After School Activities

BookEnds Program

Alta Vista’s after-school program, known as "BookEnds," serves students from Junior Kindergarten through 5th grade at the Lower School campus. BookEnds operates every school day from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. The program begins with a short recess and a healthy snack from 3:30 to 4:00 PM. Following that, enrichment classes are held from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Parents can pick up their children during the 5:00 to 5:15 PM window, with an extended care option available until 6:00 PM.

BookEnds offers three different programming options:

1. JK Playgroup: Designed specifically for Junior Kindergarten students.
2. BookEnds Play: Designed for students who prefer unstructured playtime and like to have free play on the playground after school.
3. BookEnds Enrichment: Designed for students interested in participating in focused, instructor-led courses. 

Enrichment classes are facilitated by both classroom teachers and specialist instructors. We also collaborate with local organizations such as Alonzo Lines Ballet, Culinary Artistas, Kodely, Maker Studio Kidz, Mechanics’ Institute, Rabbit Hole Theater, Robotics Tech Club, and more. Popular enrichment classes include:

• Chess
• Dance
• Drama Club
• Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)
• Introductory Cooking
• Lego Design 
• Robotics 
• Skateboarding

Drop-In Child Care 

Drop-in students join the BookEnds Play program, where they can participate in games, arts and crafts, or enjoy unstructured play. Parents can register their child for drop-in care as late as noon on any given school day through their Veracross Account under the Parent Portal.

Extended Care 

Extended Care is available from 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM and offers additional unstructured playtime with a later pick-up window for an added fee. Parents can register for this service through their Veracross Account.

Mini-Adventures Child Care

Mini-Adventures Days are scheduled for November 11, 21, 22, 2024, and February 24, March 14, March 2025. Families can register for these days individually. Programming details and registration will be provided approximately one month before the program date.

Students will be grouped by age—JK/K, 1st/2nd, and 3rd-5th—and will go on age-appropriate field trips within San Francisco. Whenever possible, 1st-5th grade students will travel using MUNI buses.

Child care is available from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM for $100 per day, with additional options for beforecare (8:00 AM to 9:00 AM, $25) and aftercare (3:30 PM to 5:00 PM, $30).

Break Week Camps

During school closures (October 14-18, February 17-21, and April 7-11 and April 14-18), families can register for single-day or week-long STEAM-focused programming. Camp hours are from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, with optional before care from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM and after care from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. For the third consecutive year, AVS is partnering with the creative team at Maker Studio Kidz for each week of camp. Pricing for 2024/25 is forthcoming.

After School Music / Voice Lessons 

After school music and voice lessons are 30 minutes. Families can sign up for private or small group lessons. Students participate in consecutive lessons for six to eight weeks at a time.