Board reviews student community service opportunities, asks for participation data
Summary
District staff presented an inventory of student community service and volunteer opportunities across elementary, middle and high schools. Board members asked for data on student participation rates and discussed whether community service hours should be tracked or considered for graduation requirements.
District staff presented a compiled list of current community service and volunteer opportunities available to students at the elementary, middle and high school levels and asked the board whether it wanted additional work in the area — for example, participation rates or a more formal program.
The presentation described that elementary opportunities are often school‑based drives and events connected to monthly thematic instruction and cultural expectations, middle school options include in‑school volunteer roles and a few clubs with external service components, and the high school has more clubs and athletic teams that provide community volunteer opportunities beyond the district. Staff said clubs such as Key Club and sustainability clubs already center on service and are open to all students.
Board member Kelly Moss asked how many students actually participate and what percentage of the student body engages in service opportunities; staff said participation numbers for sports and clubs are readily available and that the district can compile participation estimates. The student representative said that many students do service because it is part of club or team involvement rather than pursuing standalone volunteer hours.
Board members discussed potential next steps including collecting participation data, considering whether to adopt a required hour threshold for graduation (other districts were cited as examples) and how non‑school volunteer work (church, scouts, veterans organizations) could be certified and counted. No formal action or policy change was taken; staff agreed to follow up with participation numbers and examples of how other districts manage service hour tracking.
