COMMUNITY SERVICE INFORMATION & POLICIES 

  • WHAT IS COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

    • ★  Community service is volunteer time intended to enhance the greater community as well as OHS students’ lives.

    • ★  Community service gives students an opportunity to meet Oceana’s School Wide Outcome 5, “Respectful, responsible, and engaged community members.”

    • ★  Community service gives students a chance to gain job skills and self-esteem, while improving problem solving and critical thinking skills (School Wide Outcome 3).

    • ★  Community service allows students an opportunity to understand the issues in their communities and to feel connected to others. Current research finds that volunteer work promotes well-being and happiness.

    • ★  Community service is an excellent addition for college and job applications and scholarships are available for students who earn silver cord honors.


    • HOW MANY HOURS ARE REQUIRED AND HOW ARE THEY RECORDED?

    ★ Each student must complete 25 hours for each year of attendance at Oceana. Hours are prorated at the rate of 12.5 per semester for transfer students.

    ★All incoming students (9t​h​ and transfer) may bring in 25 hours from previous experience with proper documentation.

    ★  ALL service must be done outside of the regular school day.
    ★  It is important to make sure the log sheet is properly signed and all necessary information provided. Letters from agencies must be on the agency’s letterhead and contain the same information as the log sheets.
    ★  Blank log sheets are available in the library and can be downloaded here: Blank Log Sheet
    ★ Your hours earned are posted on StudentVue. You can also ask Mr. Weiss or Ms. Murphy any time.

    • ★  Students who earn 250 hours or 2.5 times their required number of hours, earn a silver cord as an honor at graduation.

    • ★  The deadline for documentation for any hours completed each school year (including the prior summer) is due on the second or third to last Friday of the school year. Any hours not turned in by this date will not be counted.

    WHAT KIND OF SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS QUALIFY?

    • ★  All community service must be completed at a non-profit agency or organization. Such organizations include schools, hospitals, libraries, city agencies, public TV and radio stations, soup kitchens and food banks, boys & girls clubs, park and recreation departments, and many other places. ​CHECK WITH MR. WEISS BEFORE YOU START!!!

    • ★  Community service may ​NOT​ be done for any for-profit businesses, for individuals, or for direct family members, even if you are not getting paid. Be careful with child care and elder care agencies – many are for-profit businesses.

    • ★  Service done at religious organizations (churches, temples, mosques, etc...) is only allowed when the work is non-religious. Additionally, the work must be intended to benefit the greater community and not to promote religion. ​Any kind of religious instruction or participation in worship services does not qualify.

    • ★  Community service credit for political work will only be given if the work is non-partisan (voter registration, working the polls, etc.)

    • ★ Outdoor Ed: if done during Interim or when school is in session, students earn 60 hours. If done during Spring Break, students earn 99 hours.

    • ★  Students may only receive a maximum of 62.5 for each individual Oceana sponsored on-campus event – including managing a sports team.​ Community service credit is not available for organizing or participating in assemblies, rallies, or dances, or for working for an individual teacher.

    • ★  If you have ANY questions or concerns about an agency or organization, check with the Community Service Coordinator BEFORE you start working so that you can be sure your time will be counted!

    • HOW DO I FIND A COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY?

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    SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

     

    Only volunteer at non-profit organizations or government agencies (schools, park & rec departments, libraries, etc.) Non-profit organizations are registered 503(c)(3) with the Internal Revenue Service. See the community service coordinator before you start volunteering if you have any questions.

    • Make sure all communications between you and the adults occur via your jeffersonunion.net email.

    • Never give them your phone number and do not accept the offer of their phone number.

    • Never meet someone in a private home (theirs or yours).

    • Do not meet one-on-one with an adult in private. 

    • Leave the door open.

    • Have your cell phone with you.

    • Tell someone where you are going and when you should be done.

    • If you feel unsafe at any time, leave the situation.  Trust your instincts.

    • If something doesn't feel right, contact a school staff member as soon as possible.

    Please inform the community service coordinator, school administrators, other teachers, or counselors immediately if the adult you are meeting with does not want to adhere to one of the above protocols.

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    ★!!!BREAKING NEWS!!!★  Community Service during COVID

    In recognition of the fact that COVID has had an enormous impact on students’ ability to earn community service hours, and the fact that no one anticipated COVID and therefore it was not possible to plan in advance for the reduced community service opportunities now available, we are temporarily reducing Oceana’s community service requirement as follows:

    • Class of 2024: 8+8+18+25 = 59 hours
    • Class of 2025: 8+18+25+25 = 76 hours
    • Class of 2026: 18+25+25+25 = 93 hours
    • Class of 2027: 25+25+25+25 = 100 hours

    Silver cords are awarded to students who have completed at least 250 hours of community service, and are worn during graduation.

    If you have questions, please contact Mr. Weiss at aweiss@jeffersonunion.net