8^th GRADE TRANSITION

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mr. Murphy / Counselor A-K ​Book Appointment

owen.murphy@saukprairieschools.org / 644-2856

Mrs. Lassanske / Counselor L-Z Book Appointment

tonya.lassanske@saukprairieschools.org / 644-2854

Mr. Pratt / ACP Coordinator

kevin.pratt@saukprairieschools.org

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Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Schlough 644-2855

chelsi.schlough@saukprairieschools.org

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SPHS COUNSELING WEBSITE

One stop shop for academic and career planning & social emotional learning

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Student Link:

https://auth.xello.world/Google/Student/535b2995-51ca-46a3-9f37-2573f1292d9a

XELLO/Academic & Career Planning

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• Your interests, strengths, and passions
• Career and/or life goals
• Skills or experience you can gain in HS
• Academic preparation
• College requirements - Well Rounded
• Areas for improvement

THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Four Year College (UW Madison, Edgewood)
• Two Year College (UW Platteville - Baraboo/Sauk)
• Technical College (Madison College/MATC)
• Apprenticeships (Through Union & Madison College)
• Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard)
• Work / Gap Year

OPTIONS

HS ACTIVITIES

Are you looking to get involved with high school sports, clubs, or activities?

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• For the most up to date information, see the High School Website

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• For information on athletics, see: SPHS Athletics

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• For information on activities, see : SPHS Activities

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Remember, Current WIAA physicals are the responsibility of the student/family and are needed to participate in high school sports.

TRIMESTER SCHEDULE

SPHS operates on a 5 class period trimester schedule with an additional period for SEAS (Support & Enrichment for all Students) & Homeroom on Wednesdays

• Trimesters are approximately 60 days long | 12 weeks
• Class periods are 68 minutes | SEAS is 43 minutes
• Students must register for at least 4 classes per trimester and can sign up for a maximum of 5.
• Most freshman will take a full load of 5 classes because SEAS can provide options for study hall time

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TRIMESTER SCHEDULE

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• Each trimester course is worth .5 credit. A student may earn a maximum of 2.5 credits each trimester, 7.5 (or 7.75 with marching band) credits per academic year, and 30 credits during their four-year high school experience.
• Progress reports are issued once per trimester. Students receive a final grade report at the completion of a trimester. Final grades are recorded on the TRANSCRIPT.
• Students sign up for SEAS on a daily basis. Options include support, study time for homework, or enrichment opportunities for students to explore interests.

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TRIMESTER SCHEDULE

All classes other than music will meet for either 1 or 2 trimesters. 2 trimester classes can meet as follows:

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(Note: The first trimester of the class= “A” | The second trimester of the class= “B”)

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TRIMESTER BELL SCHEDULE

• CESA 2 runs the course connected to the school.
• Students must be 14 years and 9 months old to enter classroom. Students must be a minimum of 15 years old to obtain an Instructional Permit from the State of Wisconsin DMV. Students must pass the classroom or the online course to be eligible for the Instructional Permit.
• The class is offered with a live instructor virtually or as a stand alone online class.
• Students can drive during their free time during the day.
• MORE INFORMATION:

https://www.cesa2drivered.org/services.phtml/sauk_prairie_high_school

• Some students take D/E through Scenic Valley Driving School in Lodi.

https://www.scenicvalleydrivingschool.net/

DRIVER EDUCATION

MUSIC - 3 TRIMESTERS

• Instrumental
• Sign up for the appropriate band. Concert Band or Percussion Ensemble if you are already in band. If you plan to participate in Marching Band, make sure to add that also.

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• Vocal
• Sign up for Chorale and they will place you in the appropriate class after auditions.

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• Combination
• If you would like to do both, sign up for Concert Band/Chorale or Percussion/Chorale. Again, they will place you in the appropriate vocal class after auditions.

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What are Advanced Placement courses?

• The most rigorous classes that SPHS has to offer
• Most colleges and universities will award college credit for successful scores on AP exams (varies by school)
• Allows students to go more in depth into subject areas of interest
• Exams are the first two weeks in May and students in AP classes are strongly encouraged to take the exam
• Students are responsible for sending their scores to the college(s) of their choice

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES

There are two paths to reach AP Calculus at the high school.

A student who takes Algebra 1 in 8th grade can reach AP Calculus without accelerating in the following sequence:

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9^th - Geometry > 10^th - Algebra 2 > 11^th - AP Precalculus > 12^th - AP Calculus

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Students starting high school in Algebra 1 can accelerate after completing Geometry:

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9^th - Algebra 1 A & B

10^th- Tri 1- Geometry A (302) Tri 2- Geometry B (303) Tri 3- Algebra 2A (ACC) (304-1)

11^th- Tri 1- Algebra 2B (ACC) (305-1) Tri 2- AP Precalc A (330) Tri 3- AP Precalc B (331)

12^th - AP Calculus

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ACCELERATED MATH

ACCELERATED Social Studies

• 8th graders will take a screener at the middle school
• Recommended students can sign up for AP US History (APUSH) freshman year
• AP US History (APUSH) is available to freshmen through seniors
• Interested sophomores can take AP World History:Modern to meet their world history requirement
• AP World History is available to sophomores through seniors

Youth Apprenticeship:

Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship (YA) program is a part of a statewide School-to-Work initiative. It is designed for high school students who want hands on learning in an occupational area at a work site along with classroom instruction.

Level One:

• Junior OR Senior year of High School
• 450 hours of work-based learning MINIMUM
• 2 trimesters of related classroom instruction

Level Two (Standard YA Program):

• Junior AND Senior year of High School
• 900 hours of work-based learning MINIMUM
• 4 trimesters of related classroom instruction

YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP

YA’s 11 Career Clusters:

• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources (AFNR)
• Architecture and Construction
• Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
• Finance
• Health Sciences
• Hospitality, Lodging and Tourism (HLT)
• Information Technology (IT)
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM)
• Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL)

YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP

The Process:

• Determine Career Cluster of Interest and Job Site
• Sign up for Youth Apprenticeship & Two Related Courses of Instruction
• Meet with Mr. Talford for YA Application
• Complete a training agreement
• And you’re off and rolling!

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When does YA begin???

• Banking of hours can begin first day after school lets out of sophomore year
• Helps to know where you are going before school lets out for the summer

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YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP

Employability Skills:

The Employability Skills Certificate Program is intended to recognize a student’s mastery of employability skills valued by employers. The program is designed around the implementation of the U.S. Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS); a school-supervised work based learning experience, and a career plan. Completion of 180 on the job hours are required.

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WORK BASED LEARNING

LAUDE SYSTEM 2026 ->

CURRENTLY:

• We use GPA and CLASS RANK as a reporting statistic
• CLASS RANK is derived from ordering the GPAs in a given class
• We currently report cumulative GPA and CLASS RANK on transcripts
• CLASS RANK is based on grades and not the rigor of the course selection

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CLASS RANK:

• Could be a valid statistic if all students took the same classes with the same teachers (but they do not)
• Cannot be compared between students in other schools
• Causes stress as students compete against each other
• May encourage students to take easier classes
• Could hurt students with college admission because colleges encourage students to challenge themselves

LAUDE SYSTEM 2026 ->

While class rank is only one element of college admissions, without it the other elements increase in importance:

• Rigor of courses taken
• Strength of grades in relation to rigor
• College admissions test scores (ACT/SAT)
• Activities/Volunteerism/Work Experience
• Recommendations
• Essays

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• School districts that eliminated class rank have found that more of their students were admitted to competitive and highly selective colleges.

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• Baraboo, Deforest, Fort Atkinson, Monona Grove, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Reedsburg, Stoughton, Watertown, Waunakee, River Valley, Wisconsin Dells, Lodi, Verona do not report class rank.

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LAUDE SYSTEM 2026 ->

WHAT IS IT?:

• A tiered system that recognizes students for the rigor of their academic program as well as their success in the program:
• Summa Cum Laude: with highest praise
• Magna Cum Laude: with great praise
• Cum Laude: with praise
• Multiple students can hold each honor

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LAUDE:

• Emphasizes student competition against a standard, not other students
• Removes the risk of taking the most rigorous courses for fear of class rank impact
• Reduces mathematical GPA game among students
• Doesn’t penalize students with moderate class ranks on college applications
• Motivates students to challenge themselves academically

LAUDE SYSTEM 2026 ->

Award Levels

• There are three levels of awards:
• Cum Laude (with honor/distinction)- 30 - 49.99
• Magna Cum Laude (with great honor/distinction)- 50 - 69.99
• Summa Cum Laude (with highest honor/distinction)- 70 or more
• There may be some students who will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, such as students who study abroad or who graduate early.

Minimum GPA

• To be considered for a Laude award, a student must have a cumulative GPA after the second trimester senior year of 3.30 or higher. This is approximately the top 25% of a class.

Laude Score

• A student’s Laude score will be determined by multiplying:
• The student’s cumulative GPA after eleven trimesters
• The number of designated laude trimester credits earned through the completion of twelve trimesters.

LAUDE SYSTEM 2026 ->

Sample Calculation

• GPA = 3.685
• Laude Courses: AP Psychology (2), AP Precalculus (2), AP US History (2), AP Calculus (2), AP Lit (2), Spanish 4 (2), College Writing (1), 10 Trimesters Music (1), Biotechnology (1), Health Occupations (1)
• = 16 Laude points
• Calculation: 3.685 (GPA) x 16 (Laude credits) = 58.96 laude points which earns a designation of Magna Cum Laude

Laude Award Process

• A committee, appointed by the principal, composed of at least one administrator and one student service staff member will determine the students qualifying for each level at the end of the senior year. Their duties will also include determining case-by-case situations, such as early graduates. The principal retains final decision making authority.

STANDARDS-BASED GRADING

WHAT IS IT?:

• The SPHS Faculty has been looking at how and why we grade. We've examined our own practice and the relevant research. We've talked to our peers in neighboring schools and around the state. All of that work indicated that we should rethink the way we grade.

For the last four years, we have had some teachers using a new system of grading to find out the best ways to move forward. And now we are in the first year of a full school transition to Grading for Learning or Standards-Based Grading. By the fall of 2025, every class at SPHS will use Grading for Learning or Standards-Based Grading as our grading system.

• Please follow this link for more information:

Standards-Based Grading Information

Each year, the building principal determines staffing based on student requests. Changing schedules affects staffing. Students should make every effort to carefully select courses during course registration. Schedule changes after course registration should be made only for extenuating circumstances. Students with case managers will be required to initiate all changes through the case manager and principal.

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• YOUR COURSE SELECTIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT!
• NO SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL BE MADE for a specific teacher, a specific lunch, a specific study hall hour, a reduced schedule or a class with a friend.
• A withdrawal/failure grade (WF) will be recorded if a course is dropped after the first two weeks or the student drops below full time status.
• You must maintain a minimum of 4 classes / 2.0 credits per trimester.

SCHEDULE CHANGE PRACTICE

• FRESHMAN GRADES MATTER
• YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE HOMEWORK
• CHROMEBOOKS SHOULD BE TAKEN HOME
• CHECK SKYWARD, GOOGLE CLASSROOM, & EMAIL
• USE SEAS FOR EXTRA HELP

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THINGS TO REMEMBER

• LOCKERS ARE OPTIONAL
• CHALLENGE YOURSELF
• GET INVOLVED
• WE ARE HERE TO HELP

(ACADEMIC,PERSONAL/SOCIAL,& CAREER)

THINGS TO REMEMBER

REQUIRED COURSES

TRANSCRIPT REVIEW

Personal Financial Literacy (.5) is required JR or SR year

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Students can access an unofficial copy of their transcript in Skyward Student Access

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TRANSCRIPT ACCESS TUTORIAL

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GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST

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4-YEAR PLAN & LAUDE INFORMATION

REMINDERS

• Personal Financial Literacy (.5 credit) is required for graduation. This class will also count as Social Studies credit for the class of 2026 & 2027.

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• All students are required to pass the Civics Exam which is typically taken freshman year.

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• 4 & 2-year Colleges: Exceeding the minimum requirements demonstrates more rigor. Having more math, science, and/or social studies reflects well on an application.

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• Technical College: Specific programs may require more math or science.

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• Military: Requires meeting with a recruiter for specific requirements and information. They also require an ASVAB score.

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• Apprenticeship: Requires a special application process. See your counselor for more information.

FRESHMAN YEAR

• You have the least number of elective choices during freshman year
• 5.0 credits of graduation requirements are taken freshman year�
• The Civics Exam is completed freshman year
• Typically during US History
• Freshmen can also take AP US History (APUSH)

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• Health is completed freshman year

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• Most freshman do not take a study hall and use SEAS time. A study hall can be taken during a more challenging trimester. Study halls do not count for credit.

TOTAL: 7.0 Credits

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE

2025-2026 SAUK PRAIRIE ACADEMIC & CAREER PLANNING GUIDE

LAUDE COURSES & LAUDE CALCULATION (CLASS OF 2026 ->)

TIPS

• A master list of courses can be found on pages 11-14.�
• Descriptions of courses begin on page 15. Use the index on the front cover to locate the subject area you would like to explore.

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• Laude Honor System information begins on page 4.

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• Write down the course number on your planning sheet. This will help when you enter the information into Skyward.

4-Year Plan & Laude Information Sheet

8^th Grade Course Registration Planning Sheet

ONLINE COURSE REGISTRATION

QUESTIONS?

REGISTRATION DUE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7^th