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Lakeside outlines Extended School Year program; 65 students served, preschool included on campus
Summary
Program specialist Jeanette Riddles described Lakeside’s ESY as an ‘extended school year’ for students with significant disabilities; district served 65 students this summer, consolidated services on one campus and added preschool participation for the first time.
Jeanette Riddles, a program specialist for Lakeside Union Elementary District, told the board that the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program served 65 students this summer and “is not just summer school. It is extended school year, and so it is designed to extend the school year for our students with the most significant disabilities to in order to ensure that they don't lose any of the skills that they gained throughout the year.”
Riddles said staff created classroom-level curriculum based on a district theme, offered daily breakfast and lunch, and ran small-group phonics and language blocks alongside social-emotional learning and occupational-therapy–informed activities. She said this was the first year the district was able to place all ESY students on a single campus, and that preschool-age children attended ESY for the first time.
The program, Riddles said, used a mix of certificated staff and support personnel: paraprofessionals, a TOSA, one LVN nurse, an occupational-therapy aide, an adapted physical education teacher, a board-certified behavior analyst providing health support, a secretary and site administration. Riddles highlighted STEM activities led by an outside high-school volunteer, noting the volunteer adjusted lessons (for example, acquiring larger Legos) after assessing student levels.
Board members and staff said attendance was strong and parents provided positive feedback. A board member commented that returning students had shown measurable gains in confidence and skill — one older student returned for his last ESY year and was able to practice and read with staff support.
Why it matters: ESY is a federally recognized service model intended to prevent skill regression among students with the most significant disabilities. Consolidating students on one campus and adding preschool participation can change staffing and transportation needs; the board heard these operational details ahead of the school year.
The presentation closed with board thanks to program staff and a transition to routine board business.
