All MYP students around the world participate in Service as Action or Service Learning.  For the 2023-2024 school year, we will be continuing the service model we have been following since 2018. This model allows for more flexibility for all students, and will allow our students to collaborate on service work together during the school day.

 

Are students turning in hours this year?

• No, students will not turn in hours. Instead, students will be asked to volunteer in the community at least once during the school year on their own and will then share their experience with their group on our Reflection Day on April 24th. 

 

OK, so what will my student be doing for service and when will this take place?

• On early release days, students will be working with a small group of students from all three grade levels. This group will be led by a teacher who will help them investigate a topic, plan for what they could do to serve, do the service, and reflect on the activity. This is a more collaborative model and it takes place mostly during the instructional day (on the mornings of early release). Additionally, we will be asking students to participate in at least one activity on their own in the community and share that experience with their group. 

 

Why is this changing?

• We really want our students to be involved in authentic service experiences that they can learn from in a systematic way.  The goal is for service activities to be about the quality of what they do, not about the quantity (turning in hours).  Providing transportation to outside events/places for service has historically been a barrier for some of our families. We want to make service as accessible and equitable as possible for all of our students.

 

What happens next?

• Students recently ranked topics they were interested in and will be placed in a group with others who share their interests.  Leadership will review these choices and students will be placed in groups based on topic.  Some examples include: pets/rescue, homelessness, local hunger and poverty, and military appreciation.

• Students will investigate, plan, serve, and reflect on this topic during the mornings of early release during the 2023-2024 school year.  These groups of students will be facilitated by a teacher who is also interested in the topic being studied.  This will begin at the next Early Release on October 4th.

 

What do I as a Parent/Guardian need to do?

• Support your student in participating in this collaborative project by asking them what they worked on for service after each Early Release, starting in October.  Students will be investigating, planning or reflecting on aspects of their service on each of these dates.

• Help your child to identify at least one need in the community, and support their service to others by participating in at least one service action outside the school day.

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