Waunakee 4K Family Newsletter
September 26, 2022
Contacting the Waunakee 4K Office
4K Administrator
1350 Arboretum Drive
Waunakee, WI 53597
608-849-1800
Email: waunakee_4koffice@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Email: waunakee_4koffice@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Website: https://4k.waunakee.k12.wi.us
Location: 1350 Arboretum Drive, Waunakee, WI, USA
Phone: 608-849-1800
Hello!
I hope your 4K student is settling into the routine of school and is enjoying every day. This issue of the 4K Family Flyer includes information about an upcoming assessment, as well as tips on building early literacy skills. Enjoying a book together or noticing print in the community can help foster reading readiness skills, and are easy and fun to do.
I can be reached via phone at 608-849-1800,or via email at mirandamoe@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Sincerely,
Miranda Moe
4K Director
PALS Assessment
PALS Assessment Window
All students in four year old kindergarten (4K) classrooms in Wisconsin are required to take an assessment for reading readiness. The early literacy screener we will use is known as Phonological Awareness Literacy Screener (PALS). The 1:1 PALS assessments will take place over a two-week period, from September 30-October 13. The subtests (e.g. name writing, alphabet knowledge, etc.) are brief and your child will likely do one short activity per day, over the course of four or five days within the two week window. Here is a quick overview of the assessment in English and Spanish. (Please note we do not take the Nursery Rhyme subtest). We should have information about your student’s experience with PALS to share with you at our November conferences.
While we as adults might envision a literacy assessment as a “fill-in-the-bubble” test, this is not the case with PALS. It is a developmentally-appropriate, low-stress, low-stakes assessment. PALS subtests are given 1:1 with your child and his/her teacher, and will likely not feel like a “test” at all for your student. Children will be asked to complete tasks that are appropriate and typical in 4K classrooms, such as drawing self-portraits, writing their names, naming letters, and using pictures to identify rhymes, for example. The purpose of administering the assessment is for the teacher to use when planning whole class instruction, small group work, and interest area materials. Four year olds develop at different rates, and there is a wide range of what is considered to be appropriate development. There are no fall benchmarks in PALS that students need to reach. The only purpose is for us to guide our instruction.
Family Activity Calendar
Looking for some new activities to do with your 4K student? Each month you will receive a calendar with optional daily activities for families, created by our own 4K teachers. These calendars are posted on our website. Please check out our October calendar for some fun activities you may want to try with your child next month. Of course, there’s still a few days left in this month, so please see our September calendar if you missed it earlier. You can also find calendars on our website.
Supporting Literacy in the Classroom
Supporting Literacy in Your Home
Sharing books together at home is not only enjoyable, but it’s also very beneficial for your child. One of the most important predictors of school success is being read to at home. To learn more, please view this short, 3-minute video Reading with Family is Important and Fun! which was produced by our Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA 2). You can find more ideas for supporting literacy at home on these handy tipsheets in English and Spanish.
Waunakee Public Library Card
Warrior Spirit Wear
We are excited to launch an online Warrior Corner School Store option for you this year! As the district launches a new brand for both the school district and the high school/spirit, we want you to be able to sport the newest gear. There are many options for men, women, youth, spirit, and accessories.
Click here to access our online store: https://waunakeeschools.itemorder.com/shop/home/
All items can be shipped directly to your home (shipping rates apply) or picked up at Trending Now Promotions (1120 Uniek Drive, Waunakee) at no extra cost to you. The deadline to order is Sunday, October 9th, at which time all orders will be processed.
Thank you for your support of our Warrior Corner Store!
Referendum 2022
Upcoming informational sessions for the Waunakee Community School District to share more about the upcoming 2022 referendum. The Board of Education is committed to community engagement as a high priority for this school year, with an interest in sharing information and receiving feedback on topics within our school district.
Please click HERE for the Family Communication sent 9/8/2022.
Please click HERE for the Referendum website.
4K Calendar
Waunakee 4K follows the same calendar as the K-12 students in the Waunakee Community School District. For your reference, here is a copy of our year-at-a-glance calendar.
Dates to Remember
October 14: No School
October 27-28: No School / Fall Break
November 12- Report Cards available in Infinite Campus
November 15-24 Parent Teacher Conferences
November 24-26 Thanksgiving Break
Waunakee Community Events
Waunakee Public Library
Preschool Storytime Tuesdays at 9:45am
Preschool Storytime Wednesdays at 10:45am
Jammies Jams Mondays at 6:30pm
Link to our calendar for full descriptions is here: https://www.waunakeepubliclibrary.org/calendar