Cardinal Connection
February 2020
¡Este boletín se puede traducir! Primero, haga clic en el enlace "View it in your browser" en la parte superior del correo electrónico (si lo está viendo desde su bandeja de entrada). Luego, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de la página donde dice "Translate" y elija su idioma.
Letter from the Principal
Hello SPHS Family and Friends!
We are now into the second semester and the time is flying by. Students are in the process of scheduling for classes for the 2020-2021 school year! Students will submit their choices on Thursday, February 6 in Homeroom.
Please work together to look over the class options and take the time to make sure students are comfortable with what they are signing up for. We build the entire schedule for the next year based on what students are selecting now and it is difficult for students to change classes. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful options for students throughout their high school career.
Now that we are into the second half of the year, we have much going on and much on the way. With ACT testing only a month away, I want to share important information. March 3, we will be administering the ACT test that all juniors in Wisconsin take that day. As a result, only juniors will report to school on that day; sophomores and seniors will not have school on March 3. This enables us to run a schedule that is best for our students to take the ACT test. A schedule for that day will be sent out soon. The WorkKeys test is listed on the district calendar that was sent out, however, we will no longer be taking this test so please disregard that assessment.
On April 14, our sophomore students will be participating in the ASPIRE test and we
will run a similar schedule as the ACT day. Only sophomores will report that day and all
other students will have the day off. More information will follow in the coming weeks.
February we are celebrating Black History Month with numerous events and opportunities for all students and families. Please look through this newsletter to see the opportunities in which you and your students can participate.
As we continue to progress through the year, we are excited about the changes and opportunities we are creating for our students. As always, please let any of the administrative team know of any questions or concerns you have. We look forward to a fantastic second half of the year.
Warm Regards,
Keith Nerby
Principal
Did You Know
Did you know that you can excuse your student in advance? If you know the date of an appointment or a future event, you are welcome to email, call or even send in a note to let us know.
Email all requests to Kelly Reindl, Attendance Secretary at khreind@sunprairieschools.org.
This has become a popular way to correspond, and your email is usually seen immediately.
The attendance phone lines are available 24 hours for parents/guardians to leave a message to excuse their student. They are also checked regularly throughout the school day. In an effort to expedite the volume of calls we receive (especially in the morning), we have added an extra phone line. When you call in to 608-834-6993, there is a prompt that says, “To report an absence, press 1. If your student needs to leave for an appointment today, press 2.”
You are also welcome to write a note to excuse your student. It needs to include all the same information we need with a phone call or email, and also needs to be signed by a parent/guardian and must include a phone number.
Kelly Reindl, Attendance Secretary
608-834-6993
Message from Kobussen
Bus Driver Recognition Week
February 10-14, 2020 is School Bus Driver Recognition Week in the State of Wisconsin. Be sure to thank your child’s bus driver for all they do to get our students to and from school safely every day!
Families with Rural Stops
If your child’s bus stop is at your house and your child or children are the only students assigned to that stop, please notify Kobussen no later than 6:30 AM if your child will not be riding the bus that day. This helps drivers stay on time and avoid driving to locations if there are no students to pick up. Call Kobussen at 825-8700, option 1 to let the dispatcher know if your child will not be riding.
When your child is riding, please make sure he/she is visible to the driver from the road.
Bus Pick-up Times
Please remember that your child should be ready and waiting at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. This will ensure your child doesn’t miss the bus if the route is running slightly ahead of time. Anything within 5 minutes of the scheduled time is considered on time.Relationships and Communication: Social Media
Social Media can get a bad wrap, and sometimes, for good reason. New and ever-changing apps are hard to stay on top of, and many features CAN be used for negative and harmful things. But Social Media can also provide our students with a lot of opportunities to be connected, to find community, to be expressive, and to contribute to the world in a positive way. Really, social media is part of how people build relationships and communicate in a digital world. As a parent, helping your child capitalize on the opportunities while being aware of the drawbacks can be tricky. Here’s some advice:
11 Social Media Red Flags Parents Should Know About, and What to do About Them
5 Reasons You Don't Need to Worry About Kids and Social Media
In school, we teach kids about the positives AND negatives of social media, and help them think about their own social media experiences. We categorize this learning under the Relationships and Communication focus of our digital citizenship curriculum. From our students, we have found that a big topic around social media is oversharing.
Check out this video to learn more about oversharing.
Here are more resources to explore:
K-5th Grade Relationships and Communication Family Tip Sheet
6-12th Grade Relationships and Communication Family Tip Sheet
PSAT Scores
If your student took the PSAT in October and has not yet picked up his/her score report yet, please have them stop in to student services to pick up their copy. Scores can also be accessed online at studentscores.collegeboard.org/home. Students that do not yet have an account set up will need to click on “Sign Up” to set up an account. They may need the Access Code that is printed on the cover of the student’s score report.
A reminder that only juniors are eligible to enter the National Merit Scholarship Competition based on their selection index score. Of the 1.6 million NMSC program entrants, about 50,000 will earn PSAT/NMSQT scores high enough to qualify them for recognition. If your student is recognized, they will receive more information in the fall of their senior year. National Merit Scholars represent the top 1% of graduating seniors.
Keep in mind: No matter what score your student attained, this test is rigorous and offers a great opportunity to practice for college admission tests!
New Electronic Safety Tip Line
The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority for the district. We have been teaching our students to say something to a trusted adult when they see something unsafe. Sometimes, though, there are barriers to reporting safety issues in person. Tip lines are one common approach that schools use to promote school and student safety and well-being. Tip lines are designed to provide students or other members of the school community with a safe and confidential way to report a threat to safety or security.
To that end, we have created an Electronic Safety Tip Line available on the district website. The e-Tip Line allows students, parents, or community members to report weapons, threats of violence, bullying, sexual harassment, potential threat of suicide, drugs, and any other activity that could potentially endanger students, staff, and property. The tip line should not be used to report an immediate danger to someone’s life. Always use 911 to report those emergencies.
We are developing a communication plan to roll this out to students in upper elementary, middle school, and high school. The e-Tip Line is available on the district website from the “Families” menu and “Quicklinks” and can also be found on the district bullying and safety webpages.
The Electronic Safety Tip Line is just one way that students can report concerns about safety. For example, if a student wishes to file a bullying report, the Fillable Bullying Report Form is also available on the website under bullying and reporting.
Cyberbullying
Anytime children enter digital spaces (online, texts, apps,etc.) they are susceptible to cyberbullying.
What you need to know:
Cyberbullying is real. People can be mean. Technology makes being mean easier.
Awareness and Communication are key. Talk to you child openly and often about their online behavior.
Spot Check. They may not like it, but tell your child to expect spot checks. This will help you better guide them in navigating their online activity.
Develop a Plan. Talk through scenarios of how to deal with cyberbullying before it ever happens so your child has a plan to fall back on if it does.
Set Limits. Bullying can happen at any time of the day, but it can have a greater impact on kids when there is no relief.
Check Yourself. Much of what our children know about digital behavior stems from what they see at home. Model healthy online habits, children are always watching!
Remember that while cyberbullying can be scary, a lot of healthy and positive relationships can come from connecting digitally. A strong focus on kindness and empathy are always important in supporting healthy relationships in the digital world and the real world.
For more information and tips, please check out our cyberbullying resources in the Plugged in Parenting section of our District Website.
Resources from Common Sense Media:
K-2nd Grade Family Activity - Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
3rd-5th grade Family Activity - Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
Article: Is There Any Way to Make Sure My Kid Won’t Become a Cyberbully?