School Support and Improvement

Student Service Learning (SSL)

 

Student Service Learning Essentials

Information for students and families, including how to find community organizations and SSL opportunities.

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New2 How to check your SSL hours on Student/Parent Vue

How can MCPS students earn SSL hours?

 

SSL flowchart

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SSL Opportunities

 

MLK Week of Service
2021

MLK Day logo 2021

Deadline: January 31, 2021

Honor the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by serving our community during the MLK Week of Service, January 16-24, 2021, and throughout the month of January. Students can find SSL opportunities, including a districtwide virtual advocacy opportunity (located under “Learn as a Service”) on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center webpage.

PeaceJam
Program 2021

PeaceJam 2021

Date: February 3, 2021 - May 12, 2021

MCPS has partnered with PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic, a regional affiliate of the international education program that connects high school students with Nobel Peace Prize winners. PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic and MCPS will deliver a weekly virtual leadership development program, focused on community engagement and connection to MCPS high schools students. Virtual sessions will occur every Wednesday from 3:30-5:00 PM. Participating students will earn SSL Hours.
Applications to participate open January 4th and close January 15th.
Learn more

Choose Respect
Video Contest

flyer

Deadline: March 1, 2021

This year students may earn 10 SSL hours for quality video submissions. Learn more

Nonprofit-Hosted
SSL Opportunities

SSL grad cap extended

– Ongoing –

All nonprofit-hosted SSL opportunities can be found on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center (MCVC) website. These opportunities are tagged with the blue MCPS SSL banner and graduation cap icon. Students may also directly access nonprofit-hosted MCPS SSL opportunities at bit.ly/SSLOpportunities and bit.ly/VirtualSSL2020.

NEW TEMPORARY AMENDED SSL INFORMATION
MCPS SSL Guidelines for Virtual/Remote SSL Opportunities

To meet the service-learning needs of our students during this time period, students may temporarily earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for virtual/remote service completed from home under the sponsorship of an approved nonprofit organization or MCPS school staff member. Students may engage in designated virtual/remote MCPS SSL opportunities until schools return to normal status. The new guidelines have been created to ensure that any virtual/remote service during this time maintains the safety and privacy of our students and adheres to the proper supervision and monitoring needed for SSL as a state graduation requirement.

All in-person and virtual/remote SSL opportunities can be found at Montgomery County Volunteer Center (MCVC). Students may also access all MCPS SSL opportunities directly at the following quick links: https://bit.ly/SSLOpportunities and https://bit.ly/VirtualSSL2020. These opportunities will be tagged with the blue MCPS SSL banner and graduation cap icon.

Reminder: All SSL forms for service completed from the summer of 2019, 2019-2020 school year, and summer of 2020 should be emailed to the school’s SSL coordinator:

Want to learn more? See this presentation detailing the state of Maryland and MCPS requirements for SSL, how students can earn SSL hours, how students can access virtual/remote opportunities while schools are closed, and an overview of the MCPS SSL program and its resources.

Systemwide Documentation and Award Timelines


SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT DOCUMENTATION TIMELINE
Time Frame of Service Documentation Due Date
Service completed during the summer September 25, 2020
Service completed during the summer and 1st semester January 8, 2021
Service completed during the summer, 1st semester, and 2nd semester June 4, 2021
**Any unsubmitted SSL forms from summer 2019 and the 2019-2020 school year will be accepted until June 4, 2021.
SYSTEMWIDE SSL AWARD TIMELINE
Award Documentation Due Date
Documentation that qualifies seniors for Certificates of Meritorious Service April 9, 2021
Documentation that qualifies middle school students for the Superintendent’s SSL Award. This award is given to students who meet the 75 hour graduation requirement during middle school and is only awarded once. April 9, 2021

All SSL Forms for service completed any time during the current school year and the summer before the current school year are REQUIRED to be submitted to the school SSL coordinator no later than the first Friday in June.

SSL Pre-Approval Requests

Nonprofit organizations that are not identified with a graduation cap graduation cap on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center (MCVC) website require pre-approval.

The MCPS Form 560-50, Individual Student Service Learning Request, must be submitted and approved by the school-based SSL Coordinator in advance of service for any in-person service. For any virtual/remote service, students must submit the MCPS Form 560-50, Individual Student Service Learning Request to SSL@mcpsmd.org. All pre-approval requests must be submitted in a timely manner. There is a two-week allowance for SSL Coordinators to review the request for approval or denial based on compliance with MCPS SSL Program.

 

SSL Opportunities

 

SSL Forms

 

Contact Us

 

 

News and Highlights

MLK Week of Service

MCPS annually recognizes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) with a week of service projects within our schools. The MLK Week of Service will be held January 16-24, 2021. Students are encouraged to participate in service projects hosted by their schools and by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center.

  • For Staff: MCPS Staff may find directions and details about the districtwide MLK Week of Service virtual advocacy opportunity, as well as other resources and ideas for planning school-hosted service projects, in the MLK Week of Service 2021 Google Folder
  • For Students: Students may find MLK Week of Service SSL opportunities, including a districtwide virtual advocacy opportunity (located under “Learn as a Service”) that must be completed by 11:59 pm on January 31, 2021, on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center.
 

MLK 2021

Building a Culture of Kindness With a Day of Service

 

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