Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a community-based 4K program?
A: In a community-based 4K program, four-year-olds receive pre-kindergarten instruction in a child care center or private preschool. A Wisconsin certified and licensed teacher, hired by the agency, and it consists of four sessions per week, each lasting three hours.. Additionally, a teacher’s assistant is present in every session to support and enhance the learning experience. Funding for the 4K program is provided by the West Bend School District to support its implementation at the child care center or private preschool partner school.
Q: Which community agencies will be a WBSD 4K partner school?
A: The WBSD has five community partners providing 4K at six different locations.
- Kettle Moraine YMCA will host classrooms at their main campus (1111 West Washington St, West Bend), Holy Trinity Catholic Church (531 Congress St, Newburg), and Trinity Lutheran Church (140 N 7th Ave, West Bend).
- Green Tree Elementary School 1330 Green Tree Road, West Bend
- Jackson Parks and Recreation Department hosts a classroom within the Jackson Community Center, N165 W20330 Hickory Ln, Jackson.
- Living Word Lutheran Child Development Center, 2240 Living Word Ln, Jackson.
- Washington County Head Start will host 4K classrooms with varying schedules. Head Start programs are located at Green Tree, the Jackson Community Center, and at the Kettle Moraine YMCA West Washington location.
Q: Will there be a charge for 4K?
A: The WBSD 4K community-based program is offered at no cost to families residing in the West Bend School District with the exception of a $25 activity fee. Families who qualify for assistance or meet eligibility criteria can request a fee waiver. It is important to note that Head Start programs do not have an activity fee requirement.
Q: Will there be transportation for 4K?
A: Yes. Transportation will be available for students who attend a 4K community-based partner school that is assigned to them based upon their home address. A walk zone of .5 mile will be established for each school. Families who live within the walk zone will not be eligible for busing.
In addition, families can make a request to the WBSD to consider transportation to and from a child care center or alternate address such as a child care provider’s home. However, in such cases, transportation requests will only be considered for the 4K partner school that falls within the assigned district of the alternate address. For instance, if your child is being transported to/from a grandparent’s home, they will have to attend the 4K partner school that falls within the assigned district of their grandparent’s home rather than their own home address. This will require a transportation contract.
Transportation to/from an address that is not the child’s permanent residence will be based upon availability at the corresponding 4K partner school, the presence of an established bus route in that area, and the availability of space on the bus to accommodate the student. Transportation is exclusively available for addresses within the West Bend School District.
Q: What will the district do to keep my 4-year-old safe on the bus and at pickup and drop off?
A: We will require that a responsible adult have visual contact of your child when picked up or dropped off by the bus. The 4K students will sit as close as possible to the front of the bus and will be checked ON and OFF the bus by the driver and their teacher once they arrive at the 4K partner school. The bus will not drop off your child after school unless the receiving adult is within close visual contact. If your child is busing to/from a child care center, personnel from the child care center must be willing to meet your child at the bus door both upon pick up and drop off. Some routes will have buses and vans that have seatbelts. In this case it is your responsibility to buckle and unbuckle them in their car seats.
Q: How do I know what 4K partner school my child will be in?
A: Your child will be assigned a specific location based upon their home residence. However, parents may choose any partner school if they are willing to transport their child to and from the location. While we make every effort to honor parent preferences, we cannot guarantee that a spot will be available at the selected partner school.
Our intention is for children who are currently attending one of the partner schools for child care to continue their 4K instruction at that partner school.
Please note that enrollment forms will be time and date stamped, and preference requests will be prioritized based upon the order of receipt. Families that have completed all aspects of the enrollment process can expect The West Bend School District to begin notifying them about their student’s assignments beginning early April for the following school year.
Q: When do the 4K sessions run? Will there be AM and PM sessions?
A: Morning and afternoon sessions will be available for the 4K program. The program will run four half-days per week from Monday through Thursday, each session lasting three hours beginning in September. The availability of both morning and afternoon sessions at most partner schools will depend upon enrollment.
Living Word Child Child Development Center AM: 8:00-11:00 PM: 12:00-3:00
Jackson Community Center AM: 8:00-11:00 PM: 12:00-3:00
Green Tree Elementary School AM: 8:30 -11:30 PM: 12:30 - 3:30
YMCA-Trinity Lutheran / WBSD Outdoor Science Education Center AM: 8:30 -11:30 PM: 12:30 - 3:30
YMCA-West Washington AM: 8:30 -11:30 PM: 12:30 - 3:30
YMCA-Holy Trinity / WBSD Outdoor Science Education Center AM: 8:30 -11:30 PM: 12:30 - 3:30
Q: Will there be an orientation for my 4K child?
A: Yes. Each partner school will host a “Meet and Greet” event for enrolled children prior to the first day of the school year. The specific dates will be scheduled and communicated to parents during the summer. This opportunity will allow parents and children to visit their classroom and meet their teacher.
Q: What will my child learn in 4K?
A: At each partner school, a licensed teacher implements the Creative Curriculum For Preschool to provide consistent learning experiences in the areas of social development, language development, cognitive development, literacy, mathematics, and physical development.
Q: How can I learn more about the standards that will support the 4K program?
A. The curriculum will align with the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS). You can learn more about these standards at: WMELS.
Q: How many students will be in each session?
A: Our goal is to limit enrollment in each session to 18-20 students. The number of sessions of 4K will be determined by the number of children enrolled in the 4K program district wide.
Q: Who will teach 4K?
A: The teachers are employed and overseen by the partner school hosting the 4K session. However, the WBSD will support partner schools in hiring qualified teachers and will provide support for the evaluation process. All 4K teachers are licensed Wisconsin teachers and hold the appropriate license to teach preschool-age children.
Q: What if my child will be four after September 1?
A: There will be no early admission to 4K for the upcoming school year. However, you may check with partnering agencies, as well as other private preschools and daycares to explore potential options for your child.
Q: How will emergency weather situations be addressed at each partner school?
A: School closings and delayed starts will be announced with the regular district announcements on both television, the district website, and using the district all-call system. If there is a delayed start for all other WBSD schools, there will be no morning 4K sessions. If there is an early release for all other WBSD schools, there will be no afternoon 4K sessions. In emergency weather situations, families will be notified by a staff member using the information provided at the time of enrollment.
Q: How will security be addressed at each partner school?
A: Each 4K partner school has established emergency plans that include fire, tornado, medical, and intruder situations. These procedures will be part of each partner school’s handbook. The 4K staff and students will practice these drills. In addition, each site has secure entrances to the building and/or classrooms.
Q: How soon do I need to decide if I want to send my child to community-based 4K?
A: We encourage all interested families to enroll their child(ren) during the identified enrollment period which begins in January of each year. Parent preferences for partner school selection will be given preference based upon the date/time stamp in which registration forms are received.
Q: How do I enroll?
A: Enroll online! Click the Enrollment option on the WBSD website: WBSD4K.org. If you already have a Skyward Account for your Head Start child or for another child in the WBSD, you can log into the system using your family username and password. If you do not remember your username or password, please click on the “Forgot your Login/Password” link to retrieve it. If you are still unable to access your account, contact the technology help desk at: supporttech@wbsd-schools.org If you do not have an active Skyward Account, you will be prompted to establish one.
Q: How will parents be involved?
A: Parent outreach is an integral part of the 4K experience and will serve as an important step towards each child’s success in school. Parents will be given many opportunities to participate and are encouraged to do so as often as possible.
Some of the parent outreach opportunities may include:
Meet and Greet – before the first day of school
Classroom helpers/volunteers
Literacy nights
Arts and crafts
Special occasion events
Fitness nights
Other activities as planned
Q: Is 4K voluntary or mandatory?
A: 4K is a voluntary program and not subject to mandatory attendance. However, we would anticipate that you would send your child to class each day unless your child is ill or otherwise excused.
Q. Will there be before and/or after school child care?
A: Yes, before and/or after school child care services will be offered at all of our partner schools. Parents will be responsible for arranging and privately paying for before and after school child care services through the respective agency. Please inquire about your before and/or after care needs at your assigned or requested partner school.
Q. If a child is age eligible for 5K, but parents plan to delay their kindergarten enrollment, can the child attend 4K?
A: The WBSD supports having children progress with their same-age peers. However, in some situations, parents feel that enrollment in 4K is best for their child versus kindergarten. In these cases, please contact Jaime Malsom, Early Learning Administrator at 262-306-7125 or jmalsom@wbsd-schools.org to discuss your concerns. To be eligible your child must have a summer birthday. A team of educators in conjunction with the family will review the student’s progress and collaborate to determine the most suitable course of action. It is important for parents to understand that a child must complete the 5K program before advancing to first grade. Therefore, the decision should be made with careful consideration.
Q: Will the WBSD add a 3K program?
A: No, the WBSD does not have any plans to add a 3K program. However, the Washington County Head Start program does have a ½ day program for eligible 3 year olds. Please contact the Washington County Head Start program for more information at 262-335-5472.
Q We reside outside the West Bend School District, but would like our child to attend 4K at a WBSD partner school. What should I do?
A: You can complete the online enrollment for the West Bend School District, but you must also apply for open enrollment through the Department of Public Instruction. Information about this process can be found on the Open Enrollment page. If transportation is required within the transportation zone, open enrolled families will need a transportation contract from the WBSD.
Q: What school supplies will my child need?
A: 4K supply lists will be made available at your child’s 4K partner school. You will receive information via email during the summer and lists will be posted on this website.
Q: What do I need when enrolling my child for 4K?
A: The enrollment process is difficult to complete on a phone. You will need a computer and internet access. If you do not have this at home, computers are available for use at the West Bend Library or the West Bend School District Education Service Center (735 S Main St, West Bend - across from Badger Middle School).
In addition, you will need:
- Your child’s original birth certificate to verify name and date of birth
- Immunization record
- Name/numbers for doctors, dentists, and emergency contacts (other than a parent or guardian)
- Proof of residency dated within the last 3 months - may include a lease agreement, water bill, electric bill, wage statement or other legal documents that includes parent name(s) and address. A doctor’s bill, envelope, or driver’s license will not be accepted.
Q: If my child attends the Nature Based 4K Program, will they learn the same skills as children in the other 4K program?
A: Yes, the expected learning outcomes will remain consistent for all WBSD 4K students, regardless of their choice of partner school. Students participating in the nature based program will have a chance to explore nature based learning opportunities aimed at achieving the standard learning 4K outcomes. Students in this program spend 60-70% of their time outdoors engaged in learning activities. Dressing appropriately for the weather is a priority for children who attend this program! And Yes, they will get dirty, however, we will do our best to keep their clothes clean and dry.
Q: What is the difference between the Community 4K program and the Washington County Head Start program?
A: Both Community 4K and Washington County Head Start are West Bend School District programs. Community 4K is a program that is accessible to all 4 year olds in the community, whereas families must meet certain requirements to qualify for the Head Start program The Head Start program is a federal, comprehensive early education program that prepares 3 and 4 year olds for kindergarten. Along with academic and social skill instruction, students and families have access to additional services including medical, dental, nutrition and parent involvement to low-income families. Eligibility requirements include low income, SNAP, SSI and a few others. Please contact the main office at 262-335-5472 to determine if you qualify.