Terms of Service

Please be advised that by enrolling in the Extended Student Services (ESS) Program, you are confirming that you have read, understand, and agree to the following terms of service:

• There is an annual registration fee of $40 to register one student, and $60 to register two or more students. This fee is non-refundable and will be automatically processed upon approval of your contract (except for homeless, foster youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged).
• Fees for paying families are based on a flat rate fee, not actual attendance, and are invoiced on a bi-weekly basis. Payment due dates are every other Monday and must be prepaid one week in advance. Fees are non-refundable and rates are subject to change. ESS reserves the right to deny service for non-payment.
• Payments may not be left on site or given to the ESS site staff. Only the ESS department at the La Mesa-Spring Valley district office may accept payments.
• Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer break programs are optional and require a separate registration.
• Students will not be allowed to begin ESS services until the registration process has been completed and payment has been received by the due date.
• A $10.00 late fee for payments not received by the invoice due date. Late fees are to be paid with the next scheduled payment.
• Continuous non-payment is cause for cancellation of ESS services. If accounts are not paid by 4:30 pm on the Friday before the first day of the service week, students may not be admitted to ESS. Unpaid balances could be transferred to an outside collection agency.
• When an account is sent to an outside collection agency, a $25.00 fee will be added to your account. The account must be cleared up with the collection agency and the ESS department before resuming ESS services, including breaks.
• Checks or e-checks returned by the bank for any reason (i.e. non-sufficient funds, account closed, etc.) must be replaced immediately with a cash, credit card, or money order payment. A $25.00 returned check fee will be charged to the account.
• Picking up a student from ESS any time after 6:00 pm, according to the time on the ESS sign out iPad, is considered a late pick-up and a charge will be assessed to the account. The late pick-up fee will be due on the account’s next payment due date (except for homeless, foster, and/or families documented as socioeconomically disadvantaged.
• ESS is a voluntary use program.  ESS is not a drop in service.  Account holders must provide a two-week notice before any of the following:
  • Changing schedules (AM to PM, PM to AM and PM, etc.)
  • Vacation request (up to two weeks of non-participation per school year is permitted at no charge)
  • Withdrawing students from the program

If a two-week notice is not provided, accounts will be charged corresponding fees according to the accounts selected schedule.

Drops for Non-Attendance

• For students who are registered for ESS services but do not attend the program for two consecutive weeks, account holders will be sent a DROP NOTICE. The drop notice will inform the account holder that services will be terminated in two weeks if the student does not utilize the program before the indicated drop date.  Should there be extenuating circumstances (i.e., illness, medical concerns, family emergencies, etc.), account holders must notify ESS District Office personnel. Notifying the site is not sufficient.
• Upon receipt of your third drop notice, your services will be canceled.
• If your services are dropped due to non-attendance and you would like to resume services, you will need to resubmit student contracts and may be subject to placement on a waitlist.
• For accounts receiving tuition assistance (i.e. ASES Grant Program, Expanded Learning Opportunities Program/ELOP), attendance requirements do apply and must be adhered to.  Attendance will be monitored and accounts not meeting the attendance requirements as outlined in the Late Arrival and Early Release Policies may be dropped from the tuition assistance program and services will be canceled. (California Education Code Section 8483(1) (a) (1))

ESS Homework Policies (regular school day):

• Homework rotation at ESS is 45 minutes long, 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday, for 1st through 8th grade students.
• The homework rotation in ESS is not a one-on-one tutoring service, but rather a designated quiet time for students to focus on working towards homework completion.
• When a student states that they do not have homework, ESS staff will not go through their backpack to look for assigned homework.
• ESS staff will spot-check answers and assist students during the homework rotation.
• The responsibility of reviewing and correcting a student’s homework belongs to the parent/guardian.  ESS does not guarantee homework completion.
• If a student is not completing or attempting to complete their homework during ESS, please speak with the ESS site leadership.

Ages Accepted

• The ESS program is open during the school year to students who are enrolled in and attend the La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools TK through eighth grade. Students from other school districts/areas may only attend during break times if space is available. Students enrolled in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District have priority. Upon successful promotion of the 8th grade, students are no longer eligible for ESS services with La Mesa-Spring Valley. The only exception is for those students who attend ESY (or SLA). These students may access ESS services while attending ESY (or SLA).

Late Pick-Up Policy

• A late fee will be charged if you are delayed past 6:00 pm. A Late Pick-Up Fee Schedule is posted at your school site (see below). This late pick-up fee is used to help pay staff who must remain after their regular working hours to supervise your child. See the ESS Parent Handbook for more information. Families and students who are identified as homeless, foster youth, and socioeconomically disadvantaged will not be charged late fees; however, suspensions and drops from the program still apply. Students may not walk home from the program to avoid a late pick-up.

Sign In & Out Procedure

• Parents or authorized persons must sign their students in and out daily. Students may leave the program only with the persons specified as authorized pick-ups.  Expect staff to ask for proper identification until they become familiar with those authorized to pick up your student. Please update emergency contact information regularly so staff can contact the appropriate persons immediately.
• We require parents and guardians to walk their students into the program area. Staff should acknowledge your student’s presence before you leave the program site.
• Students bussed to and from the program will be signed in and out by ESS site leadership.

Illness & Medication

• If your child is not feeling well, please do not send him/her to ESS. Students who have been ill must be well, and fever free, for 24 hours before returning to ESS or school. If your child becomes sick or is suspected to be unwell or contagious, you will be notified to pick them up promptly. If your child was sent home from school due to illness or injury and did not attend school for the day, they may not participate in ESS that day. You must keep the ESS program team updated on changes in work, home, cell, and emergency phone numbers.
• ESS will administer medication (prescription or non-prescription) to students only if an “Authorization for Administration of Medication” form has been completed by a physician and parent. All medication must be in the original container.  Only parents can transport medication between school sites for ESS breaks.

Student Cell Phone Policy

At Extended Student Services (ESS), we are committed to upholding school rules and guidelines during program hours, including the school year and breaks. We kindly ask that you review the guidelines regarding cell phone use with your student.

Under Education Code 48901.5, students are not permitted to use cell phones during instructional time. This rule also applies to Extended Student Services before and after school care. While students may bring cell phones to campus, they must remain out of sight and unused at all times on school grounds, except in the case of an emergency.

Thank you for your partnership in creating a safe and focused environment for all students!

If a student violates the above rules, the consequences are as follows:

• 1st Violation:     Phone taken away and returned to student at the end of the day.
• 2nd Violation:    Phone taken away and returned to parent upon pick-up.
• 3rd Violation:    Phone taken away and returned to parent with a meeting scheduled.

Please speak with your Site Lead, and take note of the ESS site phone number for all communications with your child.  Thank you for your support.

Frequently Asked Questions