Service Learning Criteria
Requirements for Service Learning Credit
- All students enrolled in the U.S. Government class must complete a total of TEN HOURS of Service Learning with an approved non-profit, government or political organization during the academic year.
- Students must complete a minimum of FIVE HOURS per semester of APPROVED Service Learning to receive credit for each semester of the course. Any student who does not complete this requirement by the end of each semester will receive a grade of “I” (incomplete). Note: School policy dictates that students who receive an “I” complete their work within two weeks. If the work has not been completed within two weeks, the “I” grade will automatically be converted to an “F” (failure), and the student will not receive credit.
- Students have the option of completing some or all of their service learning hours the summer before their senior year upon pre-approval of the designated government teacher.
Service Learning Project Overview
Albemarle County Public Schools places great emphasis on Lifelong Learning Competencies to prepare students engagement in their community during and after high school graduation. The Senior Government Service Learning project reinforces those competencies and reinforces social studies objectives through the teaching of values such as citizenship, civil responsibility, altruism, and loyalty.
“Approved Service Learning” shall mean any volunteer work for a non-profit service organization (examples: SPCA, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army) for which the student receives no monetary or other remuneration. Students may also attend functions of government institutions like School Board meetings, Board of Supervisor hearings, or volunteer on political campaigns. Students may not submit service for which they are receiving any other credit for a class or academic internship. Examples of this include court ordered service, or service required for other classes. Service should require interaction with community members, as opposed to simply completing or filing paperwork, and service should also be completed with and verified by non-family members.
All service learning activities must be approved in writing
by the student’s U.S. Government teacher BEFORE starting the service.
Albemarle County Public Schools places great emphasis on Lifelong Learning Competencies to prepare students engagement in their community during and after high school graduation. The Senior Government Service Learning project reinforces those competencies and reinforces social studies objectives through the teaching of values such as citizenship, civil responsibility, altruism, and loyalty.
“Approved Service Learning” shall mean any volunteer work for a non-profit service organization (examples: SPCA, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army) for which the student receives no monetary or other remuneration. Students may also attend functions of government institutions like School Board meetings, Board of Supervisor hearings, or volunteer on political campaigns. Students may not submit service for which they are receiving any other credit for a class or academic internship. Examples of this include court ordered service, or service required for other classes. Service should require interaction with community members, as opposed to simply completing or filing paperwork, and service should also be completed with and verified by non-family members.
All service learning activities must be approved in writing
by the student’s U.S. Government teacher BEFORE starting the service.
Service Learning Options
Service Learning Opportunities include but are not limited to:
Service Learning shall NOT include:
Service Learning Opportunities include but are not limited to:
- Any Virginia registered non–profit charitable organization. Examples include the American Heart Association, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Blue Ridge, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, CASPCA, THE United Way (see the United Way website under Volunteer Opportunities for other service learning opportunities http://www.cvillevolunteer.org/volunteer/agency/index/)
- Any generally recognized political party or independent candidates.
- Any state, local, federal or regional governmental agency.
- Any state–licensed, non-profit hospital, nursing home or day care center (some type of interaction should take place).
- Any non–profit religious organization. Students must do some activity that is above and beyond the attendance at a weekly service, such as serving on a church committee, baby-sitting in the nursery, helping with a charitable event, etc.
- Donating blood; successful blood donation gains 1 hour credit and successful ABC (platelet or apheresis) donation gains 2 hours credit, and if the student’s donation attempt is unsuccessful, the student should consult their government teacher for possible credit
- Albemarle High School Beautification Day or other planned, government teacher approved service learning activity, and there are typically two per year: one before school begins in August and one in the spring. Check the Albemarle High School website for more details and dates.
- Attendance at any regular meeting of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors or School Board (maximum credit is two hours per semester, unless student participates directly)
- Approved events at Albemarle High School including AHS Preschool Laptop Distribution, School Clean Up/Beautification Day, Patriot Academy, AHS blood drives, or other planned, government teacher approved service learning activity. NOTE: Only government teachers can approve service learning including AHS events, not other teachers, coaches or staff members.
- Service work that is done outside of the AHS community that is done through a club or other organization at AHS may be approved as long as a student is not getting class credit. As with all service learning, work must be approved by the student’s government teacher.
Service Learning shall NOT include:
- Participation in any activity for any organization which does not open its membership to the general public, or which discriminates in any way on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability.
- Service learning required by another class or mandated by the courts cannot count.
- Participation in service, even if unpaid, to a for-profit organization.
- Service through an individual or group that is not an approved non-profit organization.
- Service hours completed during the school day will not be accepted unless performed during a student’s release period, study hall, or as part of a special program organized by a government teacher.