun Prairie West High School
- Health Assistant - District-Wid
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HUMAN RESOURCES CONTACTS:
Chris Sadler, Human Resources Director
Isabel Simonetti, Employee Relations Manager
humanresources@sunprairieschools.org
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Mission
Futures depend on us to inspire and prepare every child, every day by providing relevant, engaging, and innovative learning experiences in and out of the classroom.
Vision
To be a high performing district of choice that reflects the cultures of our diverse community.
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