At Cardinal Gibbons, each period is an hour and 15minutes. With seven classes in total, leaving one period empty.
This is a flex period.
This time is often valued by the students, using it as a time to meet with teachers, study, do homework, or the simple action of connecting with fellow students. However, some students, post-freshman year, do not take this option of flex.
Electives are an essential part of being a student. This is a course the student can personally pick from a list and grow in this skill throughout their high school career, or switch it up to learn a new skill. With the vast amount of electives to choose from, students often find conflict in the decision, being interested in multiple when there is only one carved out time.
Starting sophomore year, the number of elective choices that students can take multiplies. With all of these new electives available, the option of getting rid of your flex opens up. Although doing this will get rid of free time during school hours, it means that students can take two electives in a year.
Approved Electives to Replace Flex
To drop one’s flex period for an elective, the elective they want to take must be on the list of approved electives to take the place of flex.
Approved Electives for an Additional Course:
- Advanced Art History (Rising 11th/12th)
- AI Ethics and Applications Honors (Rising 11th/12th)
- AP Music Theory (Rising 11th/12th)
- Christian Service Learning Honors (Rising 12th)
- Drama II-IV Honors
- Economics (Rising 12th only when requesting for AP Government)
- Guitar IV-V Honors
- Introduction to Graphic Design Honors (Rising 11th/12th)
- Journalism and Reporting Honors
- Laboratory Assistant (Rising 11th/12th)
- Men’s Fitness 9/10 (Rising 10th)
- Musical Theater I-III Honors
- Musical Theater Dance Honors
- Percussion
- Photojournalism Honors
- Public Speaking 1 and 2 (Rising 11th/12th)
- Sacred Heart Vocal Ensemble
- Sequential Art I-II Honors (Rising 11th/12th)
- Soprano/Bass Vocal Ensemble
- String Orchestra I-IV Honors
- Symphonic Band
- Tenor/Bass Vocal Ensemble
- Wind Ensemble Honors
- Women’s Fitness 9/10 (Rising 10th)
- World Music Honors (Rising 11th/12th)
- Yearbook Honors
Dropping a Language for a Flex/Elective
While flex is still a valued time by students, many upperclassmen find a way to have a flex period while also taking two languages. This is by dropping their language course. At Gibbons, students are required to take at least two years of a language course before they can decide whether or not they want to keep or drop their language class.
Since only two credits of the same language are required for graduation, juniors and seniors can drop their language for an elective course. Depending on the type of course, whether it is CP or Honors, students may want to drop it to take a higher-level elective to get more credits. Some would believe that taking an honors-level elective is better than a CP language course. This choice mainly depends on the student’s situation, their priorities in what classes they want to take, and sometimes even their college major’s requirements.
Seniors’ Ability to Drop Science for a Flex/Elective
Freshmen take biology, sophomores take chemistry or earth environmental, juniors take chemistry, physical science, physics, while seniors are not required to take a science course at all. Gibbons requires students to have at least three credits of science. Once students get to their senior year, they are at the point of deciding their college plans and career paths, indicating if that path involves a science. If a student’s indicated career path does not involve science, senior students tend to drop this course to have an extra flex or an elective that interests them or helps their plans.
Customizing Your Courseload
Figuring out what the options are to gain electives or flex can greatly impact a student’s course load and help them prioritize their time and work. While all of these choices are available, the choice is ultimately on the student to decide what is best for them and their future goals.
