Expanded Learning Opportunities Program
The State of California has passed legislation providing funding for afterschool, summer, and intersession enrichment opportunities for students in grades TK–6. In the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, access to these opportunities is provided through our Extended Student Services (ESS) program.
Enrollment in ESS through this state-funded program is based on the availability of grant funding, space at your school’s specific ESS site, and state-mandated eligibility criteria. Please visit our ASES Grant and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program webpage.
While at ESS, your child will have the opportunity to grow academically, socially, and physically. ESS offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for your child to participate in throughout the school year. We offer academic competitions for students to compete in. The competitions this year will include MATH 24 and SPEECH competitions for our 2nd-5th grade students and a CHESS and TED TALK competition for our 6th through 8th-grade students.
Other expanded learning opportunities, including culinary arts, fine and performing arts, esports, skill building, project-based learning, and more, will be offered at every ESS program. Please speak to your ESS Site Lead and check your site program calendars for more information about program offerings.
Fifth-grade ESS students will have the chance to experience JA BizTown ™. This amazing program introduces students to economics and business through classroom instruction (provided by your ESS staff). For one day the students become adults and operate a life-size mini-municipality complete with a bank, City Hall, professional offices, radio station, T.V. station, businesses, a snack shop, and a community charity. They become doctors, business managers, real estate agents, philanthropists, and accountants. The JA BizTown ™ curriculum addresses the California State Standards and makes learning relevant for students.
ESSPN Youth Sports League
ESSPN SPORTS LEAGUE – ESS and the LMSV Student Supports teams have joined forces to start a new program this school year. The program is called the “ESSPN Sports League”. The goal of the ESSPN Sports League is to teach and/or reteach social-emotional strategies and concepts through team sports. Students will participate in two days of weekly flag football, kickball, and/or basketball sports coaching and one day per week in Social Emotional Learning with district Social Workers. MORE INFORMATION can be found on our ESSPN SPORTS LEAGUE webpage.
3rd – 8th graders will have the opportunity to participate in our ESSPN program. To join the ESSPN team, students must provide evidence of health insurance and exhibit positive behavior. Students will be transported by school bus to participate in games and tournaments against other ESSPN teams from neighboring LMSV schools.
KG Soccer: Leveling the Playing Field
Now available at all four Middle School Academies!
KG Soccer was created to ensure every student has access to the high-quality, developmental soccer experience typically reserved for elite clubs. By bringing professional, structured training directly to our public schools, we’ve removed the hurdles of travel, try-outs, and high fees.
Our mission is simple: to cultivate access, foster a sense of belonging, and support holistic development through the world’s most inclusive sport. Every student deserves a chance to play, grow, and belong—right here on their own campus.
