Service Learning

How many service hours are required?

• Starting with the Class of 2029, 32 hours of Service Learning is a graduation requirement.
• For the Class of 2026, 2027, 2028: 25 hours of Service Learning is a graduation requirement.

When can I start earning service hours?

Students may begin earning service hours starting July 1 before their freshman year begins.

Service Learning Process for Students

• Download paperwork from CANVAS or pick up paperwork from the Service Learning Office (S168).
• Contact the site to confirm attendance for service & bring school paperwork to the site on the day of service. One form per location is required. After signing up to volunteer at any site, students must notify the site contact immediately if they need to cancel. Most non-profits are reliant on the help of volunteers to continue the public programs offered within the community.
• Submit completed Service Paperwork (front only) on CANVAS. NO electronically completed/signed forms, forms with whiteout, scribbles, or edits will be accepted. Students should always keep a copy of their completed paperwork for their records. Please submit hours within 30 days of completion. Paperwork will be reviewed and information verified; if approved for credit, hours will be posted to students' Skyward - Community Service account. If there are questions about any of the information on the students' paperwork, they will be contacted via their school email.
  *If students would like to volunteer at any site not found on the CANVAS Service Learning Volunteer Opportunities or the Approved Service Learning Site List, they are required to email Mrs. Donatucci with all the known details of the location and service for approval BEFORE GOING. Not all volunteer service is accepted for school credit. Locations must be IRS-registered non-profits, and services must abide by D230 Guidelines for Service.

What kind of projects qualify as Service Learning?

• All projects must be pre-approved by the Building Administrator in charge of Service Learning or their designee prior to a student beginning a project.
• Pre-approved project lists will be made available to students in the Service Learning office and on the home school and district web-sites. These lists include activities for:
  • School based projects
  • Co-curricular projects
  • Booster organization projects
• Projects not on the list will require pre-approval by the Building Administrator in charge of Service Learning or their designee.   

Projects must:

• Contribute to the completion of a task, which will benefit the community, needy individuals, groups in the community and/or school based parent group.
• Not involve direct solicitation of funds nor generate profits for any company.  Furthermore, students may not handle monetary transactions nor collect pledges.
• Not place students in any situation, which would pose a risk to their health or safety.
• Not place students in a situation that would be inappropriate for their age, background or level of maturity.
• Not be for political party, campaigning, lobbying, or special interest group or family member.
• Be channeled through a community based program.
• Not be in the form of worship, but can be with a religiously affiliated organization.
• Not involve driving or riding in a car.

I'm a transfer student, will my previous Service Learning hours count?

Transfer students shall receive credit for any approved service learning from previous schools, provided it meets the criteria of the District 230 program.  Transfer students entering during their freshman and sophomore years will be required to complete the entire amount of service hours required for graduation.  Transfer students during their junior or senior years will have their hours prorated per semester (based on their anticipated graduation year). Students who have been enrolled in a D230 school at any point, transferred out and returned, will be required to complete the entire amount of service hours required for graduation.