SPASH Newsletter

• Message from the Principal
• Graduation Survey
  
• Reality Shop Give Students a Chance to Practice Budgeting
• SPASH Youth Apprenticeship
• 2023 SPASH Musical - Pippin
• Multi-Factor Authentication - February 13
• Advanced Placement Computer Science Gender Gap Award
• The Mirror: Final Issue
• Scholarships Due in February
• College Planning - College and Career Fair
• Spring Athletics Meeting
• Upcoming Events at SPASH

Dear SPASH Parents and Families:

I hope this newsletter finds you and your family healthy and doing well – it’s hard to believe that we are already starting the month of February!

We will begin student registration and course selection for the 2023-2024 school year this week. Students will receive all materials in their Advisory and any OLC students will receive the materials in the mail. Students will then have two weeks to identify their choices for next year and will then submit their registration to their counselors on February 15-16. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your school counselor with any questions or for assistance with this process. You can also access Registration Information and Materials at this link on our Counseling office webpage.

Parent – Teacher Conferences at SPASH will be on Thursday, February 9, 2023 from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Teachers will be available in the classrooms during this time to meet and discuss your student’s progress or learning needs. If you are unable to attend please reach out to teachers via email or call our Main Office at (715) 345-5400 to request a virtual conference.

All juniors in Wisconsin will be taking the ACT+ Writing on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. On that day all SPASH juniors will complete the ACT at SPASH and all sophomores will be invited to attend a post-secondary field trip to UWSP and Mid-State Technical College. Seniors will have an E-Learning day. All students and families will receive more specific information about our schedule during the ACT later in February as we get closer to the day of the test and field trip.

Parents of seniors: Graduation will be here before you know it! SPASH Graduation 2023 will be on Sunday, May 28th in the SPASH Field House. You will receive a special newsletter around May 1 with all of the information that you will need to prepare for graduation. Please be reminded that students must complete all graduation requirements by May 26, 2023 and have a cap and gown to participate in the ceremony.

Again, thank you for your support and engagement in your student’s journey at SPASH. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions and we’ll work to help.

Sincerely,

Jon

One of our many traditions here at SPASH has been hosting our Commencement Ceremony the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. As we continually evaluate our events and programs to ensure they are meeting the needs of our students and community the question has been raised to move our graduation ceremonies to the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. No changes would be made this year, however based on the reaction of the community, we may implement the change for 2024. Please share your feedback in the survey below!

The Personal Finance Reality Shop was held in the SPASH library in mid-January. Students learned about budgeting after high school by being assigned a salary, family and real world expenses. Thank you to the Portage County Business Council and community volunteers for their time. Special thanks to our CTE Personal Finance instructors, Ms. Lucas, Ms. Brumfield, Mr. Pohlkamp, and Mr. Castleberg for being part of their reality experience every day!

SPASH senior Owen Kirsteatter was recognized as the first Youth Apprentice in the state to sign on with the Carpenter’s union and be dually enrolled as both a Registered Apprentice and Youth Apprentice with Boldt Construction Company. A representative from the Wisconsin Workforce Development Board shared that the average age of a Registered Apprentice in Wisconsin is 28-30 years old – also making Owen one of the youngest Registered Apprentices as well. Congratulations Owen!

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and orchestra for the 2023 SPASH musical, Pippin on an awesome performance. Special thanks to directors Dena Mercer, Luke Adsit, and Cindy Kiepert for their leadership and incredible time commitment to our students over the past few months. Congratulations to the members of the cast and musical peformances for all their hard work and accomplishment.

As an added digital security measure, SPASH will require students to use Multifactor Authentication (MFA) when logging into their district accounts while off campus starting February 13, 2023. Student accounts are at high risk for password stealing and guessing attacks by professional cyber criminals, and MFA offers protection that can prevent most of these attacks. Many employers, colleges, and universities now require MFA to protect user accounts.

This new sign-in process will require students to enter their username, password, and a code generated from a smartphone app or security token to log into their Chromebooks or district accounts while off campus. Codes are not needed when at school.

Information was shared with families on [insert date] and can be found online here [insert link].

SPASH AP Computer Science was recognized as a finalist for the 2022 AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award. The class had an impressive 45% female-student ratio. The CollegeBoard stated, "We applaud the good work your school is doing to help close the gender gap in computer science." Shout out to Computer Science instructor, Kate Kaster, for her positive impact in narrowing the gender gap in CTE!

The final issue of the SPASH Mirror is published. Check it out to find timely stories about:

• The Best Fries in Stevens Point

• Winters in Wisconsin

• Presenting Pippin

• Snow Day Impacts

• Cruise Ship: Vacation Getaway or Graveyard Stay?

• SPASH Seniors Say Sayonara

• 36: The Score of Success?

• Business Advancements in Central Wisconsin

• SPASH Greenhouse

• Review: TXT: A Voice for Youth

Congratulations to students on the publication and special thanks to Jen White and Amy Dulak, SPASH Journalism teachers, for your work in engaging our students in this learning experience.

February 1: Incoming Sophomore Elective Showcase 4:30 - 6 PM

Incoming Sophomore Parent Night, 6:00 - 7:00 PM

February 9: Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:00 - 8:00 PM

February 13 - 17: Red and Black Week

February 17: E-Learning Day for all Students

February 18: Winter Formal, 7:30 - 10:30 PM SPASH Field House

February 23: Jazz Night at the Moose Lodge, Doors open at 5:00 PM Dinner at 5:30 PM

February 28: Meet the Panthers - Spring Sports Meeting, 7:30 PM

See more events on our SPASH calendar.

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Si necesita ayuda traduciendo información que se encuentra en el correo electrónico, por favor, contacte a Miledys Benavidez-Carrillo al correo mbenavid@pointschools.net o llame al 715-498-1976.