October 23, 2026

EAST HAPPENINGS

East Students Attend Leadership Summit

East students attended the Madison 365 Leadership Summit at The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. The theme for this year’s Summit was “Built to Last,” with conversations geared toward sustainable growth, leadership and equity in institutions.

East Teacher Named Yearbook Adviser Of The Year

East Business and Media teacher, April van Buren was named Kettle Moraine Press Association’s Jan Kohls 2026 Yearbook Adviser of the Year for her commitment to scholastic journalists at East. Ms. van Buren was recognized at the KEMPA Annual Meeting and Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on October 15th.

"As the Yearbook Advisor and teacher in charge of Tower TV and the Tower Times, April shows a level of dedication to our students and East High School that is nothing short of spectacular," said Principal Haste. "This recognition is truly well-deserved."

WI ProStart Career Expo

East’s ProStart team attended the Wisconsin ProStart Career Expo on Thursday. We visited the third ward in Milwaukee where we visited the Milwaukee Public Market, were treated to a pasta demo and taste test and got a behind the scenes tour of the Journeyman Hotel. We came back inspired to create our own Madison Expo to learn about the hospitality industry right here in Madison.

If you or someone you know works in the food and hospitality industry and are interested in connecting with our ProStart students connect with Emily Sonnemann at emsonnemann@madison.k12.wi.us

College, Career and Community Readiness Newsletter

Check out this week's College, Career and Community Readiness (3CR) Newsletter for key updates on college rep visits, scholarship deadlines, financial aid guidance, and upcoming career exploration events.

Purgolder Shoutouts

Check out the latest shoutouts, highlighting our our students and staff who embody What It Means To Be A Purgolder.

COMING UP

Booster Club Updates

Upcoming Meeting

Help shape the student experience at East High! Join the Booster Club on Monday, October 26th from 6:30–7:30pm in the Community Room. Come see your fundraising dollars in action, connect with other families, and help us support our students.

Here is what we’ll be covering:

• Voting on Grants: Reviewing and funding applications from student clubs, teams, and activities.
• Planning Fundraisers: Organizing the Silent Auction, Coffee Sales, Dining Out Series, and the Great Eastside Bake Off.
• Concessions: Discussing lessons learned from fall sports and prepping for the winter season.
• Board Elections: Previewing open positions ahead of our December 14th vote.

Breakouts (7:30–8:00pm): Stick around after the main meeting to find a quick, low-pressure way to get involved with a project you care about.

We hope to see you there!

Silent Auction

Been meaning to donate to the silent auction? It's not too late! We're gratefully accepting everything from gift baskets to gift certificates, homemade items to items for your home, in-town adventures or travel experiences. If it's something you'd be excited to bid on, we'd be excited to feature it! Submit your donation here, and be sure to come back to this site on November 9 when the auction opens!

Dining Out Event

Save the Date for our next Dining Out event at QDOBA! Dine in (4718 East Towne Blvd) or order online with code QDOBAGIVES from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4th, and QDOBA will donate 20% of sales to the Boosters. 

Can't make it that night? No problem - check out the rest of the year's Dining Out lineup here and mark your calendars now!

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