By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
At its Feb. 18 meeting, the Washington-Caldwell District school board approved a 4-year-old kindergarten program for the 2013-2014 school year.
Students enrolled in Washington School’s five-days-a-week morning program will spend the morning concurrently with the school’s 5-year-old kindergarten students.
With the new 4K program set to start next fall, Washington-Caldwell joins several other area school districts that offer parents the 4-year-old kindergarten option for their children, including Drought, North Cape, Raymond, Kansasville and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Last fall, the Waterford Graded School District considered adding a 4K program but voted 4-1 against the idea – at least for the 2013-14 school year.
“I don’t see the point of doing it, other than it’s free daycare,” School Board President Dan Jensen explained at the time.
“At that age, I think children learn more from their parents.”
Waterford Graded board member Robert Kastengren cast the lone dissenting vote, saying offering 4K could be a positive benefit.
“I think we’re going to end up shortchanged when other districts are ahead because there is demand out there for it,” Kastengren explained.
Washington School’s 4K program will be conducted by the school’s kindergarten teacher, Jonna Jacobson, a 17-year veteran at Washington-Caldwell, noted Superintendent Mark Pienkos via email.
Currently, about 90 percent of Wisconsin school districts offer 4-year-old kindergarten program, Pienkos added.
Parents interested in enrolling their child into the 4-year-old kindergarten program for the 2013-2014 school year are asked to contact Washington School’s main office at (262) 662-3466.
If a parent would like additional information or a tour of the school, contact Pienkos at the same number.
Washington School is located at 8937 Big Bend Road in the Tichigan area of Waterford township.
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