Joint Statement on Gun Safety in Sun Prairie

JOINT STATEMENT – January 7, 2025

Jake King
Communications and Diversity Strategist
jking@cityofsunprairie.com
(608) 332-5397

Patti Lux
Director of Communications & Engagement
pjlux@sunprairieschools.org
(608) 834-6562

Joint Statement on Gun Safety in Sun Prairie

Dear Sun Prairie Community Members,

As the Superintendent of Sun Prairie Schools and the City Administrator of Sun Prairie, we want to express our shared commitment to gun safety in our community.

Gun safety affects all of us, and it is our shared responsibility to work together to protect our families, schools, and neighborhoods. Proper firearm handling and secure storage are essential to establishing a culture of safety. It is crucial for everyone to understand how to safely store firearms and what to do if they encounter one.

For our students, gun safety means having a safe place to learn and grow. We want to teach young people what to do if they see a gun, and we want them to feel comfortable telling an adult if something seems unsafe.

Parents and caregivers play a significant role and can help protect the community by ensuring secure firearm storage, recognizing potential dangers, and knowing how to respond responsibly in unsafe situations.

We support initiatives like the Gun Safety Education Project, led by the Sun Prairie Youth & Families Commission, which promotes public awareness of firearm safety by offering education on secure firearm storage, reporting lost or stolen firearms, distributing gunlocks, and more.

We understand this can be a difficult topic but we believe by working together—parents/caregivers, educators, law enforcement, and all community members—we can make a difference and our community safer for everyone.

We need your help to promote gun safety. We encourage you to talk to your family, explore available resources, and share information with your neighbors. Together, we can continue building a culture of responsibility, set a positive example for our kids, and keep our community safe for everyone. Thank you for being part of this important effort.

Sincerely,

Brad Saron, Superintendent

Aaron Oppenheimer, City Administrator

About City of Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie is a vibrant and thriving community located in northeastern Dane county, just east of the City of Madison. The City of Sun Prairie has experienced strong population growth since its incorporation from a village to a city in 1958, undergoing a transformation from a relatively small community of less than 4,000 to an estimated 36,394 today.

About Sun Prairie Area School District

The Sun Prairie Area School District (SPASD), located in Dane County, Wisconsin, just northeast of Madison, serves a diverse community of over 8,500 students across 15 school campuses. SPASD is dedicated to providing a learning environment where students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. Through a blend of enriching classroom experiences and meaningful opportunities beyond the school walls, students are empowered to achieve their full potential. Together, these experiences define what we proudly call The Sun Prairie Experience.