4K Preschool

The School District of Onalaska offers a variety of programs and locations to best meet the needs of our families. We have three elementary buildings in the School District of Onalaska, and each one has a 4-year-old classroom and program within the school setting. The building sites offer a half-day program, including either an AM session or a PM session. We are also a 4-year-old community approach (4KCA) district, meaning we partner with some of our local childcare centers and private schools to offer a separate setting for 4-year old programming. The community partner sites offer AM sessions, and some provide full-day care. 

All School District of Onalaska residents are guaranteed a spot in our 4K program. Enrollment for some sections fills up quicker than others, so early registration is likely to guarantee you your choice of location and AM or PM session. When you enroll your child in the School District of Onalaska, you will have the ability to mark your preference of location and session. The final decision will be made by the District and will be based on application timeline, transportation, resident address, and family preference.

To enroll in 4K at any of our building or community sites, your child must be 4-years-old on or before September 1 of the participating school year.

If you are a resident of Onalaska, you can begin the enrollment process in March for the upcoming school year through enrollment in the School District of Onalaska of webpage. Whether you are choosing to enroll in one of our elementary building sites or community partner sites, you need to enroll through our website. You will need the following items ready for when you enroll:

• Verification of Residency, examples include: Driver’s license or state issued photo ID, Utility bill (gas, electric, cable, internet), Lease or Rental agreement, or Property tax bill

• Immunization Records of child being enrolled

• Birth Certificate of child being enrolled

If you are not a resident of Onalaska, you can apply for Open Enrollment through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction between February and April for the upcoming school year. The Wisconsin Open Enrollment Program allows you to apply for your child to attend public school in a district other than the one you reside in. You must apply for open enrollment first on the WI DPI webpage. Then, once you receive your Open Enrollment Approval Letter, you can apply for enrollment in the School District of Onalaska.

If you have questions about enrollment, please contact our Student Services Department.

Each of our 4-year-old pre-kindergarten classrooms uses The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. This research-based resource focuses on nurturing and supporting the whole-child through a play-based approach to learning. It encourages children to become more confident, creative, and caring learners. This resource is aligned to the Wisconsin Early learning Standards, and is proven to prepare students for kindergarten and beyond.

Our building and community partner sites regularly provide families with feedback on how their children are progressing with academic, social, and emotional skills. Below are the developmentally appropriate skills that our 4K learning environment focuses on.