At La Jolla Country Day School, flexes and clubs give students opportunities to explore themes and experiences that are not offered in the school’s curriculum. Flexes meet during designated flex times during community times, while clubs typically meet during lunch.
Flexes and clubs have a few differences. A flex is structured, has clear agendas, and attendance is taken like in academic classes. Whereas Clubs do not take attendance and tend to be more relaxed. This school year, LJCDS offers flexes such as Torrey Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Yearbook. Torrey Mock Trial is a competitive program where students play the roles of attorneys, witnesses and other roles in a felony case. Torrey Mock Trial meets during both Flex 1 and Flex 3. It requires a full-year commitment and work outside of Flex hours. The bulk of the work is in preparation for several tournaments in which students participate throughout the year. Model United Nations is a flex that prepares for local, national, and international debate conferences. MUN meets during both flex 2 and 4. Students build skills in research, debate, negotiation, collaboration, and critical thinking. Debates are often on global issues, current events, and occasionally on creative topics. Yearbook meets during both flex 2 and flex 4. During this time, students create or produce the designs, photos, and text in an online program for the school yearbook. Students develop skills such as headline & caption writing, interview techniques, photography, and graphic design.
A few club offerings at LJCDS this school year include Art History Club, Chess Club, and Pickleball Club. The Art History Club meets twice a month during lunch. This club focuses on the art of the Renaissance period, specifically techniques developed during this time period that allowed artists to create realistic-looking figures and scenes. The Chess Club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch. During this time, students of all skill levels have the opportunity to play chess casually and participate in tournaments. Pickleball Club meets once a month during lunch. Students of all skill levels play pickleball on the school tennis courts.
Overall, there are a variety of clubs and flexes to choose from this school year depending on a person’s interests. It is important to understand the notable differences between clubs and flexes and the commitments required for each when choosing which to join.
