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.  

• 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

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).

Independent Service-Learning Experiences

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 Docs) document for more information.

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 Queen Anne’s County Public Schools

Service-Learning in Maryland (MSDE, external site)

For more information, please contact your school’s Service-Learning Coordinators: