Service-Learning

The Maryland State Department of Education defines service-learning as a high-impact instructional approach that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning. It is a form of civic education that provides students with diverse opportunities to explore and reflect on what it means to be active, engaged citizens. Some service-learning experiences are embedded within the curriculum of certain courses, while others are completed independently by students outside of instructional time.  

Queen Anne’s County Public Schools promotes high-quality service-learning experiences for all students to help them become active participants in making a difference in their community. Students who successfully complete 75 hours of service-learning experiences in Queen Anne’s County Public Schools will meet the Maryland State Department of Education graduation requirement.

To learn more about how service-learning is different from community service, volunteerism, and an internship, please click HERE (Google Doc). All are important ways to give back to your community, but they are not all the same.

All Service-Learning experiences must include all three Core Components and all of Maryland’s Seven Best Practices.

The Three Core Components of Service-Learning – Academic Preparation, Service Action, and Structured Reflection – provide the foundational structure of every service-learning experience. All service-learning experiences, whether embedded within the curriculum or completed independently, must include all Three Core Components. 

As depicted in the image, the largest portion of each service-learning experience should be the Service Action component.  

• The Academic Preparation component should be intentionally designed to ensure students are ready to engage in service action that is informed, appropriate, and effective. Preparation may occur at multiple points throughout a service-learning experience as students’ understanding deepens.
  
• During the Service Action component, students engage in purposeful, personally relevant service that meets a recognized community need. Students should spend the majority of their total service-learning time engaged in service action through direct, indirect, and/or advocacy service.
  
• The Structured Reflection component should be differentiated to support diverse learners and to ensure equitable access across grade levels and learning needs. Students may use multiple reflection strategies within a single project, select different strategies across projects, or choose approaches different from those used by peers.
  

Maryland’s Seven Best Practices of Service-Learning function as tools that guide the design and implementation of service-learning experiences across the Three Core Components. The presence of all Seven Best Practices defines a high-quality service-learning experience that meets MSDE guidelines.   All service-learning experiences, whether embedded within the curriculum or completed independently, must demonstrate all of Maryland’s Seven Best Practices of Service-Learning. 

Maryland’s Seven Best Practices include:

• Identify and Meet an Authentic Community Need
• Plan Ahead for Service-Learning 
• Acquire Knowledge and Skills Needed for Service 
• Develop Initiative and Responsibility 
• Collaborate with Community Organizations 
• Achieve Curricular Objectives Through Service-Learning 
• Reflect Throughout the Service-Learning Experience
  
  

Throughout Maryland, students can use a combination of embedded and independent service-learning experiences to meet the 75-hour graduation requirement.  In Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, students can earn their 75 hours through embedded experiences starting in grade 5.

Embedded Service-Learning Experiences

In Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, the embedded service-learning experiences follow this progression.

Elementary School

At the elementary level, students will complete one embedded Service-Learning project in grade 5 earning 15 hours.  These experiences are embedded in ELA, social studies, and science blocks.

Middle School

At the middle level, students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will complete one embedded project (earning 15 hours) each year. These three middle school projects satisfy 45 additional Service-Learning hours. Students who began their Service-Learning experiences in elementary school can enter high school with four completed projects and 60 of the 75 Service-Learning hours required for graduation. Service-learning experiences in the middle level are embedded in ELA and science classes.

High School

In high school, students complete at least one more embedded project (for an additional 15 hours) to earn the required 75 Service-Learning hours for graduation. These experiences are embedded in ELA, social studies, science, visual arts, and CTE/ Carpentry classes as well as through various clubs such as the Spanish Club and the Interact Club.

Samples of embedded projects can be found HERE (Google Doc).

The procedures for Queen Anne’s County Public School staff to submit an embedded service-learning project plan for approval can be found HERE (Google Doc).

Independent Service-Learning Opportunities

Middle school and high school students are also able to complete Independent Service-Learning experiences after first receiving approval through their school’s Service-Learning Coordinator/ high school counselor. Completion of the Independent Service-Learning (SL) Approval/Verification Form, available from school Service-Learning Coordinators/ school counselors (and found HERE (Google Doc)), is a two-step process:

• Part I of the form must be completed by the student and the sponsoring organization and then approved by the school’s SL Coordinator PRIOR to the student starting the project.
• Part II of the form must be completed AFTER the project ends and submitted to the school’s Service-Learning Coordinator for final approval.

If non-profit organizations in Queen Anne’s County are interested in offering Service-Learning opportunities, please review the SSL for Nonprofit Organizations document (Google Doc) to learn more.  

Transfer Policy

In State Public School Transfers

All students who transfer into the Queen Anne’s County Public Schools from another Maryland public school are required to either show proof of satisfactory Service-Learning from their previous school or complete the five required Service-Learning projects.  These projects can be planned jointly by the student with their school-based Service-Learning Coordinator. 

Private School or Out of State School Transfers

If a student transfers into Queen Anne’s County Public Schools from a private school setting or from an out of state school, they may not have a previous formal record of service-learning. In such cases, the service-learning hours required for graduation are based upon the grade in which they transferred.  Please refer to the QACPS Service-Learning Transfer Protocol (Google Doc) document for more information.

All Service-Learning experiences must include all 3 Core Components.  

The Three Core Components of Service-Learning – Academic Preparation, Service Action, and Structured Reflection – form the foundation of every high-quality service-learning experience.  Maryland’s model of service-learning is a cyclical, non-linear process. The Three Core Components occur continuously and may be revisited as projects evolve.  While students earn service-learning hours during all three components, students should spend a significant portion of their service-learning time engaged in Service Action. The time devoted to Academic Preparation and Structured Reflection should not exceed the time spent in Service Action.

• Academic Preparation
  • Description
    • Students build the knowledge and skills needed to engage meaningfully in their service action. Academic preparation may include meeting curricular objectives, learning physical or technical skills, exploring civic responsibility, and learning about the community to understand and address identified needs
      
  • Potential examples
    • Learning from a guest speaker or subject-matter expert; Conducting research on a community issue or cause; Meeting with a community partner to understand needs and expectations; Learning and practicing necessary skills (e.g., food preparation, gardening, animal care, shoveling, woodworking, conducting scientific evaluations); or Team-building activities that develop collaboration, communication, and readiness for service
      Structured
      
• Service Action
  • Description of Indirect Service
    • Students have direct contact with individuals or groups they serve. 
  • Potential examples
    • Tutoring; Serving meals; Visiting nursing homes or assisted living facilities; or Providing care or support to individuals in need
  • Description of Indirect Service
    • Students engage in service activities without direct contact, often channeling resources to help address a community issue. 
  • Potential examples
    • Hosting food and clothing drives; Organizing walk-a-thons or fundraisers; or Participating in environmental projects
  • Description of Advocacy Service
    • Students educate others about an issue with the goal of influencing change within the community. 
  • Potential examples
    • Contacting legislators or local representatives (e.g., letters, emails, or calls); Presenting before public officials or governing bodies (e.g., city councils or school boards); Preparing and delivering educational events (e.g., performances, panels, interviews) to raise awareness ; Creating and sharing educational materials or media; or Developing targeted social media campaign
      
• Structured Reflection
  • Description
    • Students participate in ongoing, intentional reflection throughout the service-learning experience. Through reflection, students examine the service action and its impact on the community and on themselves, consider successes and challenges, and determine adjustments that may strengthen the project.
  • Potential examples
    • Guided journal prompts; Structured writing activities; Large- and small-group discussions; Performances; Presentations or showcases; Visual artwork; Video or audio recordings

All Service-Learning experiences must include all 7 Best Practices.

Maryland’s Seven Best Practices of Service-Learning are essential tools that guide the design and implementation of all phases of a service-learning experience. Input from Maryland educators who have led exemplary service-learning programs informed the development of the Seven Best Practices, now recognized as the statewide standard for defining and evaluating high-quality service-learning experiences. 

Maryland’s Seven Best Practices of Service-Learning are not intended to be implemented in a linear sequence. Instead, they function collectively to support intentional, equitable, and impactful service-learning. Depending on the unique context and goal of an individual service-learning experience, the Seven Best Practices may be integrated differently and may be used during different Core Components.

Maryland’s Seven Best Practices are listed below.  After each of the practices is a question a student may ask that helps to address it.

• Identify and Meet an Authentic Community Need – “What is a need in my community that I would like to address?” 
• Plan Ahead for Service-Learning – “What steps do I need to take to meet this need?”
• Acquire Knowledge and Skills Needed for Service – “What knowledge and skills do I need to meet this need?”
• Develop Initiative and Responsibility – “How can I contribute my strengths to this effort?”
• Collaborate with Community Organizations – “Whom in my community could I learn from and serve alongside?”
• Achieve Curricular Objectives Through Service-Learning – “How does this experience connect to what I’m learning in school?”
• Reflect Throughout the Service-Learning Experience –“How is my service impacting the community, and what am I learning about myself?”

Students are able to earn service-learning hours throughout the year by completing embedded and/ or independent projects.  At the end of each marking period, student service-learning hours will be updated and added to the report card.

When students complete at least 75 hours of approved Service-Learning by the end of 8th grade year, they will be recognized at a QACPS School Board of Education Meeting.  When students complete at least 150 hours of approved Service-Learning by the end of 12th grade, they will be recognized at a QACPS School Board meeting and wear an honor cord during graduation.

Service-Learning in Maryland (MSDE, External Link)

For more information, please contact:

Darren Guido, Ed. D.
Supervisor of Instruction
(410) 758-2403, Ext. 147
115 Vincit Street
Centreville, MD 21617
[email protected]