Waterford Graded 4K registration this week

IF YOU GO …

WHAT: Four-year-old Waterford Graded kindergarten registration for 2014-15 school year, with informational presentations

WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 18 and Wednesday, Nov. 19; 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., both dates

WHERE: Trailside Elementary School library, 615 N. Milwaukee St.

INFORMATION: Visit WGSD’s website, www.waterford.k12.wi.us, or contact early learning teacher Jennifer Velleux at (262) 514-8210 or [email protected].

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

As pieces of the puzzle come together, officials in the Waterford Graded School District are preparing for the first year of implementing the district’s four-year-old kindergarten.

At the board’s Policy and Curriculum Committee meeting Nov. 10, Kathy Hoppe, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, provided members with an update on planning for the 4K program, which is set to launch at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

Hoppe announced WGSD has a number of potential community partners that provide some form of early education programming and/or daycare amenities. These include Today’s Child, Rainbow Preschool and St. Thomas Aquinas’s preschool.

Ultimately, Hoppe said enrollment numbers and feedback from interested parents will gauge whether or not WGSD partners with private entities.

The district is holding a registration session next week and afterward will have more of a handle on how many students might be enrolled into the optional 4K program for next year.

If partnerships are struck, WGSD would work with the businesses and organizations for “wraparound” childcare – before and/or after the actual 4K classes.

Hoppe’s discussion about whether or not to bring wraparound childcare into WGSD’s buildings sparked a debate by committee members.

Board member Dan Jensen said he is concerned about “providing public space for use by a private venture.” If partnerships are reached, Jensen suggested other alternatives, including having the outside organizations transport the students to one of WGSD’s facilities.

“They’re the business people; let them design the business model,” Jensen said of the people running the potential partnering organizations. “This is a public school. Our job is to educate.”

As discussion ensued, Jensen said he would not be opposed to housing wraparound childcare at WGSD if space were available.

Board member Dawn Bleimehl said she is in favor of working with partner organizations for the wraparound service.

“I think this could increase our family participation,” she said. “I think this could make things easier.”

Another piece of the picture that has come into focus is transportation.

“It’s been a hot topic,” Hoppe noted. “We’ve fielded a lot of questions on this from parents.”

After looking into the logistics, Hoppe said the district will provide bus service to 4K students, so long as the child attends his or her designated elementary school.

If parents decide to enroll their 4K student at a WGSD school or organization that is not the home school, they would have to provide their own transportation.

Plans call for instituting a $15 registration fee — a figure that mirrors the pricing already in place at WGSD’s five-year-old kindergarten program.

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