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Service Learning
Service-Learning is an educational strategy in which classroom concepts and information are used to address authentic issues and to empower students to be more effective citizens. All Service Learning in Cecil County is infused into the curriculum and used as a tool to encourage higher level thinking skills and authentic problem-solving.
At the middle school level, all students will participate in three separate multidisciplinary Service Learning projects, which will address three different focus areas. Each year students will prepare, plan, act and reflect on their project. All students will complete a Service Learning portfolio, which will record each of their service projects. Portfolios are designed to address Maryland’s Seven Best Practices in Service Learning.
The Maryland State Service Learning requirement consists of 75 hours of service or a county approved program. All students must complete the graduation requirement in Service Learning. The requirement will be met by successful completion of infused Service Learning units in grades 6 through 9. For students transferring in grades, 6-9 students will be required to complete the project of their current year and all future requirements.
Meritorious Hours
Meritorious hours are Service Learning hours performed by students above and beyond the required projects. Meritorious hours earned beyond the mandatory requirements will be tracked by the Service Learning Building Coordinator and recorded on student report cards. In order for meritorious hours to be validated, a student must complete a Service Learning Validation form. Below is the link for the Service Learning Validation form.
Meritorious Hours Form
6th Grade:
“The Environment and You”
The Environment and You offers students the opportunity to select and explore a local environmental problem of personal interest and the chance to respond to that problem in a way that reveals the power each citizen has to make a difference. The sixth-grade students complete their Service Learning project during their trip to North Bay Adventure Camp in North East, Maryland. Lesson plans are conducted through their science classes in preparation for their trip and upon return, the students complete a reflection and service learning portfolios. The trip takes place annually during the first marking period. All students are invited to attend and those not attending the trip will complete an alternate assignment with the school-based service learning coordinator.
7th Grade:
“Food for Thought”
Through a school directed Service Learning project, students will apply academic and social skills to improve personal health habits and community nutritional concerns. The seventh-grade students will use a food drive to address homelessness, poverty and childhood hunger in the local community as their Service Learning project at Perryville Middle School. Lesson plans are conducted through their language art classes in preparation for the food drive and upon completion of the food drive students complete a reflection and their service learning portfolios. The project takes place in the fall during the first marking period. All students are invited to participate in the food drive and those students who do not participate in the food drive will complete an alternate assignment with the school-based service learning coordinator.
8th Grade:
“Saving the Past for the Future”
Saving the Past for the Future will foster an understanding of and sensitivity to the connection of the past with the future by encouraging the student’s to preserve something of historical value for their community. The eighth-grade students will learn about the preservation and maintenance of our nation’s battlefields and how their contributions can educate and inspire others to preserve battlefields. Students will study battlefield history and create a persuasive product to encourage others to contribute to battlefield preservation. Lesson plans are conducted through their social studies classes in preparation for the project and upon completion of the projects, students complete a reflection and their service learning portfolios. The project takes place in the spring during the fourth marking period. All students are invited to participate and those students who do not participate will complete an alternate assignment with the school-based service learning coordinator.
Our Perryville Middle School Service Learning Building Coordinator is Mrs. Kathleen Watkins. Please feel free to contact her at kcwatkins@ccps.org or 410-996-6012 for any questions or concerns.