Hudson Community 4K Program

2023-2024 Registration

  • Online registration is open.
  • You will need the following for enrollment:
    • Proof of residency (i.e., utility bill, lease, mortgage).
    • Child’s immunization records.
    • Proof of birth and full legal name (i.e., birth certificate, passport, baptismal record). This document must be brought into a school office for verification.
  • Hudson School District 4K Wrap Care is currently full.

Family Guide to New Student Enrollment – For Families Who are New to the Hudson School District (click here)

4K Registration:

  • Children must be 4 years of age on or before September 1st of the year they plan to attend school in order to register for a 4K program.
  • Below is a list of the Hudson Community 4K program partners.
  • Click here if you are new to the Hudson School District to set up a Skyward Family Access account to begin the enrollment and annual registration process.
  • If you already have a child in the Hudson School District, enroll and register through your current Skyward Family Access account.
  • You will need the following for enrollment:
    • Proof of residency (i.e. a utility bill, rental lease, mortgage).
    • Child’s immunization records.
    • Proof of birth and full legal name (i.e., birth certificate, passport, baptismal record).
  • Student transportation is available for the 4K program to certain sites in your attendance area.
  • School Site Selection Process
    • If the school sites have more students than space available, the district will utilize a random selection process in mid-May.  Families of those that do not get selected will have the option of being put on a waitlist.
  • 4K Registration “To Do List” – click here if you DO need transportation.
  • 4K Registration “To Do List” – click here if you do NOT need transportation.
  • 2023-2024 4K calendar – click here.

Welcome to Hudson Community 4K!

The focus of the Hudson Community 4K program is to offer every child in our community equal access to consistent, high quality preschool education.

Who are the community 4K providers?

Click on the providers below to access their websites for more information about their programs:

4K Transportation

The list below identifies each program and the elementary school attendance area they are assigned to:

Elementary School Attendance Area

Transportation provided to these sites

Hudson Prairie

YMCA, Trinity Early Childhood Academy-East, St. Patrick, Trinity Academy, Hudson Community Children’s Center

Willow River

Trinity Academy-West, St. Patrick, Willow River Elementary, Hudson Community Children’s Centers

Houlton

Trinity Academy-West, St. Patrick, North Hudson Elementary, Hudson Community Children’s Center

North Hudson

Trinity Academy-West, St. Patrick, North Hudson Elementary, Hudson Community Children’s Center

EP Rock

Bear Buddies, Northstar Early Learning Center, Simply Giggle Montessori, YMCA,  E.P. Rock Elementary

River Crest

Bear Buddies, Northstar Early Learning Center, Simply Giggle Montessori

Bethel Highlands Preschool has opted out of School District transportation. If you select this community provider, or a provider that is not in your attendance area, you are responsible for arranging your own transportation to and from school.

Open Enrollment

Families who live outside of the Hudson School District boundaries who wish to enroll in Hudson’s Community 4K Program, must live in Wisconsin and apply for Open Enrollment. Click here for more information.

What are the learning expectations for children in the Hudson Community 4K Program?

The Hudson Community 4K Priority Standards are based on the WI Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS). Click here to view the Hudson 4K Priority Standards for learning and skill development. 

According to WI Department of Public Instruction, the WMELS provide a framework for families, educators, and policymakers to:

  • Share a common language and the responsibility for the wellbeing of children from birth to first grade.
  • Know and understand development expectations of young children.
  • Address what children should know and be able to do based on a continuum of development from birth to first grade.

The Learning Standards are based on current research and are developmentally appropriate practices. There are standards in each of the five developmental domains:

  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)

What is the focus of 4K? Isn’t this just “push down” from Kindergarten?

The focus of the 4K program is to offer every child in our community equal access to a consistent, high quality preschool education. 4K will provide a developmentally appropriate program to help children acquire social competencies and the skills they need to succeed as a learner. The curriculum focuses on physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and language development in a nurturing environment. 4K early learning professionals provide:

  • Active, creative, exploratory learning.
  • Social interaction.
  • Experiences to prepare the students for kindergarten.
  • Opportunities for choice.
  • Independence as well as small and large group activities.
  • Activities that emphasize process, rather than product.
  • Foundational skills to literacy and math development within an activity-based social environment.

Isn’t 4K just free childcare?

No. 4K is an early learning opportunity. Participation is free to children who are residents of the Hudson School District. Typically, 4K programs offer a structured instructional program of 12.5 hours per week as determined by the School District. 4K is not wrap-around childcare. If a family needs childcare before or after 4K programming at a 4K site, they must pay the childcare center for this service.

How do we serve students with special needs?

The Hudson School District’s Early Childhood Special Education Program is located at River Crest Elementary School and provides special education services at multiple community preschool and child care sites, as well as the child’s home. Early Childhood Special Education will continue to provide services to 4 year olds. The School District serves the needs of ALL students.

What is 4K outreach and how does it benefit families?

In addition to student learning time, 4K programs provide 87.5 hours of parent outreach. These hours are opportunities for parents to understand how they can further support their child’s learning at home. The outreach information is planned based on parent interest and need as well as the needs of the 4K site.

Can a family open enroll into the Hudson School District’s 4K program?

Open enrollment applies to four-year-old kindergarten, prekindergarten, early childhood education and school-operated day care only if the child’s resident school district offers the same type of program the child wishes to attend and only if the child is eligible for the program in his or her resident school district.

Are there early entrance opportunities for 4K?

Hudson School District will not be offering early entrance to 4K. Children enrolling must be 4 years of age on or before September 1st of the year they intend to enroll.