Sun Prairie officials report compliance with communications standard, cite engagement gains

Patty Lux, director for communications and engagement for the Sun Prairie Area School District, told the Board of Education that the district met Operational Expectation 9 — communicating with the public — for the 2024–25 school year and presented evidence of outreach, two-way dialogue and improved materials.

The report matters because the board uses Operational Expectation 9 to monitor whether the district gives families timely, accessible information and meaningful chances to provide input, a central element of the district—s strategic plan and community trust-building efforts.

Lux said the district measured three areas and "we are saying that all are in compliance," citing a set of artifacts that the presentation linked for board review. The report highlighted three broad efforts: expanded two-way engagement, strategic communications to build understanding, and public reporting of student and financial progress.

Staff described a longer list of two-way engagement activities than one-way announcements. Examples the presentation cited include referendum roadshows held last fall, superintendent focus groups, and newly formed Hmong and Latino caregiver advisory groups. Lux said the district launched a communications committee and a communications survey to learn how residents prefer to receive information.

The district said it simplified its school scorecards into one-page data dashboards that will appear on each school—s web page and on the district site under the strategic framework. Lux said classroom-to-caregiver communication increased 7 percentage points over the district—s target, from a goal of 76% to a reported 83%.

Staff also described new products and processes: an eFocus newsletter intended to address high-interest topics, two pages in the annual report on continuous improvement, monthly environmental scans to identify emerging issues, and a public relations strategy to respond to different situations. Lux said communications are provided in Spanish, videos are captioned and the district is working to write complex communications at an easier reading level.

The presentation highlighted external recognition: a Golden Achievement award from the National School Public Relations Association for the "Like Nowhere Else" campaign (noting 25 student videos were produced), an award of excellence for the district calendar, an award of merit for the annual report, and a Wisconsin-level award of merit for dual-language immersion marketing materials. District staff said they presented the campaign at a national conference.

Officials acknowledged continuing priorities: demonstrating how public feedback is used in decision-making, expanding consultation when people are affected by a decision, countering misinformation in the community and continuing to build trust. Brad Saron, superintendent of the Sun Prairie Area School District, opened the presentation and reminded the board that the report "will be monitored by the board of education for our compliance" with the operating expectation.

No formal motion or vote was recorded in the presentation. Lux closed by saying she looked forward to board questions at the next board meeting on Monday night.

The presentation materials were described as linked in the report for board members to review; staff said the artifacts include the dashboards, newsletters, advisory group notes and awards materials.