Providing all four year old children with a positive and nurturing experience that builds a strong social and educational foundation for successful life-long learning.
Who is eligible to enroll in four-year-old preschool?
Any child who resides in the School District of Poynette and is four years old on or before September 1 of the enrollment year. There are no special requirements or income restrictions to enroll. Four-year-old preschool is free, public education, the same as K-12 public education.
What is four-year-old preschool?
Four-year-old preschool is a school district program that offers all four-year-olds in the school district an option for a pre-school experience. The four-year-old preschool program is designed to give students a opportunity to be better prepared to begin formal kindergarten. This program is a developmentally-appropriate program with a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction certified teacher in each classroom. In addition, the preschool program provides families with support and resources as well as networking between parents, school and community programs.
What will my child learn in four-year-old preschool?
There will be an emphasis on hands-on and active learning tasks. Children will participate in large and small group experiences and play activities will be used to encourage discovery learning and practice of new skills in a number of different areas. The curriculum areas will include social and behavioral readiness for learning, language development and communication, cognition (logical thinking) and readiness concepts for academic success. Students will also get self-help instruction so they can work toward independence, as well as participate in large and small muscle activities and creative expression activities. The activities are not a replacement of the current kindergarten curriculum, but will support the skills needed as children enter school. The foundation for instruction will come from the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and other available curriculum programs.
What is the schedule for the four year old students?
Four-year-old preschool classes are offered Monday through Thursday and will follow the official School District of Poynette Calendar for the school year. Children will attend class for three hours per day. Classes will be either an AM session or a PM session (AM sessions will run from 8:30 – 11:30, PM Sessions will run from 12:30 – 3:30).
How are students transported to four-year-old preschool?
The school board policy requires the school district to provide transportation for all students who attend our schools. Parents/legal guardians are encouraged to take their children to the location rather than have them transported by bus when possible. Children who are enrolled in AM sessions will ride a regular bus route to the center in the morning. When the AM session is over, the children will be transported on a special route. Children who are enrolled in the PM sessions will be picked up via a special route and transported to the centers. When the PM session has ended, students will ride a regular bus route home. Regular bus routes include elementary students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Where will my child attend four-year-old preschool?
The School District of Poynette has developed a partnership with local childcare providers. The students participating in four year old preschool will attend four-year-old kindergarten in these childcare centers. Like any public school registration, parents can indicate childcare facility preferences, but district administration will have final authority on placement of students. Any child currently enrolled in preschool/childcare at a particular center will automatically be given first priority for that location. The child care center administrators will verify these requests. We hope to provide a seamless transition between childcare and four-year-old kindergarten and back to childcare at the centers. All preferences will be honored until the classes that are available at the sites are filled. If there are more requests for a location than there are spaces available, decisions will be made by the four-year-old kindergarten coordinator. All time preferences will be honored until classes reach capacity, at which time district administration will have final authority on placement of students. Once classes are filled, decisions will be made based on parent’s second choices.
Registration Process
Interested families should call or visit the Poynette K-8 office to acquire registration materials. The four-year-old preschool coordinator will send a letter confirming each child’s placement. If the school is having difficulty meeting a parents' requests, the four-year-old coordinator will contact those families. For additional information please contact the PreK-8th grade Principal at 608.635.4347x100