4K Connect
WSD 4K Newsletter - January 20, 2023 - Issue 10
Notes from the 4K Principal
Dear 4K & Early Childhood families:
The end of the first semester was January 13th, which means we are halfway through the school year. The 4K & Early Programs staff hope you and your family have had a first semester filled with special moments and learning together. We are grateful to partner with you in your child's educational journey, and look forward to doing so during the second semester.
This midyear point allows for checking and reporting students' progress. In addition to working toward our daily learning targets, 4K students have had the mid-year myIGDIs screener administered. The purpose of this screener is to monitor your child's literacy progress. During our professional growth and development day on January 16th, teachers analyzed data by comparing each individual student's skills from fall (baseline data) to winter (midyear results). Staff also used this information to complete report cards. Report cards for 4K students are now available to view using the Infinite Campus parent portal.
Within the report card, you will find reporting on foundational skills, social emotional skills, language and early literacy, math and physical development. The report card is based on a set of standards linked to Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards in each of the subject areas. Our 4K staff has developed a guide that reflects where students should be at the end of the school year. Please note that the report card you will receive in January is a midyear report and we have many months left of the school year to work toward achieving the standards outlined in the report card. Due to this, some areas of reporting on the report card will appear blank. If you have questions, please contact your child's teacher and/or me.
As we move into the second semester, we remain focused on ensuring that we are addressing your student's academic, social and emotional needs each day. We truly want what's best for your child and rely on your input and support as one key to helping your child experience success.
Please know that we are here to help. If you need assistance with something your child is experiencing, contact the teacher or me.
We appreciate your ongoing support, which allows us to accomplish out vision -- I LEARN!
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Kara Rakowski
Wausau School District 4K Principal
FYI
It's time for report cards. The 4K report card are now available to families through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal as of January 19th.
THE JANUARY REPORT CARD IS ACCESSED ONLINE THROUGH THE INFINITE CAMPUS PARENT PORTAL.
Parents who do not have a Parent Portal set up previously received information in an email. If you cannot find this email or need help in setting up your portal - please contact Jess Napiwocki at jnapiwoc@wausauschools.org for your GUID# to get started! (FYI - One portal will be used for all your children.)
Follow the steps below to set up your parent portal:
- COPY GUID# that is individual to you and was shared by email when you registered for 4K. (Do not include the word -GUID#-)
- Click on the link below
- Click on New User?
- Past GUID# you copied into Activation Code box.
- Create your own username and password.
SAVE THIS USER NAME AND PASSWORD SOMEWHERE. DO NOT FORGET OR MISPLACE.
GUID#-
https://wausauwi.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/wausau.jsp
What can an Infinite Campus Parent Portal do for you?
In today's busy world information must be at your fingertips in a moment's notice! Put Infinite Campus to work for you by creating a personal Parent Portal. In just a few minutes you will be able to access some or all of these features:
- Check Busing Information
- View Student Grades
- Print Report Cards and Progress Reports
- Pay School Fees
- View Payment History
- Update Email Addresses and Phone Numbers
- Set up personal notifications
Featured Classes of the Month - Thomas Jefferson
This month, students at Thomas Jefferson enjoyed a fun filled Parent Connect to School Day! We focused on Social Emotional Learning with Fill a Bucket Activities! Bucket Fillers are people who say kind things and demonstrate kindness in a variety of ways. Students and families were able to create buckets to take home and use as a reminder to be a bucket filler at home with their families. Students also read Bucket filling stories that help to reinforce Bucket Filling concepts. Finally, students and families were able to brainstorm ways that they can be bucket fillers.
Mark Your Calendars
February:
February 17: No School (Professional Learning Day)
March:
March 2: 4K Family Night - Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss at St. Michael (for all 4K families)
March 20-24: No School (Spring Break)
January Parent Connect Days
Tucker's Helpful Tips
Curriculum Corner
We will wrap up our unit, Jingles, Poems and Rhymes on January 27th and will begin our new unit, The Nightingale, on January 30th.
LITERACY I CAN:
- choose the sound that starts like my name
- find the picture that finishes the rhyme
- show in front of, in back of
- show next to, behind, between
- point to letters in my name
- name the color purple
- review letter names and numbers from Hand Writing Without Tears.
MATH I CAN:
- place items in locations when given a direction with in front, next to, behind, between, in back
- identify, name and describe a square
- say how many I see without counting (up to 3)
- verbally count to 15
- show a number representation for a group of objects to 6
- play with pattern blocks and make simple pictures
- read numbers to 6
- compare groups of objects by counting up to 4
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL I CAN:
- I can ask someone if they need help. (Friendship 2.2)
TARGETED VOCABULARY:
- I can use and say these words: fiddle, fleece, fowl, papoose.
LEADER IN ME:
In 4K we are working on asking someone for help when we need it. This identified benchmark skill aligns to the Leader In Me Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw & Habit 8: Find your voice.
Tucker's Nursery Rhyme Corner
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Dr. Seuss's Birthday Event
Tucker's Friendly Reminders
FYI -
Please remember to have your child bring/wear winter clothes, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens to school everyday! Without proper winter clothing, students will need to stay on the blacktop and not be allowed to play in the snow PLUS they are learning how to put on their own winter clothes!
Thank you!!
Reminder of Bus Procedures
- Be ready, waiting, and visible at the bus stop at least 10 minutes before your scheduled pickup or drop-off time. The times can vary due to absent students. An adult must always meet the bus.
- Load and unload your child onto and off the bus.
- Call First Student at 715-842-2268 to report absences on days your child will not be riding the bus.
- Please note: If an adult is not present, the child will be returned to school and the parent will need to pick the child up at the 4K Academy. This is extremely stressful and confusing for the child as their teacher is not available to meet or supervise them.
- If a child remains at school one hour past school dismissal (past 12pm for morning students and past 3:15pm for afternoon students), law enforcement may be contacted.
- If your child repetitively returns to school, we will ask you to come in for a meeting with the principal and social worker to brainstorm solutions for a smooth bus ride home for your child.
- If you move or change daycare providers, contact the 4K & EC Programs office at GD Jones at 715-261-0265 to update your address. The 4k & EC Office will then notify the bus company of the changes.
Tucker's Helpful Tips
IF YOUR 4K or EC CHILD IS GOING TO BE ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, PLEASE CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS!!
Contact Numbers
Please remember to call your 4K office if your child is going to be absent from school due to illness or another reason. When you call in, please give the reason for the absence. Please also call First Student at 715-842-2268 to let them know our child will not be riding the bus that day.
AM classes begin at 8:25am, dismissal is at 11am
PM classes begin at 11:40am, dismissal is at 2:15pm
Kara Rakowski, 4K Principal krakowsk@wausauschools.org
Program office: 714.261.0265
First Student: 715.842.2268
Jones - 4K Administrative Assistant: 715-261-0265
Jess Napiwocki jnapiwoc@wausauschools.org
Hawthorn - 4K Administrative Assistant: 715-261-0055
Kellie Messman kmessman@wausauschools.org
Jefferson - 4K Building Para- 715-261-0185
Jessica Brown jrbrown@wausauschools.org
Riverview - 4K Building Para: 715-261-0040
Jackie Keller jkeller@wausauschools.org
NOTES FROM THE NURSE
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME
- Fever (temperature 100 degrees F or greater) child should be fever-free, without medication for 24 hours before returning to school
- Diarrhea (4-5 loose stools within the previous 24 hour period)
- Vomiting (within a 24 hour period before school starts)
- Upper respiratory illness with frequent cough/drainage
- Strep throat (until 24 hours after treatment has begun
- Pink eye (until 24 hours after treatment has begun
- undiagnosed or untreated skin rash or sores that cannot be covered
You can help your child stay healthy by encouraging frequent and thorough hand washing. Hand washing is the single most important defense against disease. Be sure to notify school if your child is going to be absent and the bus company if your child rides the bus.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Update Your Information
Thank you for helping us keep our records as accurate as possible!
WSD EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING PLANS FOR 4K STUDENTS AT ACADEMY SITES:
School Closing: All AM & PM classes cancelled. No evening activities.
Yellow Bus Delay: All AM & PM classes cancelled. No evening activities.
District Wide Emergency Closing After Students Are At School: If morning 4K students are already at school, parents will be responsible for picking them up at school. There will not be bus service. No evening activities.
The 4K class times fit in between the pick-up and drop-off times for the rest of the school district. The same buses transport the older students to school before transporting the 4K students and likewise, take the 4K students home before taking the older students home.
In rare occasions, the Wausau School District is forced to cancel classes during the school day, usually due to inclement weather. If classes are cancelled after 4K students are already at school, this creates a problem for the bus company as they don't have enough buses to take the 4K students home as well as the rest of the district's students.
Due to the number of students involved, the bus company will transport the elementary, middle and high school students home on days that school is cancelled. This eliminates the possibility for transportation for the 4K students. Therefore, it will be necessary for parents to have a plan in place for school cancellations. Each family will need to designate a person who will be responsible for picking up their 4K student at school.
4K Inclement Weather Information
What will a virtual learning day due to inclement weather look like for 4K?
If there is an inclement weather day and school is moved to a virtual learning format. 4K will do the following:
A 4K virtual activity guide for the day will be shared with all 4K families through SeeSaw.
This guide will provide a range of ideas you can do at home to support learning through hands-on play based activities. The activities will be designed so that you can do them during daily routine activities.
You can choose 1-2 of the activities to complete.
Your child’s classroom teacher will share a google meet code and time for you to connect. This google meeting will be 15-20 minutes. We understand that since 4K is not a 1:1 ipad environment you may not have technology to connect. That’s ok! You can follow the activity guide shared through SeeSaw.
We will do our best to be proactive should inclement weather be predicted and send home any necessary classroom materials. Please understand that, at times, Wisconsin weather is unpredictable and there may be a situation where we will need to implement a traditional “snow day” should unexpected weather arise.
Tucker's 4K Spotlight - Our 4K & EC staff
WSD 4K Academy at GD Jones
1915 S. 12th Ave
Wausau, WI 54401
715-261-0265
Jessica Napiwocki - 4K Administrative Assistant
Kara Rakowski - 4K Principal & Early Childhood Coordinator
Andrey Frey - 4K Teacher
Michele Kettner - 4K Teacher
Melissa Willemon - 4K Teacher
Cha Yang - 4K Teacher
Beth Gruber - EC Teacher
Shelly Urmanski - EC Teacher
Jessa Reif - Speech - Language Pathologist
Lori Kurszewski - EC Teacher
Anne Winter - EC Teacher
Cory Durbin - EC Teacher
Stacy Stenz - 4K & EC Program Support Teacher
Sara Boettcher - School Psychologist
Michelle Dahms - Social Worker
Beth Van Dong
Mia Lodahl - Physical Therapist
Jacob Ehlert - Occupational Therapist
Kathleen Kostner-Rass - Occupational Therapist
Support Staff
Chou Thao - Bilingual Paraprofessional
Pa Thao - Bilingual Paraprofessional
KaBao Mua - Bilingual Paraprofessional
Ashley Hafeman - EC Paraprofessional
Chris Mergan - EC Paraprofessional
Ami Serrano - EC Paraprofessional
Danika Decorah - EC Paraprofessional
Diane Leffel - Paraprofessional
WSD 4K Academy at Hawthorn Hills
Wausau, WI 54403
715-261-0055
Lisa Dunahee - 4K Teacher
Marla Harris - 4K Teacher
Jaci McKamey - Speech-Language Pathologist
Anne Winter - EC Teacher
Support Staff
Kellie Messman - 4K Admin Assistant
Julie Her - Bilingual Paraprofessional
Nhia Her - Bilingual Paraprofessional
WSD 4K Academy at Riverview
Wausau, WI 54403
715-261-0040
Danica Szekeress - 4K Teacher
Kristin Hall - 4K Teacher
Ashley Ermeling - EC Teacher
Morgan Persha - Speech-Language Pathologist
Renee Kressel - Speech-Language Pathologist
Donna Husnick - DHH Teacher
Cindy Schuster - DHH Interpreter
Mackenzie Wockenfus - Occupational Therapist
Support Staff
Jackie Keller - 4K Office
Cher Her - Bilingual Paraprofessional
Tammy Davisson - EC Paraprofessional
Emily Walker - Paraprofessional
Kristy Durkes - Paraprofessional
WSD 4K Academy at Thomas Jefferson
Wausau, WI 54401
715-261-0185
Samantha Kniess - 4K Teacher
scorreaobrien@wausauschools.org
Renee Krautkramer - 4K Teacher
BreAnne Wais - 4K Teacher
May Xiong - 4K Teacher
Denise Wonsil-Michlig - Speech-Language Pathologist
Support Staff
Jessica Brown - 4K Office
Bele Vieira Willard - Paraprofessional
Emmalyn Grau - Paraprofessional
Sierra Lane - Paraprofessional
WSD 4K Community Sites
1500 Merrill Ave
Wausau, WI 54401
715-298-3832
Leah Bjerke
615 Stark St.
Wausau, WI 54403
715-848-0206
Alaina Lippert-Olson
707 3rd St.
Wausau, WI 54403
715-845-2177
Corina Ramos:
Sandy Readenour: