Four-year-old-kindergarten is commonly referred to as 4K. It provides an  enrichment opportunity for children prior to kindergarten. It is a play-based  program designed to nurture social, emotional and early academic skills of four year-old children. It does not take the place of kindergarten.  

Four-year-old kindergarten provides children with quality early learning  experiences that help provide a solid foundation for future success in school.  Numerous research studies show long-term benefits for children who participate in high-quality early childhood programs, such as gains in cognition, knowledge, motor  skills and language. Offering 4K through the school district ensures universal access  to a quality pre-kindergarten program for all four-year-olds. 

The Waunakee 4K program is optional, but universal – open to ALL four-year-old  children and their families within the Waunakee Community School District (WCSD).  Waunakee offers 4K using the community-collaborative model, partnering the  school district with preschools and child care facilities to implement the 4K program  in their centers and one classroom in each of the elementary buildings.  

Children will attend 4K five-days-per-week for 2 hours and 40 minutes each day,  generally following the school year calendar. A choice of morning or afternoon  sessions is available. The approximate time for the AM session will be from 7:40- 10:20 and the PM session will likely be from 11:50-2:15 to align with transportation at  the elementary level. Starting and ending times may be altered, depending on  where the center is located on the transportation route. Any additional time spent  at the 4K center must be arranged by the family and the center. 

Classes are held at partner preschools/child care centers. These are the preschools  we expect to partner with during the 2026-2027 school year, pending enrollment  numbers.
 
• Adventures in Learning, 1036 Quinn Drive 
• Brilliant Beginnings, 1008 Quinn Drive 
• The Goddard School of Waunakee, 1117 Stephenson Lane
• Mary Lake Montessori, 5464 Mary Lake Road 
• Moppet, 203 W. Main Street 
• Peace Lutheran Preschool, 701 S. Century Avenue 

This approach, known as the community-collaborative model, builds on existing  resources in our community. With district partnership, parents are guaranteed that  their child’s classroom will have a highly qualified, DPI-licensed teacher and will  implement a consistent curriculum framework incorporating the Wisconsin Model  Early Learning Standards. Centers will also offer expanded family outreach  activities, and certain sites will offer child care before or after 4K (wrap around care). 

There is no cost to families for the regularly scheduled hours of the program. If  parents elect to purchase child care services before and/or after the 4K day, the  parents will pay the rate established by each individual program for the contracted  services provided. The district has no role in establishing child care rates. 

Yes, transportation is available during the hours of the 4K program. One-way or  round-trip transportation is available, but families are not required to use district  busing and may make their own arrangements. Busing is not available for the child  care portion of a child’s day. Busing is only available immediately before and after  the 4K class times. If no transportation is needed, families may request any site,  pending availability. If transportation is needed, site assignments will be made  based on attendance area of the address the child will bus to/from. 

Arboretum sites include: Mary Lake Montessori, Adventures in Learning, Brilliant Beginnings and The Goddard School of Waunakee 
Prairie sites include: Moppet, and Peace Lutheran Preschool 
Heritage sites include: Moppet, and Peace Lutheran Preschool 

Please refer to the map on our website for clarification.  Important: based on our transfer system, ONLY addresses within the attendance area boundary will be eligible for busing, including at mid-day. If you have busing questions about your specific situation, please call Miranda Moe at 849-1800 ext 7114 for assistance.  
 

It is a state-funded school readiness initiative that helps 4-year-olds prepare for the transition into a school setting.

Yes, you can participate in both programs. 

The Village, Inspire Early Childhood, LaPetite Academy

The board of education will need to update our transportation policies to reflect the Get Kids Ready program that will allow the district to bus your student from the district 4K to the state Get Kids Ready program or from the state Get Kids Ready program to the district 4K. 

Reach out to the site that you would like to participate in the Get Kids Ready program and you enroll directly with them after you enroll with the district. 

Yes, By state law, four-year-olds who reside outside of the district can apply for Open  Enrollment if their resident district offers 4K. The open enrollment period is February 2nd, through April 30th. More information can be found  here: https://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment  

Enrollment begins, February 2, 2026. Please complete the District online registration Click here for directions please. After you complete the necessary online registration, you will be asked to complete  a 4K Interest Form. Interest Forms will ask for information such as: site preference,  time preference (a.m. or p.m.), need for wrap-around care, need for transportation,  and need for special services. All forms received before April 10th will be processed  together. Placement information and district enrollment forms will be mailed  before the end of the school year, around June 8, 2026.  

Any child who is four years old on or before September 1, 2026  can participate. Children  are enrolled in 4K for one year prior to kindergarten entrance. 

By state law, four-year-olds who reside outside of the district can apply for Open  Enrollment if their resident district offers 4K. The open enrollment period is February 2nd, through April 30th.

More information can be found  here: https://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment  

No. Children must be four years old on or before September 1, 2026 to participate. 

It is possible for students who are five years old and who have not attended a 4K  program in the past to attend 4K. Children should only attend 4K for one year, the  year immediately prior to kindergarten. 

This is a decision that would need to be made on a case-by-case basis, following  district retention policy, and would not be encouraged. Such practices are not  routine and would be considered grade retention. 

Families will be able to rank their site preferences. The WCSD will try to honor  requests, but does not guarantee a spot will be available in one of those sites. Final  site assignments are decided based on prior program enrollment, need for child care  services, place of residence, special programming needs, transportation needs, and  available openings at the site requested. Priority will be given to the Interest Forms  received by April 10th. 

Yes, all sites will use the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS). These  standards are based on current research and are developmentally appropriate  practices.

There are standards in each developmental domain: 
1. Health and Physical Development (e.g. fine-motor and gross-motor skills)
2. Social and Emotional Development (e.g. social skills and self-esteem)
3. Language Development and Communication (e.g. listening, speaking and  reading readiness) 
4. Approaches to Learning (e.g. curiosity, persistence, and creativity)
5. Cognition and General Knowledge (e.g. mathematical and scientific thinking  and problem solving)  
 

All 4K sites use Creative Curriculum, 5th edition and Get Set for School, as their  common resources. Along with the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards  mentioned above, sites will plan their interest areas and lesson plans using these  materials. Staff from all 4K sites have attended training and share a common  progress report and learning goals. In addition, all sites teach social-emotional skills  through the Second Step curriculum

Yes. Classes are taught by a teacher who is licensed by DPI in early childhood  education. Each partner will provide 437 hours of instruction.

No, not during the Waunakee 4K program, which complies with state and federal  regulations that specify the separation of church and state. If centers elect to offer  religious instruction before or after the 4K program, they may do so, but staff and  parents must understand that this is not affiliated in any way with the 4K program.