Buena Park district highlights summer ESY and SOAR programs, debuts Ballet Folklorico enrichment
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Summary
The board heard a report on the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) special education services and SOAR expanded learning summer program, including new enrichment offerings such as Ballet Folklorico, speech and math camps, and partnerships with external providers.
The Buena Park School District presented an overview of its 2025 summer programs, including Extended School Year (ESY) special education services and the SOAR expanded learning program, and showcased student Ballet Folklorico performances at Wednesday’s governing board meeting.
"This year, we had two main summer programs running, Extended School Year and the SOAR program," said Dr. Sandra Song, who presented program details to the board. She described ESY eligibility as based on regression/regain data and said ESY instruction included specialized academic instruction, speech and language services, and occupational therapy.
SOAR programming offered academic intervention in the mornings and enrichment in the afternoons through partnerships with outside providers. The district listed enrichment activities that included speech camp, math camp, ice hockey sessions and Ballet Folklorico. "During the classes, students were introduced to Ballet Folklorico dance steps and movement, and they also gained cultural knowledge while practicing teamwork and coordination," Song said.
The presentation acknowledged external partners including Active Learning (Ballet Folklorico instruction), Lehi Learning (afternoon enrichment), Anaheim Ice Hockey and Advantage Communications (logistics/transportation), and thanked staff for organizing field trips and full-day activities. The board, superintendent and audience praised student performances; trustees commented that summer programs provide varied enrichment opportunities that support social-emotional learning.
No formal board action resulted from the program report; it was received as informational. The district said summer program supervisors and lead teachers spent "countless hours" to deliver the camps and that some new offerings will continue in coming summers.