May 2025 Newsletter
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Hello Sugar Creek Families, We can hardly believe that it is almost the end of May! We have a lot of helpful and informative updates about Spring fun and our upcoming end of the year activities, to share with you!
~Mr. Brunner and Ms. Houghan |
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Friday, May 23th: All Student Library Books Due. Please reach out to our school librarian, Ms. Vitela, if you have any questions: vitelaj@verona.k12.wi.us Saturday, May 24th-Madison Forward Soccer Night Monday, May 26th-No School, Memorial Day Friday, May 30th-Fifth Grade Party Monday, June 2nd-Last Late Start Monday of the Year Monday, June 9th-NO LATE START Monday, June 9th- 5th Grade Promotion, 1 PM Tuesday, June 10th-Last day of school! Release at 11:30 am! |
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When Caleb and Elijah Graveen were in Mr. Shrader’s First Grade class, last year, they learned all about the necessary ingredients to make seeds grow, and students planted seeds in class. The boys planted tomato seeds in class that they brought in from home. One year later, their two seeds have…taken over a side of Mr. Shrader’s classroom! The boys recently returned to visit their former teacher and check on some of the massive tomatoes the two plants are producing. |
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All students should be learning and growing academically, socially, and behaviorally when at school. Advanced academic learners have been a key focus of our school and district. We know this topic is important to families at Sugar Creek, and share this information to help you be informed of our work. Last year, Sugar Creek piloted a mathematics curriculum add-on called Bridges Concept Quests that was so successful that it has now been approved for Grades 2 -5 across VASD’s neighborhood schools. This year, Sugar Creek had two staff members who guided our school’s work with advanced learners: Ms. Nicole Real and Ms. Lori Martin. Their work included training teachers on the above mentioned math curriculum add-on as well as serving on a district-wide elementary committee to guide our district’s future plans to meet the needs of advanced learners. Next year, Sugar Creek (and other VASD elementary schools) will have a designated part-time position whose work will include a focus on Advanced Learning. A district-wide family advisory committee is also being created, and there will be ways for all families to give input. At Sugar Creek, we also offer Wordmasters, for Grades 3-5 students who are ready and interested in challenges in literacy; and Continental Math League, for Grades 3-5 students who are ready and interested in deeper learning in mathematics. If you are interested, here are resources that can you can use to support your child’s learning from home:
Resources for Purchase:
Summer Opportunities
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Our school’s Health and Wellness Team helped organize our all-school walk, on a chilly Monday morning. |
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Sugar Creek has a large Tri 4 Schools team, coached by Ms. Ruder, Mr. Westberg, Ms. Borelli, Ms. Hoffman, and parent Ms. Osterholz. They have been training for their exciting swim / run / biking event which occurred last Saturday in Waunakee. Bella Vasseur, a player on the National Championship Badger Women’s Hockey team, recently joined the Sugar Creek team for a practice to encourage and motivate the them. Way to go, Sugar Creekers! |
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This year marked the third year of Sugar Creek’s collaboration with Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program that provides trained literacy tutors to participating schools. We have been lucky enough to have had two tutors work with Kindergarten through 3rd grade students at our school again this school year. Mr. Brunner and Ms. Real, the Sugar Creek instructional coach who also serves as a school-based coach for the tutors, regularly meet with the Reading Corps Program Manager that supports our site to review data and reflect on the program’s impact. At a recent meeting we learned that our Reading Corps tutors have spent 74,600 minutes or 3,738 sessions tutoring Sugar Creek students so far this school year . Throughout the course of the year they have met with a total of 69 K-5th grade students individually or in pairs, with 89% of the students achieving at or above the target growth on their weekly progress monitoring. Many Sugar Creek teachers and families have shared the ways this program and its tutors have positively impacted their students’ learning. Considering potential federal budget cuts and shifts, we are very much hoping this partnership with Reading Corps will continue, as it builds our students’ literacy skills and reading confidence! |
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Occasionally we become aware of staff, or others, who do tutoring. While we are not able to recommend a tutor, we are able to provide ideas and let families make their own decisions. Contact Mr. Brunner for further information. |
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Have a new neighbor? If you have a new neighbor with children, have them call our school office at 608-845-4100 or the VASD Registrar at 608-845-4361 so that we can help ensure their children can attend school!
Moving away? |
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You’re Invited!
Join us as we celebrate YOU—our amazing volunteers—
Come relax, enjoy some goodies, and let us say thank you in the most delicious way possible. email doberstr@verona.k12.wi.us with any questions.
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Our students enjoy daily access to Sugar Creek’s Free Little Library, and we welcome your support throughout the year! We’re currently accepting donations of gently used, high-quality children’s books — especially Spanish-language titles. Popular Requests Include: Ways to Donate: View our Amazon Wish List: Ramona Doberstein – doberstr@verona.k12.wi.us Teresa Hoffman – hoffmant@verona.k12.wi.us |
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On Thursday, May 1, we recognized Asian American and Pacific Islander people in America at Sugar Creek's monthly Community Gathering. It was a marvelous kick-off and event.
Dr. Peggy Choy, a world-renowned UW Madison professor of dance, spoke about Asians in America, her own family's journey herer from Korea, and then performed a dance she created celebrating rice harvest season, which she in her closing remarks connected to our own Wisconsin Ojibwe traditions. |
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April Golden Award Winners:Golden Lunch Tray-Ms. Fagan's Class Golden Shoe- Ms. Pustina's Class Golden Recess- 3rd Grade TWI Golden Dustpan-5th Grade TWI |
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Discover the World of SPANISH! Registration for the 2025–2026 school year is now open – with all-new materials and lessons! Register by June 6, 2025 and receive $15 off tuition! In the air, on land, and in the sea – travel and explore the world in Spanish! Don’t miss this valuable opportunity for your student to build Spanish skills in a fun, interactive bilingual classroom! Enroll today: https://futuraadventures.com/ |
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On May 8, we hosted several open times for future Sugar Creekers and their families to learn all about Kindergarten and our school. We had over 60 family members attend! Pictured are families learning all about Kindergarten from Ms. Houghan, and also our four Student Council tour guides: Jake, Cora, Alice and Camdyn. They did a great job of telling families first-hand why this is such a great school.
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You have to agree, these four incredible teachers, once again, bring out the best in our students! We recently concluded an amazing week of celebrating the musical and artistic academic achievements of our students! Among our attendees were two recent VASD superintendents: Dr. Bill Conzemius (who was also a former Sugar Creek principal), and Dr. Dean Gorrell (who also is a present Sugar Creek parent). |
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Former VASD student and present Channel 27 meteorologist Emma Hietpas recently spoke to our Kindergartners, teaching them all about the weather and taking their questions. She shared that, “Visiting schools is one of the best parts of my job!”
Our Fifth Grade teacher team partnered with City of Verona (and Sugar Creek parent) Jeremy Oestmann and Matthew Duffy of ECO Tree Company to devise a hands-on culmination to a ecology unit. Students all toured our nearby school forest and learned all about native and invasive plants, decay, fungus, root systems, flowering plants, and much more.
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Our Fifth Grade meets each year with their future counselor and principal. This year, Associate Principal Ms. Arango Tavera and Counselor Ms. Amie Pittman talked to our students about their upcoming school year. They brought a panel of former Sugar Creekers to help answer questions! Left to right in the picture are Mairany Sanchez Martinez, Emma Auger, Ghangri Kharitsang and Caleb Goodavish. |
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We partnered this year with VAHS to place excellent young high school leaders at Sugar Creek as mentors. Overseen by Ms. Diana Castellanos and Ms. Emily Valdivia, a group of high schoolers and Sugar Creek students met weekly. We recently celebrated their service to our school! They are, left to right: Pierre Nickles, Reese Manning, Breyslin Ramirez, and Kodjo Abosi, and not pictured: Habib Ogunmola |
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Biking UnitHello Sugar Creek Families,
On behalf of the Physical Education department, we would like to share some information about an upcoming unit that will begin Tuesday, May 27th, 2025! Sugar Creek students 2nd-5th grade will be participating in our district-wide Biking Unit. Sugar Creek’s Biking unit will occur from May 27th - June 9th in Sugar Creek’s front parking lot throughout the school day. Students love this unit and enjoy this life-long activity!
During our Biking Unit, student learning focuses and goals are related to DPI PE Standard 3 which states, “The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness,” and Standard 5 which states, “The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction.” Students will also learn about road signals and biking safety. Throughout the unit, visual aids and technique/skill modifications will be provided for students in order to build confidence and comfortability.
For health and safety reasons throughout the unit students are required to wear helmets and tennis shoes/or sneakers while participating in class.VASD provides all helmets for students, but if you would like to send your student with their own safety gear, you may. Sugar Creek’s front parking lot will be coned off and closed Monday through Friday from 7:55 A.M-1:45 P.M. in order to provide a safe and least restrictive learning space for all students. The parent drop off lane will be open for student drop off or pick up during the day. Thank you for your consideration and cooperation!
Ms. Heather Curtis Mr. Bill Rose Ms. Sydney Johnson |
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Extra Clothes NeededIf you have any extra clothes that you plan to donate to Goodwill or St. Vinny's, please consider donating them here to the school nurse! When students have accidents or slip in mud, we like to be able to send them home in clean clothes. We are in need of pants in many sizes and socks specifically! Thank you for considering! |
Coffee + Cookies + Cactus = Caring Volunteer 
Sweet treats, cozy sips, and a whole lot of gratitude await!
When: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 9:00–10:00 AM
Where: Sugar Creek LMC
