The students of St. Hedwig School will be participating in a Service Learning Program this year.  The objective of this program will be to develop the students’ sense of community and stewardship through service to others and to establish a lifelong habit of giving to others.  The entire school community, kindergarten through eighth, will participate in service learning projects and experiences.

All students (Grades K-8) will take part in our school’s Service Learning Program as a group with fellow classmates.  The junior-high students (Grades 6-8) will additionally participate in the Service Learning Program as individuals.

An important ingredient for a successful program is the student’s opportunity for reflection.  Students will spend time sharing their service experiences with peers, reflecting upon the benefits of serving others, and discussing the parallels in Scripture.  Throughout the program, students will be guided to reflect upon the goodness of serving others and to discover how one’s own life is touched forever when serving others.

Family involvement is another key element for a successful Service Learning Program.  While teachers will facilitate this program at school, parents are encouraged to assist as role models by performing community service activities with their children.  Families are invited to submit written accounts of their experiences to be included in the monthly Communicator.

With teacher guidance and family support, students will play an integral role in improving the lives of people in the local community.  Together, as a St. Hedwig community, we will all “sing of the love of God” and demonstrate that “you are never too young to serve.”

Please email any questions to service@sainthedwigparish.org

 

 Service Records and Reflection  (print and complete by hand)

The purpose of this Service Learning Program is to teach students the skills of civil participation and to develop the ethics of service and civic responsibility.  By serving the community’s needs, our children will be empowered with the confidence to be active participants in society.

Volunteer service hours will be credited to students for participating in learning experiences which directly benefit the school, the parish, or the community.  The guidelines below set forth the requirements of this individual service learning program.

● Each student in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will be required to dedicate a minimum of 10 (ten) hours per year performing community service.  All service must be completed prior to May 31, 2009.

● Service opportunities will be posted on the student service bulletin board, which includes a description of the service, the benefiting organization, available dates and times, location of the service, and the number of credit hours.

● If a service opportunity is not posted on the bulletin board, credit hours will not be awarded unless prior written approval is granted by the Student Service Coordinator in consultation with the student’s religion teacher.

● If you do not see something posted but think it should qualify for service hours, seek pre-approval first if you intend to earn service credit.

● If students or families learn about opportunities in the community that may benefit from our service, please notify us regarding the specifics of this opportunity and perhaps it could be added to our bulletin board.  (Many students and families will introduce wonderful service opportunities that we would have otherwise never considered.)

● Students may work the required ten hours on a single project, unless otherwise indicated on the bulletin board.  (ie. altar serving max 3 hours, Autumnfest max 3 hours, etc.)

● Students may not receive service hour credit for assisting with parents’ service obligation through the school’s tuition reduction service program (absent prior written approval by the Parent Board Service Job Coordinators and the Student Service Coordinator, or for assisting with any business that is owned by, operated by, or an employer of a parent or other family member.

● Scouting service projects will count toward school service hours only if the service performed is not credited with badges or other scouting rewards.  Scout leader pre-approval is required for such service.

● Service credit must be signed off by the adult supervisor.  A parent may not sign-off for their own child/children’s service hours.

● A “Service Record Reflection Sheet” must be completed for each different service job performed and returned to the Religion teacher in order to receive service hour credit.

● An additional “Service Record Reflection Sheet” should be completed for classroom service projects and returned to the student’s religion teacher.

● Student’s performance of service hours, as well as completed Service Record Reflection Sheets, will count towards student’s religion grade.

● Recognition will be given at the academic year-end to students accumulating more than 50 service hours of community service.

● Please email any questions to service@sainthedwigparish.org