Hudson Community 4K Program

If you are new to the Hudson School District, you will need to provide 4 documents to the School District:

• Verification of your child’s age (either birth certificate, passport, or health record).
• Verification of your address in the Hudson School District (either lease, recent utility bill, or mortgage).
• Vaccination record (State law requires all public and private school students to present written evidence of immunization against certain diseases. These requirements can only be waived if a properly signed health, religious or personal conviction waiver is filed with the school).
• Verification of parent/guardian identity and relationship — official photo identification (driver’s license, passport, or government issued ID) and the student’s birth certificate or court documentation providing proof of parent/guardian relationship.
• NOTE: The parent who enrolls the student confirms the verification of the second parent as long as the second parent’s name is listed in the student’s birth certificate.

2023-2024 Student Registration – New and Current Students

• If you are new to the Hudson School District – click here to begin your registration process.
  • Family Guide to New Student Enrollment –  instructions for completing the online enrollment process.
• If you already have a child in the Hudson School District – click here to access Skyward to begin your annual registration/enrollment process.
• Transportation Request Form – click here
• Check your elementary attendance area/boundary – click here or view the map below

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.
• Click here to learn more about the Hudson Community 4K program and community partner sites.
• If your child attended the Hudson School District Community 4K program, you can register online using Skyward Family Access (click here).
• If you have not already registered with the Hudson School District as a 4K student, please call an elementary school or click here to begin the online process.
• Please bring proof of residency (i.e. a utility bill, rental lease, mortgage).
• Student transportation is available for the 4K program to certain sites in your attendance area.

• 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:

• Bear Buddies (a.m.)
• Bethel Highlands (a.m. & p.m.)
• Simply Giggle Montessori (a.m. & p.m.)
• Hudson Community Children’s Center (a.m.)
• Northstar Early Learning Center (a.m.)
• St. Patrick School (a.m. & p.m.)
• Trinity Academy – West (a.m. & p.m.)
• Trinity Early Childhood Academy – East (a.m.)
• YMCA (p.m.)
• Hudson School District Locations
  • EP Rock Elementary School — 9:00 AM-11:40 AM (AM class is FULL) & 1:10 PM-3:53 PM; School Office – 715.377.3840
  • North Hudson Elementary School — 9:00 AM-11:40 AM (AM class is FULL) & 1:10 PM-3:53 PM; School Office – 715.377.3870
  • Willow River Elementary School — 8:50 AM-11:30 AM (AM class is FULL) & 1:00 PM-3:43 PM; School Office – 715.377.3880

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.