Clubs & Activities
The school day may end at 3 p.m. but our campus still hums with after-school activities!
Since its founding in 1982, Almaden Country Day School has understood and embraced the importance of experiential learning. Children learn and thrive when they are engaged in activities that are relevant, enjoyable, and meaningful to them. After school activities can play a crucial role in this type of learning.
Our campus is host to a variety of after-school activities that extend the interests and talents of our students in wholesome, exciting ways. The following are a sample of the after school activities provided at different times during the year at ACDS. Please contact the Student Life Office for more information about this year’s after-school activity schedule.
ACDS Speech and Debate Team
Grades 6 - 8
Students in Grades 6 - 8 are encouraged to join our middle school speech and debate team. Students interested in joining the squad must take the Competition Speech elective during the first trimester. For more information, please contact Coach Chris Wardner.
For more information on our speech and debate program, please visit this page. Do you have questions about competition Speech and Debate Team? We hope we answered them here.
Makers Design Workshop
Grades 1 - 8
Students will level up their maker skills with a full 75 minutes of Makerspace tinkering time! In a safe and supervised way, students will learn how to use the Laser Engraver, CNC Router, 3D printers and each of the software programs required in order to use these design tools. Hand tools such as saws, drills, pliers and wire cutters will also be used with a strong emphasis on measuring and safety. We will discuss why certain materials work best with certain machines and which to use depending on the project being created and its potential use.
Choir
Grades 1 - 8
ACDS offers an Upper Choir for students in grades 4-8 and a Youth Choir for students in grades 1-3. Students in the Upper Choir will work on more advanced vocal repertoire and techniques in this group. Students in Youth Choir will learn a variety of vocal repertoire and techniques, as well as build their confidence through onstage experience and optional solo performances. Both Choir groups perform for the school community and in the winter and spring concerts.
Dungeons and Dragons
Grades 5 - 8
Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy adventure role-playing game where players take on the role of adventurers who work together to explore ancient ruins for treasure and glory. D&D encourages improvisational acting, creativity, collaborative problem solving, and social interaction as well as helping to build basic math skills.
Running Club
Grades 5 - 8
If your child loves to run, wants to start running, or cross train for the upcoming track and field season, join the running club! The running club will provide the students the opportunity to practice and improve their ability in running, and focus on practicing the skills and techniques of running, such as the running form, pacing and strength training. The goal is to gradually boost the student's ability to run comfortably in the distance of 2 to 3 miles.
Math Club
Grades 3 - 8
The Math Club run by Dr. Xin Ai uses materials from the California Math League, as well as plays games and engages in activities that involve number strategy and math facility.
Girls on the Run
Grades 3 - 5
The two words that best describe Girls on the Run are "fun" and "run". Every aspect of the program is geared toward helping girls feel good about who they are physically, emotionally, and socially.
Girls on the Run meet two days a week to train for a future run/walk event.
Band
Grades 2 - 8
Band, led by Modern Minded, doesn't just teach how to play an instrument and read music. Playing music increases student's memory while helping to improve coordination, math, reading, and comprehension skills.
In band, students learn perseverance with a valuable sense of achievement and, while experiencing rich culture and history, learn a strong sense of responsibility. Even though we all know music nurtures self-expression, it’s important to remember it also improves student’s listening and social skills.
Chess Club
Grades 1 - 8
Love to play chess? Join the ACDS Chess Club on Fridays. The club is for mixed levels for players just being introduced to chess to the more advanced players. For beginners, we will start with the basics on how to set up a chess board, play the game, and move the pieces. More advanced players will learn more advanced strategies. Each week the students will have time to try out their chess skills with other players as our teacher provides guidance on the game.
Arts & Crafts Club
Grades 3 - 8
Our Arts & Crafts Club is for any student who enjoys sculpting, painting and crafts. The club brings students on a creative journey through a range of processes and techniques, including: ceramics, watercolor and glass art. All levels welcome!
Robotics
Grades 4 - 8
Robotics Club continues to provide the opportunity for students to work on engineering and creativity skills in a collaborative learning way! Students at different levels will use new LEGO Mindstorm Inventors kits and Education EV3 kits to code and develop mechanical solutions to robotic challenges and real-life problems. Past projects include a driving base, robot puppy, pinball machine, obstacle course and classroom tissue dispenser.
Girls Who Code
Girls in Grades 5 - 8
Girls Who Code is designed to nurture and support an interest in engineering and computer science that often exists in middle school, but too often fades in high school. By focusing on real-life problems and on-screen role models, Girls Who Code aims to help ensure that this interest will continue to grow in high school and beyond.
Our own chapter of Girls Who Code is open to girls in grades 5-8 and no experience is necessary. Girls will have opportunities to explore and work in pairs or individually, in a supportive, inclusive, interactive and collaborative environment. Depending on their interests, girls will learn to code in a few popular programming languages, practice logical thinking and problem-solving and build projects that entertains, educates or solves a real world problem. Some programs that GWC will explore are, “Art & Math with Python,” “Games with JavaScript,” “Apps with JavaScript,” and “Web Programming.”
Theater Arts
Grades 3 - 5
ACDS Theater Arts Encores are for students in grades 3-5 who love the stage and live to sing, dance, and perform. In our Advanced Theater Arts Club, students in grades 4 & 5 dive deeper into the dramatic world and ready to work on larger projects. Weekly skit creations build into multiple-week projects, script work, and more challenging improv games. All of the hard work by the students culminates in a sharing performance session for invited family and friends.
Extended Care Programs
We offer complimentary supervised before-school care for children enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade. ACDS also offers three fee-based after-school programs, The Apple Tree, for Pre-Kindergarten students; The Apple Orchard, staffed by certified caregivers for Kindergarten through 3rd grade students; and, MASH for 4th to 8th grade students.