School Support and Improvement

Student Service Learning (SSL)

 

Student Service Learning Essentials

Student Service Learning (SSL) is a Maryland state graduation requirement. Students must earn 75 SSL hours to graduate from high school and can start earning SSL hours the summer after grade 5. Students may continue to earn SSL hours throughout middle school and high school.

Introduction to SSL Handout:
English | Español | 中文 | Français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ | Portuguêse

SSL Hours Earned
How to check your SSL hours on Student/Parent Vue

New2SSL Forms, Guidelines and Resources
MCPS SSL Hub for Students/Families.

SSL Opportunities
https://bit.ly/SSLOpportunities
https://bit.ly/VirtualSSL2020  

SSL Coordinators
High School SSL Coordinators
Middle School SSL Coordinators

SSL Program Overview Slideshow
https://bit.ly/SSLOverview2020  

 

How can MCPS students earn SSL hours?

 

SSL flowchart

Download Chart:  English | Español | 中文 | Français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ | Portuguêse

SSL Opportunities

 

Family Forum on Fentanyl (March 25, 2023)

Family Forum on Fentanyl

Panelists will share important information for families on the dangers and prevalence of fentanyl, prevention tools, and protective factors for students and resources for treatment when needed. Students may earn 3 SSL hours for attending and learning this important information so that they can help to spread awareness and receive Narcan training. Interested students can learn more at the following link.

"Heads Up, Phones Down”
PSA Video Contest
(Deadline: March 31, 2023)

head up phone down

The “Heads Up, Phones Down” PSA Video Contest is now open! High school students may earn 5 SSL hours for quality video submissions. Interested students may view the contest rules and additional information at this link.

Keeping It Safe Video Contents (Deadline: March 31, 2023)

Keeping It Safe 2022-12

The Keeping It Safe Student Video Contest is now open! Students may earn 5 SSL hours for quality video submissions. Interested students may view the contest rules and additional information at this link.

Choose Respect Video Contest (Deadline: March 13, 2023)

Choose Respect

The Choose Respect Video Contest is now open! Students may earn 10 SSL hours for quality video submissions. Interested students may view the contest rules and additional information at this website.  

Student-to-Student
Extracurricular Series

student holding leadaership sign

– Ongoing –

We are seeking students interested in developing a video presentation with either a leadership moment or extracurricular skill to inspire, teach, and share with their MCPS peers and the greater MCPS community. Students may earn 10 SSL hours for successful submission of all items identified in the Student-To-Student Extracurricular Series Form.  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.
: Check out this list of in-person and virtual/remote SSL opportunities available during the month of March at the following link.

Visit this link to review the guidelines for select virtual/remote service that students may complete under the sponsorship of an approved nonprofit organization or MCPS school staff member:   MCPS SSL Guidelines for Virtual/Remote SSL Opportunities

To continue meeting the service-learning needs of our students, MCPS will continue to allow students to earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for select virtual/remote service completed from home beyond the 2021-2022 school year and moving forward. Students may engage in designated virtual/remote SSL opportunities under the sponsorship of an approved nonprofit organization or MCPS school staff member. All virtual/remote service must meet the MCPS SSL Guidelines for Virtual/Remote SSL Opportunities, which have been created to ensure that any virtual/remote service maintains the safety and privacy of our students and adheres to the proper supervision and monitoring needed for SSL as a state graduation requirement.

Middle school and high school students may continue earning SSL hours towards their SSL graduation requirement by engaging in SSL opportunities during the summer and throughout the school year, including traditional in-person opportunities and select virtual/remote opportunities that follow the established MCPS SSL guidelines.
Nonprofit-Hosted SSL Opportunities
MCPS SSL organizations and opportunities are tagged with the blue MCPS SSL banner and graduation cap icon on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center (MCVC) website.		 All opportunities (including in-person): https://bit.ly/SSLOpportunities
Virtual/remote opportunities: https://bit.ly/VirtualSSL2020
For additional tips on how to search for opportunities, please go to https://bit.ly/SSLSearchTips  
MCPS Form 560-50: Individual SSL Request Form
Used to obtain pre-approval prior to service with a nonprofit organization not listed on the Montgomery County Volunteer Center (MCVC).		 To request pre-approval for service, please complete https://bit.ly/SSLPreApproval -- for in-person service, submit this form to your school’s SSL coordinator; for virtual/remote service, submit this form to SSL@mcpsmd.org
MCPS Form 560-51: SSL Activity Verification Form
Used to verify and document SSL hours after service is completed
Student and supervisor must complete the form		 SSL Activity Verification Forms (https://bit.ly/SSLReflection) for service completed should be turned into your school’s SSL coordinator.
(All SSL forms for service completed during the summer of 2022 should be submitted to your school’s SSL coordinator by the recommended due date of Friday, September 23, 2022, but no later than the required deadline of June 2, 2023.)  
Student SSL Records on Student/ParentVUE
Step-by-step directions for viewing a student’s full SSL record		 Step-by-step directions may be found at https://bit.ly/SSLonVUE
MCPS SSL Program Overview
Complete overview of SSL requirements, guidelines, process, awards, and forms		 MCPS SSL Program Overview may be found at https://bit.ly/SSLOverview2020
MCPS SSL Guidelines for Virtual/Remote Service
Virtual/remote guidelines will remain in place moving forward		 Review the Guidelines for Virtual/Remote Service at https://bit.ly/VirtualSSLGuidelines
MCPS SSL Hub for Students
SSL forms, translated resources, SSL guidelines, and more important information		 View the SSL forms, resources, and guidelines at https://bit.ly/SSLHubMCPS

Reminder: All SSL forms for service completed after June 1, 2022, should be submitted to the school’s SSL coordinator by the recommended due dates of September 23, 2022, and January 6, 2022, but no later than the required deadline of June 2, 2023.

High School SSL Coordinators

Middle School SSL Coordinators

If you have any questions about the SSL program during the summer, please email the MCPS SSL office at SSL@mcpsmd.org.

If you have any questions about the SSL program during the school year, please email your 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, 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 23, 2022
Service completed during the summer and 1st semester January 6, 2023
Service completed during the summer, 1st semester, and 2nd semester June 2, 2023
**All SSL Forms for service completed after June 1, 2022, through the end of the 2022-2023 school year, are REQUIRED to be submitted to the school SSL Coordinator no later than the first Friday in June.
SYSTEMWIDE SSL AWARD TIMELINE
Award Documentation Due Date
Documentation that qualifies seniors for Certificates of Meritorious Service March 30, 2023*
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. March 30, 2023*

*The required deadline for all documentation that qualifies seniors for Certificates of Meritorious Service and middle school students for the Superintendent’s SSL Award is March 30, 2023. All SSL forms (MCPS Form 560-51: Student Service Learning Activity Verification) should be submitted to the school’s SSL coordinator by March 30, 2023, to be considered for these awards.

*Any high school senior who has submitted documentation to show the completion of 240 SSL hours or more by March 30 2023, will earn the Certificate of Meritorious Service along with a purple tassel for graduation. Any middle school student who has submitted documentation to show the completion of the 75-hour SSL graduation requirement (for the first time in middle school) by March 30, 2023, will receive the Superintendent’s SSL Award.

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.
  • During the summer, all pre-approval requests may be submitted to the SSL Dropbox at SSL@mcpsmd.org.

 

SSL Opportunities

 

SSL Forms

 

Contact Us

 

 

News and Highlights

Martin Luther King III Special Video Message for MCPS

 

Martin Luther King III recorded this video for MCPS students and staff sharing appreciation for their service, acknowledging the challenges of the past few years, and encouraging acts of service and expressions of gratitude as it fosters well-being.

Building a Culture of Kindness With a Day of Service


 

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