Madison Reporter

The Sun Prairie Area School District Board of Education has addressed community concerns following charges against a former staff member at Sun Prairie West High School. The Board acknowledged that the incident has affected trust and caused worry among families as the school year begins, emphasizing that student safety remains a top priority.

In response to the situation, the district communicated with families on July 24 and established a dedicated webpage for questions related to the investigation. At the request of local law enforcement, the District Attorney’s office, and the Board itself, some early information-gathering efforts were temporarily paused. Since then, Board members have been meeting weekly with legal counsel to ensure an appropriate response.

The Board announced several steps in moving forward:

"The Board has engaged an attorney from the Milwaukee area to lead an independent investigation. This attorney was intentionally selected because they have no prior connection to the District to ensure a fully objective and impartial review of how information was managed at both the school and District levels. All findings from the investigation will be reported directly to the Board for appropriate follow-up and action."

Additionally, cooperation with law enforcement is ongoing:

"To ensure the Board’s employment investigation does not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation, District representatives met earlier this week with the District Attorney’s office and the Sun Prairie Police Department (SPPD). During that meeting, the District was asked to delay the start of its investigation by two weeks to allow the SPPD to complete its work. We agreed to honor this request. In the meantime, the Board’s investigator will begin reviewing all currently available evidence. The Board remains committed to completing its investigation as promptly as possible, while recognizing that the criminal investigation must take priority."

Support services are being coordinated for students and staff:

"District administrators are partnering with Student Services staff, the employee assistance program, health clinic personnel, and local agencies to ensure support is in place for high school students and staff as they return to school. High school staff will continue receiving training focused on appropriate boundaries and mandatory reporting requirements. At the start of the school year, high school safety lessons will include instruction on healthy boundaries and how to report concerns. Parents and caregivers will be notified about these lessons in advance, giving families the opportunity to discuss the content beforehand."

The Board requested continued patience from families during this process:

"We ask for your patience as this process continues. To fully cooperate with SPPD and the District’s Attorney’s office, this process may move less quickly than we would like. However, we are committed to the process and will continue to meet as often as necessary to address the situation."

Board members reaffirmed their commitment:

"As we move forward, the Board remains steadfast in our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the safety of every child. We recognize that restoring trust requires both openness and responsible action, and we will provide updates as information becomes available. Together with our families, staff, and community, we will work to ensure our schools remain places where students are protected, supported, and continue to thrive."

The statement was signed by SPASD Board of Education members Katey Kamoku, Bryn Horton, Melissa Grayson, Amanda Davis, Diana McFarland, and Colleen Uhlenkamp.