October - SPHS Parent Newsletter
October 2017
Principal's Message
We are sprinting through the second month of the school year and it's been an exciting first six weeks at SPHS. As we hit mid-term of the first trimester, we want to thank all students and their families for being patient with us as we try this new thing. It is paying dividends!
We still have work to do! In some classrooms or subjects, I have heard students' concerns about "too much lecture," or "too much homework," or "first lunch is WAY too early!" And we are working on all of those things. However, in those same conversations with students, it is clear that despite these hiccups, we have seen a reduction in stress and an overall increase in engaging lessons.
I am excited for the upcoming end of Trimester 1 and the transition to Trimester 2, which is just six more short weeks away.
First Trimester Parent Teacher Conferences
Next Tuesday, Oct 17th, we have our first P/T conferences of the year from 4-8 pm. I hope all of you can find a moment to stop down and talk with your child's teachers. Remember, with only 4-5 teachers per child, it should be a much streamlined process.
Update on WEEKLY EARLY RELEASE - HIGH SCHOOL ONLY
Our Weekly Collaborative Time has been working great for staff. We are having excellent conversations about student learning and making adjustments that are having an impact in the classroom the very next day. We hope it hasn't been too much of a challenge for families.
We have had about 125 students staying in the building during these release periods, of those we have 8 students whose parents have used the Early Release Restriction Form, to communicate to us that their student is NOT to leave campus during these releases. If you are uncomfortable with it as well, please use that link to add your child to the list.
A reminder that the Wednesday Early Releases, for High School Only, will be on the following days: (Note that March 21st, after being inadvertently left off the earlier list, is now correctly listed.)
- Oct. 11th and 18th
- Nov. 1st, 8th, 15th, and 29th
- Dec. 6th and 20th
- Jan. 3rd, 10th, 24th, and 31st
- Feb. 7th and 14th
- Mar. 7th, 14th, and 21st
- Apr. 4th, 11th, and 25th
- May 2nd, 9th, 23rd, and 30th
Contact me with any questions or concerns at chad.harnisch@saukprairieschools.org
First Trimester Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017, 04:00 PM
Sauk Prairie High School, 9th Street, Prairie du Sac, WI, United States
Winter Sports Meeting - October 30th
A couple of points of information:
- Online registration will be active on your primary skyward family access account as of 4 pm, Oct. 20th and stay open until Nov. 1st.
- We no longer accept hard copy forms (exception is for the WIAA physical, which requires a doctor signature)
- Instructions will be available on the top link of the high school athletic webpage by Oct 20th.
- The high school computer lab will be open from 5-7 pm, Monday, Oct 30th for family use.
Winter Sports (and cost to participate)
- Basketball - Boys and Girls ($70)
- Dance ($70)
- Gymnastics ($70)
- Hockey - Boys ($465)
- Hockey - Girls (TBD)
- Swim - Boys ($70)
- Wrestling ($70)
An inability to afford the participation fee should not be an impediment to participating in activities. If you cannot afford the fee, please have contact the athletic office. (If you would like to sponsor an athlete who cannot afford the participation fees, also please contact the athletic office.)
Attendance Videos
When your student does not attend school, we need to know as soon as possible. There are multiple methods to report an absence- through Skyward, by phone, or by email. The following video has more information explaining all three methods.
Senior attendance is a school board policy encouraging seniors to attend at least 90% of every class. For more information, please watch the attached video or read the linked document.
Financial Aid Night
Financial aid can be a very important consideration for students and families as they explore higher education. However, this process can seem overwhelming. Please join us on October, 17th at 6:00 pm in the RAC Gallery for a financial aid presentation. Jared Coyer, educational specialist from the Department of Public Instruction, will provide an overview of financial aid and answer questions.
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017, 06:00 PM
River Arts Center (Sauk Prairie School District), 9th Street, Prairie du Sac, WI, United States
Junior/Senior Post-Secondary Planning
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017, 07:00 PM
River Arts Center (Sauk Prairie School District), 9th Street, Prairie du Sac, WI, United States
Parenting In a Digital World
A CNN article* from 2015 indicated that "on any given day, teens in the United States spend about nine hours using media for their enjoyment." That's more time than teens typically spend sleeping, and more time than they spend with their parents and teachers. It was also found that "mobile devices account for 41% of all screen time for tweens (ages 8-12) and 46% for teens (ages 13-18)."
As a parent, do you feel like you know what they are doing/viewing and who they are talking to when they are on their device(s)?
Officer Ludowitz, Police Liaison Officer, in conjunction with Sauk Prairie Middle & High School administrators & Counselors invite you to a parent session on Thursday, November 2nd at 5:30 pm in the River Arts Gallery @ the High School to explore teen online activity and ways to ensure their safety.
The information presented will include the new social media sites and apps to watch for, some of the realities of the dangers that exist online, and how to monitor their use and what to do to help keep your child safe by using parental controls and other safety measures.
Expect to be informed and leave more equipped to parent your Generation Z child!
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/teens-tweens-media-screen-use-report/index.html
Kohl Student Excellence Scholarship
http://www.kohleducation.org/ (see link to apply)
Submission Deadline: Friday, November 3, 2017.
Purpose: The purpose of the Herb Kohl Excellence Scholarship program is to recognize student leadership, citizenship, school and community involvement, and academic achievement. It is the goal of the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation to encourage Wisconsin youth to pursue post-secondary education in a public or nonpublic university, college, or vocational/technical college. The Foundation awards $10,000 scholarships to 100 Wisconsin high school graduates each year.
Who Is Eligible to Apply? Applicants must be graduating high school students who intend to enroll in a postsecondary institution, which may be a public or nonpublic university, college, or vocational/technical college. Students who are residents of the State of Wisconsin, are in good standing, and who demonstrate probable success in postsecondary education are eligible to apply. This is a competitive scholarship. Eligibility is not limited by GPA, class rank, or any other school or program conferred status (ex. National Honor Society). Any student who meets the above eligibility criteria may apply.
Selection Criteria: Students will be evaluated on their leadership, citizenship, school and community involvement, and academic achievement. In addition, students will be evaluated on their ability to clearly articulate goals in each of four areas: future educational goals, personal life goals, community/society service goals, and career goals. Each student must submit three letters of recommendation, one from each of the following categories: 1.) Teacher, 2.) Counselor or Principal, 3.) Community member or family friend who is not affiliated with your school district. Letters of recommendation will be evaluated on how well they describe the student's improvements, contributions, and successes. Please request letters of recommendation at a minimum of two weeks prior to the November 3rd deadline.
College Goal Wisconsin
College Goal Wisconsin is a free event that provides information and assistance to families who need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) the federally required form for students seeking financial aid, such as grants and loans. Completing the FAFSA is the first and most important step in qualifying for aid. All events start promptly at 6 pm. Here are some upcoming dates and locations:
Wednesday, October 11th - Madison La Follette High School - 702 Pflaum Rd
Wednesday, October 18th - UW-Baraboo/Sauk County - 1006 Connie Rd (Lange Center)
Wednesday, October 25th - DeForest Area Middle School - 404 Yorktown Rd
Wednesday, November 8th - James Madison Memorial HS - 201 S. Gammon Rd
Attend an event and be entered to win a scholarship!
ACT Prep Classes - UW Baraboo
The ACT score is a very important piece of the post secondary puzzle. UW Baraboo is offering three Saturday test prep sessions:
Saturday Dates: December 2nd - February 3rd - June 2nd
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Where: UW Baraboo Aural Umhoefer Building Cost: $59
Register: https://ce.uwc.edu/baraboo/catalog/category/youth
Call: 608-355-5220 Email: brbceeadmin@uwc.edu
NOTE: Even though these one of these dates will be after the February test date for ALL juniors, many students will benefit from the practice, and often students will take the ACT more than once.
Academic and Career Planning
Even to those of us who have spent our careers in education, it can seem like we invent a new acronym daily. Sorry about that; we know it can be confusing. And we are using a new acronym around campus this year as we work to meet a new requirement of the State Department of Public Instruction (DPI) We want you to know what we are talking about when you hear it, so here is a brief description:
Academic and Career Planning, or ACP, is a student-driven, adult- supported process in which students create and cultivate their own unique and information-based visions for post secondary success, obtained through self-exploration, career exploration, and the development of career management and planning skills.
What is ACP?
An ongoing process to actively engage students to:
develop an understanding of his or her self
create a vision of his or her future
develop individual goals
prepare a personal plan for achieving the vision and goals
A product that documents and reflects students’:
coursework, learning and assessment results
post-secondary plans aligned to career goals & financial reality
record of college and career readiness skills.
Why ACP?
ACP is intended to equip students and their families with the tools necessary to make more informed choices about postsecondary education and training as it leads to careers. It is part of DPI's overall vision for every student to graduate high school college and career ready. That means students must be competent both socially and emotionally. We want our students to be strong critical thinkers, collaborate and solve real-world problems, and persevere when things aren’t quite going their way. When put together, it’s about making them productive adults with satisfying careers.
Upcoming Dates
Oct. 11th - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM
Oct. 17th - HS 1st Trimester Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 - 8:00 PM
Oct. 18th - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM
Oct. 25th - DIstrict Wide PLC early release - 1:50 PM
Oct. 26th - No School - Teacher Inservice/Workday
Oct. 27th - No School - Teacher Inservice/Workday
Oct. 30th - Winter Sports Meetings - 6:30 PM
Nov. 1st - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM
Nov. 8th - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM
Nov. 15th - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM
Nov. 22nd - No School - Teacher Inservice/Workday
Nov. 23rd - No School - Thanksgiving
Nov. 24th - No School
Nov. 29th - HS Only Early release for Teacher Collaborative Time - 2:42 PM