4K Connect
WSD 4K Newsletter - November 5, 2021 - Issue 5
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
Amber Channel achannel@wausauschools.org
Riverview - 4K Building Para: 715-261-0040
Jackie Keller jkeller@wausauschools.org
WSD 4K and Early Childhood Program Website: https://4kearlychildhood.wausauschools.org/
Link to WSD E-Flyers https://www.wausauschools.org/e-flyers Click on the E-flyers tab to see a listing of all current school activities flyers.
Link to District Handbook: https://www.wausauschools.org/students
We often ask our children this question when they hop off the bus, get in the car, or sit down to the dinner table. And I suspect much like the answers I hear at my house, many of you are met with responses like, "I don't know," or "nothing," or maybe even, "I don't want to talk about it." Children live in the moment, so their minds are focused on what they are doing now rather than what they did earlier in the day. One strategy to use when asking about your child's time away from you is to ask open-ended questions.
Instead of asking direct questions that will most likely lead to a yes or no response, phrase your question differently. For example, "tell me about circle time today," or "describe what you did at recess." You can also use who, what, where, when, why and how questions to elicit responses that are more descriptive.
- What was the best thing that happened at school today?
- Tell me something that made you laugh today.
- Where is the coolest place at the school?
- Tell me a weird word that you heard today.
- If I called your teacher tonight, what would she tell me about you?
- How did you help somebody today?
- How did somebody help you today?
- Tell me one thing that you learned today.
- When were you the happiest today?
- Who would you like to play with at recess that you've never played with before?
- Tell me something good that happened today.
- If you were the teacher tomorrow, what would you do?
Remember, children also need time to process the events of the day. So it may help to ask about their day after they have had a chance to have some downtime.
Have fun,
Kara Rakowski, Wausau School District 4K Principal
Mark your Calendars
November
November 8: Parents Connect to School - Jefferson (Ms. BreAnne, Ms. May) trip to Monk Gardens
November 9: Parents Connect to School - Jefferson (Ms. Samantha, Ms. Renee) trip to Monk Gardens
November 10: Parents Connect to School - GD Jones (Ms. Cha, Mrs. Frey) trip to Monk Gardens
November 24-26: No School
December:
December 23-31: Winter Break
Featured Class of the Week
Parents Connect to School
Parents/guardians (or another family member) are invited to join a learning activity lead by the classroom teacher each month. During the Parents Connect to School event, your child's teacher will present a short lesson that you will observe. You will then get to play and work with your child one on one with an activity planned by the teacher. This year these events will vary each month with some in-person events and some virtual events. Your child's teacher will not be available to speak specifically about your child at this time.
Parents Connect to School is a special time for students and their parents; for this reason, please make other arrangements for younger siblings for in-person events.
The November Parents Connect to School events will take place at Monk Botanical Gardens. Please look for details from your child's teacher regarding date and time. For parking at the Gardens, families should try to park in the overflow parking lot at the corner of 1st & Campus Dr. It is a large grass field and there are signs for parking on 1st Ave.
Curriculum Corner
Our Three Bears unit ends November 5th. Our next unit, LaTortuga begins November 8th.
Pyramid Model and the Leader in Me (LIM)
The 4K social emotional learning target is: I can point to pictures of faces showing six different feelings. (Emotional lit 2.1). This 4K benchmark aligns to the following Leader In Me Habits.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
Habit 3: Put first things first
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Tucker's Helpful Tips
When families and schools work together we provide the best education possible for our children!
Reminder regarding bus pick-up and drop-off procedures and if your child is getting picked up from school...
You must be at your stop, not in your house watching and waiting. If your bus is at the end of your driveway, you must be waiting there.
Please send a note in your child's folder or call your 4K office to let staff know if your child is going to be picked up from school or someone new is going to be picking them up that day.
If the person picking up your child is not listed as an emergency contact, we need verbal or written consent from a parent that it is OK for your child to go home with them. We will check ID's for verification. Please do not tell your child to tell us what the arrangements are.
Thank you for helping us keep your child safe at school!
Notes from the Nurse
Reminder:
WSD COVID GUIDELINES 21-21
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 an the bus company if your child rides the bus.
Important Reminders
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.