Early School

Pick Up and Drop Off

Instructor will meet dancers right outside of the Early School entrance on Chalmers Field. Please make sure your dancer is changed and ready to go to class by 2:55 p.m.

Instructor will bring dancers back to the same location, Chalmers Field, for pick up at 4:00 p.m.

Class Time

Dancers will walk into the dance room with their teacher. Parents are not permitted in the dance room during the class sessions unless the teacher has scheduled an observation day or needs assistance with costumes.

Kindergarten through Grade 5

Pick Up and Drop Off

Dance students will meet at the club meeting locations and an Instructional Assistant or Dance Instructor will escort the dancers to the appropriate dance studio. Plan to pick up your dancer in the PAC parking lot near the rock fountain by the Performing Arts Center (PAC). If you are running late your child will be escorted to Extended Day. Fees will apply.

Class Time

Dancers will change in the PAC dressing rooms or Lower School bathrooms. If your child needs assistance changing, as most dancers in Kindergarten to Grade 2 do, please practice with them how to put on their leotards and leggings. Teachers are not allowed to help dancers get dressed. Dancers will walk into the dance room with their teacher. Parents are not permitted into the dance room during the class sessions unless the teacher has scheduled an observation day or needs assistance with costumes.

YES for Early School students! Children MUST be signed out of the Early School by a parent per California Law, no exceptions.

NO for Lower School students. Children will be escorted to the dance room by a teacher or afternoon staff member.

Early School through Kindergarten

GIRLS

Black leotard, black leggings, pink ballet shoes and black tap shoes

BOYS

White T-Shirt, black fitted athletic pants, black jazz pants or black fitted athletic shorts. Black ballet shoes and black tap shoes

Grades 1 through 5

GIRLS

Black leotard, black leggings

Ballet/Lyrical - Pink ballet shoes, tan jazz shoes

Jazz/Tap - Tan jazz shoes and black tap shoes

BOYS

White T-Shirt, black fitted athletic pants, black jazz pants, black fitted athletic shorts

Ballet/Lyrical - Black ballet shoes, black jazz shoes

Jazz/Tap - Black jazz shoes and black tap shoes

Dance Uniforms can be purchased at www.discountdance.com or at Dancer’s Choice in Aliso Viejo. 

Girls - Bun for Ballet, Ponytail for Tap and Jazz

Boys - Combed back neatly for class

Saturday, April 26, 2025 or tbd - 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the Hurlbut Theater

The Spring Concert will be a fully produced dance show and will highlight students in a formal performance along with selected Middle and Upper School performers for inspiration of our younger students. Dance instructors will purchase costumes for the event and performers will dance in the Hurlbut Theater. Dance photographs will be taken for the Spring Concert, and offered online after the show.

Saturday, December 7, 2024 or tbd – 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the Hurlbut Theater

This performance will highlight students’ techniques and combinations. This gives dancers an opportunity to practice dancing in a more informal setting prior to their formal performance in the spring. Note: Students will wear their classroom uniform for this concert.

Regular  - this applies if you KNOW your child will attend on any given days. For example, if you need childcare on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, indicate so in SchoolPass (Lower School ONLY) and your child's classroom teacher will bring them to Extended Day. You can select any schedule that works for you! Middle School students should be told by their family which days they are to attend, no "registration" is needed.

Drop-in - this applies if you are running late unexpectedly. You may be stuck in traffic or a meeting and did not indicate in SchoolPass that your child will attend. Your child's Lower School teacher will wait with them until the end of dismissal and then bring them to Extended Day. Middle School students will communicate with their parents directly or be informed by the office if this situation occurs.

A note on SchoolPass:  SchoolPass is used as the dismissal system for the Lower School and applies ONLY to Lower School students. If you are not familiar with the program or need help, contact the Lower School office at extension 1211.

A note for Middle School families:  Students are expected to report the Extended Day room on their own, if requested to do so by parents or the Middle School administration. No "registration" is required. If a student does not report promptly to Extended Day once requested to do so, but lingers or shows up late frequently, disciplinary action will be taken and this may result in dismissal from Extension Programs.

Staff signs your child in and out on.

Once your child arrives to Extended Day (Lower School students arrive with their teacher, Middle School students arrive by themselves) they are signed in.

When you arrive for pick up, check out with an Extended Day teacher.

Middle School students will inform a teacher that parents have arrived and are allowed to walk the Middle School parking lot by themselves AFTER they check out with Extended Day staff.

If you have both a Lower School and a Middle School student, you MUST come in person to sign out. as no Middle School student is allowed to pick up a Lower School sibling as per school policy.

Students in Kindergarten and grade 1 will be offered separate activities from the older grade levels, if staffing allows, and based on their choice. Middle School students will be offered a quiet study time and location, if staffing allows.

Students of all grade levels will interact at various times in the afternoon, allowing for shared experiences and collaboration. We believe that after school, mixed age groups have various benefits such as boosting social skills and self confidence, encouraging emotional well-being (less competition between age groups), and offering real-world experiences! Children will get the benefit of interacting with peers of various ages and abilities, thus promoting friendship and a spirit of cooperation.

Sample Daily Schedule

3:30 p.m. check in

3:30-4:00 p.m. outdoor free play and/or quiet study time

4:00 p.m. snack, indoor activities/teacher led arts, crafts, games

4:30 p.m. students who attended enrichment classes arrive, sign in and get snack

4:30-5:00 p.m. outdoor play or indoor free choice, weather permitting

Fun Fridays with movies, popcorn, popsicles and other snacks, on-campus field trips to school garden, outdoor classroom, Chalmers field and gym, as staffing allows

Bi-monthly therapy dog visits from Pet Partners, and special events throughout the year!

How does it work if my child does a club and Extended Day? 

Students are always supervised and can participate in clubs on some days, attend Extended Day on other days or even come to Extended Day after club from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. Please inform the club teacher that your child will need to go to Extended Day after the club.

Extended Day is NOT available after dance classes that end at 5:00 p.m.

Students in grades 5 through 8 have the privilege of going to the Library to do homework or study. However, the library privilege will be revoked if students are not following teacher's instructions.

Students will check in with the Extended Day teachers, and will be handed a library pass. They can go to the library, where an Extension Programs staff member will supervise.

The cost for attending Library is the same as Extended Day, $20 per day, billed to your online Tuition Management Account at the end of each month.

Ms. Kris Brown, Extended Day and Clubs Teacher

Mrs. Julie Cohen, Extended Day Teacher

Ms. Roxanne Hammond, Extended Day/Library

Mrs. Eva Kammerer, Assistant Director of Extension Programs & Summer at St. Margaret's

Mrs. Alysa Wheelock, Extended Day Teacher

Ms. Diane DeBilzan, Extended Day/Library

Ms. Kendra Sims, Extended Day Teacher and Grade 2 Co-Teacher 

If you have ANY questions regarding Extended Day and/or enrichment classes (such as billing, hours, fees, attendance, discipline, student interactions etc.), contact Eva Kammerer, Assistant Director of Extension Programs at [email protected] or ext. 1419

Extended Day staff can be reached at extension 2501 after 3:00 p.m.

Extended Day staff can be reached by calling 949-661-0108 and asking for LOWER SCHOOL EXTENDED DAY or extension 2501 after 3:00 p.m.

In case of emergency you may text 949-690-3913 to get a message to an afternoon staff member. 

Early School: Extended Day or dance classes

Lower School: Enrichment classes (clubs), Dance Conservatory classes, or Extended Day

Middle School: Enrichment classes (clubs) or Extended Day

Extended Day is supervised childcare after school. Extended Day for Early, Lower and Middle School ends at 5:00 p.m. Late fees are charged for pick up after 5:00 p.m. 

Early School

Due to state licensing requirements, this program runs under the supervision of the Early School and prior registration is required. Please contact the Early School directly by emailing Lisa Mers at [email protected]

Lower School

You must indicate in SchoolPass (prior to 2:30 p.m.) or by contacting the Lower School Office (after 2:30 p.m.) that your child will attend. You must pick your child up in person prior to 5:00 p.m. Extended Day consists of free play, games, activities on the field, arts and crafts, and other supervised on campus activities with qualified and experienced staff. 

Lower School Extended Day is as needed, on a drop in basis and no pre-registration is required. Fees are charged at the rate of $20 per day. 

Middle School

Supervised study and work time. Middle School students are expected to report to Extended Day promptly after school and be picked up no later than 5:00 p.m. Please note that Middle School students cannot pick up their Lower or Early School sibling, only authorized adults or Upper School students are allowed to do so.

Students are always supervised by St. Margaret’s staff and brought to afternoon programs.

Students in Kindergarten through Grade 2 will be escorted to the enrichment class/club meeting area by a teacher, co-teacher or after school teacher.

Students in grades 3 through 5 walk on their own to the meeting place.

Attendance for each club will be taken and students have time for a snack and bathroom break. Club instructors will pick students up and walk them to the location for class/club.

CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS: to make the registration time more equitable for everyone, included working families, registration opens at 7:00 p.m. and is on a first come, first serve basis. Some classed sell out very quickly so register early!

Fall 2024: Monday, August 5 through Friday, August 23. Registration opens at 7:00 p.m. 

Winter 2024: Monday, October 14 through Friday, November 1.

Spring 2025: Monday, February 3 through Friday, February 14. 

Pick up after enrichment classes and Dance Conservatory classes is as follows:

ALL Dance pick up is in the PAC parking lot.

All "regular" clubs and enrichment class pick up (KG- Grade 8) is in the Lower School parking lot. 

Pack an extra snack for you child on the day they have an activity after school. This should be something healthy and easy to open. NO PEANUT PRODUCTS.

For Lower School students, it is strongly suggested you pack the snack for after school separate from lunch and snack for during school. Many students will eat their snack during the day and are hungry after school. 

Middle School students are allowed to use the vending machine to purchase a snack with parent permission.

No refunds/credits will be issued after September 6 for the Fall Session. 

No refunds/credits will be issued after November 15 for the Winter Session.

No refunds/credits will be issued after March 28 for the Spring Session.

No refunds/credits will be issued after September 13 for yearlong Dance Conservatory classes UNLESS there is a waiting list and your child's spot can be filled.

Prior to those dates you may withdraw your student from any class for any reason.

Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. Once a class is full, you can place your child on the wait list free of charge. If a spot becomes available, your student will be enrolled into the class and you will be notified per email or phone call. If you want the spot, you will receive an invoice per email. You will need to pay the invoice to confirm your child's spot in the class. Without payment, their spot is not guaranteed. If you no longer want the spot please notify us so we can contact the next family on the wait list.

We do our best to accommodate every student in their choice of after school program but sometimes space is limited. Many clubs will sell out the day registration opens. Register early to save your spot.

Until the day of registration, all classes, days, times, grade levels, cost and teachers are subject to change and cancellation. If there are very few students enrolled in a class after registration opens online, you will be notified that the class is at risk of being cancelled, prior to the first class meeting. We make every effort to run every class but if a minimum number of students is not reached, we may have to cancel. You will be offered alternative classes for the same day if possible. If no other classes work for you, you will receive a full refund.

If you want to transfer your child to a different class please contact us and will try to make the requested change. If the class you are requesting is more expensive in either tuition or materials fee you will be billed the difference. Should we cancel a class due to low enrollment a full refund will be issued.