Dear Seniors,
In light of our Distance Learning Program that takes effect shortly, I am writing to inform you of changes in this year's Christian Service graduation requirement.
Our first priority as educators is to safeguard your health and security, so the policy modifications below support the CDCs recommendation of social distancing. This means that our current policy of requiring face-to-face interaction with those in need will not only be challenging, but impossible, for students who have remaining service hours to complete. Under these dynamic circumstances and to alleviate stress, I am liberalizing what qualifies as service for seniors and adjusting how to submit final Christian Service presentations and/or videos as follows:
HOURS: Required Service Hours will remain 10 hours for the 2019-2020 academic year.
SUBMISSION OF HOURS: All hours must be verified and submitted on x2vol or by hard copy using the verification form (no change). Hours may also be verified by an adult who sends me an email, accompanied by a student email who submits a photo of him/herself actively serving. (adjustment)
CAMDEN: All students who attended the DeSales Service Works retreat (Camden) may count this 4-day retreat for both their senior retreat and for the full 10 hours required for service. Please log and put Dr. Coolidge as the verifying supervisor.
DUE DATE: No change. The due date of April 3rd for submission of verified hours and final presentations remains the same.
ACCEPTABLE NON-CONTACT ALTERNATIVE SERVICE:
- Yardwork & gardening for an elderly neighbor, someone in need, or a non-profit
- Hand-made crafting -- knitting, crocheting, jewelry-making, decorating blank note-cards to be donated to shelters, orphanages, hospitals, nonprofits in need.
- Letterwriting and artwork to be donated to Holy Name School in Camden, NJ and to the Kasisi Children's Home in Lusaka, Zambia, Africa.
- Letter Writing to Virginia inmates as part of KAIROS retreats for the incarcerated (see your Christian Service MyDJO page for specific instructions).
- Powhatan Nursing Home Partnership - Senior living residences are mostly closed to visitors. Jordan Yates, Powhatan activities director and O'Connell neighbor welcomes the following from our students (home-made board games, fun instructional iMovies, taped musical performances, seniorize athletic routines with playlists, armchair travel presentations, etc. See your Christian Service MyDJO page for specific instructions and guidelines).
- Environmental Clean-up that minimizes social contact.
- Superdance committee members/co-chairs are still eligible for 5 hours of Christian Service if verified by Mr. Buckreis. You must log this service.
- Conduct Research for Christian Service: Research and design a service project that can be implemented upon return to school or for future students. [For example, research and put together a portfolio on service programs for students desiring to take a gap year post-high school graduation. Or, research a topic of humanitarian injustice, like human trafficking, and compile a list of service organizations working to end the practice including how to get involved.] Be creative and explore what you want to learn and how you can turn that into a product from which others can benefit.
- Create your own service project: Drawing on your creative ingenuity, design and implement a service project that will benefit others, especially those that may be shut-in. For instance, one of our students is exploring taping herself signing the Mass for those who are deaf in her local church. Please email your idea to Dr. Coolidge for approval.
FINAL PRESENTATIONS
PPT/Google Slides/Prezi's etc: Same guidelines as posted on MyDJO with the exception of including a voice component to accompany your presentation. If that is untenable, please include your "notes" in the speaker's section of the presentation. More detailed instructions will be posted on MyDJO shortly.
Video Submission: Same guidelines as posted on MyDJO. Please submit to my email (jcoolidge@bishopoconnell.org) or via a shared file. Limit videos to 5 minutes so plan what you'd like to say in advance and be succinct.
If you or anyone in your household becomes ill or immunocompromised, and you are unable to complete these requirements, please notify me and I will address the issue of accommodations. Please make sure you have parental/guardian permission before you proceed with any out-of-the-home service. Remember to use discretion as your safety, and that of your family, is of paramount importance.
In Christ's love,
Dr. Coolidge
Christian Service Coordinator