<p><strong>Title: School-based Community Service Programs: What Parents Need to Know</strong></p>
<p><strong>Word Count: about 950 words  </strong></p>
<p><strong>Abstract:</strong></p>
<p>Schools all over the country are implementing community service requirements for students – often as part of a social studies grade or a graduation requirement. While the intentions of these programs are good, there are some pitfalls that parents and schools need to be aware of. Unfortunately, some poorly structured community service programs in schools have actually done more harm than good. Find out what it takes to make these programs successful and how parents can help to ensure that success. </p>
<p><strong>Excerpt:</strong></p>
Many schools now require students to perform a certain number of hours of community service, either as part of a social studies class grade or as a requirement for graduation. When such requirements are not explicitly tied to classroom curriculum and don’t include student reflection and classroom-based discussion of issues, some educators question the value of such mandates. “Some of the kids feel like it’s forced labor and resent it,” observed one educator who prefers to remain anonymous.

	<p>She makes a distinction between such standalone community-service programs in schools and “service-learning” – a hot new trend in schools. Service-learning programs clearly relate the students’ community service work to classroom curriculum and include specific classroom-based preparation, discussion and reflection. Some schools that started out with standalone community service requirements for students have moved to full-fledged service-learning programs. But service-learning programs require funding, school board and parental support, and teacher commitment. So, many schools continue with standalone community service requirements, usually requiring that the community service work be completed outside of school hours. This places the responsibility for arranging and carrying out the community service on the student and the family. For students who lack the family support and resources necessary to meet such requirements, it creates a problem. For busy parents, it becomes one more demand to add to the list. And for nonprofit agencies faced with training and supervising young volunteers, it has been a resource drain.</p>

	<p>“Unfortunately, some poorly structured community service programs in schools have actually done more harm than good and have given school-mandated community service a bad name,” says Shaele Wood, United Way Volunteer Center Director for Thomas Jefferson Area. (see When service is dis-service)</p>

	<p>So what does it take to make school-based community service programs successful?&#8230;.. </p>
<p><strong>Recommended Supplements</strong></p>
<ul>
		<li>When service is dis-service (475 words)</li>
		<li>What agencies want parents and schools to know (390 words)</li>
		<li>Template for you to fill in localized information on area schools’ community service programs</li>
	</ul>