As summer approaches, many special education teachers find themselves gearing up for Extended School Year (ESY) services. While ESY can be an important time to maintain skills, it doesn’t have to feel like another huge task on your to-do list. In fact, it can be an opportunity to create engaging, meaningful lessons for your students without overwhelming yourself.
If you’re feeling the pressure of ESY planning, don’t worry—I’ve got your back! Here’s how you can make ESY easy, fun, and stress-free, so you can enjoy your summer too.
Why ESY Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful
We all know that ESY is designed to help students maintain and build skills during the summer months, but it doesn’t need to come with extra stress. The key to a successful ESY experience is planning ahead and keeping things simple. Instead of feeling like you have to reinvent the wheel every year, set up a system that’s effective, easy to implement, and allows you to enjoy your summer break.
How to Set Up a Stress-Free ESY Program
Here’s how you can simplify your ESY planning:
- Use Ready-Made Resources You don’t have to spend hours creating activities from scratch. I offer full summer plans that are ready to go—designed specifically for special education teachers. From lesson plans to printables, you’ll have everything you need to keep your students engaged and learning, without the pressure of planning everything yourself.
- Focus on Skill Maintenance, Not New Learning ESY is about maintaining skills, not pushing for new learning. This means you can focus on activities that reinforce what students have already learned, rather than creating entirely new lessons. Simple, consistent activities like reading comprehension tasks, math drills, or fine motor practice are perfect for ESY.
- Structure with Flexibility While routine is important, flexibility is key in the summer months. Consider creating a flexible schedule that includes independent work, group activities, and breaks. This way, your students are engaged without being overwhelmed, and you’re able to take a step back and enjoy some downtime too!
- Plan for Different Learning Needs ESY is often a mixed bag in terms of student needs. The great thing is that with differentiation in mind, you can plan activities that meet each student where they are. For example, use visual supports, task cards, or file folder activities to help students stay engaged and continue working on their goals.
- Incorporate Fun Activities Summer is a time for fun, so don’t forget to add some playful activities to your ESY plan. Whether it’s arts and crafts, outdoor games, or storytime, adding fun elements will make your program more enjoyable for both you and your students.
Learn more about how I plan for ESY!
Full Summer Plans to Take the Pressure Off
The good news? I’ve made it easy for you! If you want to take the planning pressure off your shoulders, I’ve got full summer plans available for download. These ready-to-go plans will keep your students engaged in meaningful activities while ensuring you don’t spend your entire summer working. You’ll get:
- Engaging activities designed for ESY
- Differentiated resources for various skill levels
- Simple, no-prep materials that save you time
👉 Grab Your Full Summer Plans Here!
With these full plans, you’ll be able to spend your summer doing what you love—whether that’s relaxing, vacationing, or spending time with your family—without sacrificing the quality of your ESY program.
Enjoy Your Summer!
The key to enjoying your summer while still providing meaningful learning experiences for your students is planning ahead and keeping it simple. With my ESY resources, you can rest easy knowing that you have everything you need to have a successful summer session—and more importantly, you’ll get to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation.
👉 Get Started with Your Summer Plans Here!
Wishing you a smooth, stress-free ESY and a summer full of relaxation!
