Every student attending a Douglas County School is required to fulfill a 20-hour community service requirement outside of their home and family environment in order to graduate. Any activity that meets the following guidelines is acceptable. All hours must be documented on a DCSD Community Service Documentation form, completely and legibly, to be processed. All hours documented will be noted on the student's transcript.
Acceptable:
- Any service lasting a minimum of 2 hours total. This can include service opportunities that take place over several different days for less than 2 hours at a time, it must add up to 2 hours to be accepted for processing.
- Any service commencing after the successful completion of eighth grade.
- Recommended completion by end of third quarter of senior year, except by prior approval of the principal.
- Any activity completed outside of regular school hours.
- All aspects of the service approved by parent or guardian.
- Service learning hours which receive no academic credit.
Not-Acceptable:
- More than 5 hours of service learning being performed for a school team, club, activity, or faculty member. (Any time over 5 hours in which community service is performed by school organizations or faculty members for an outside organization may count toward the 20 hours - such as NHS coordinating volunteers to help at the Food Bank of the Rockies.)
- Any service paid for or for credit for disciplinary or adjudicated purposes.
- Any activity for family, friends, an employer or private business.
- Non-approval or absence of approval by the parent or guardian.
- Any activity completed during school hours except with prior approval of the principal.
- Any activity that is rewarded by a badge, such as Boy and Girl Scouts.
- Any activity that results in lettering at the school.
Any student who is lacking transportation and would like information about service opportunities at school or has any questions about graduation requirements should contact their respective high school's Counseling Department.
