Explore some of the case studies we've done with private schools that use x2VOL. There's nothing better than reading about actual customers who are using our platform to transform their service program.
Recent Posts
Learn more about how Fairfax County Public Schools leverages x2VOL to track, manage, and report on student service. Service learning is an integral part of a student's education in FCPS and x2VOL comes alongside the district to make tracking and reporting on service learning easy for administrators and students.
“In our student learning plan, students set personal, career and academic goals. They do career exploration, they are looking at building a resume. They think about their courses for high school while they are in middle school. They act on those courses and adjust and update as they go through high school. So service learning really is a very important part of that to help kids decide and determine where they want to be after they graduate,” informs Project Manager of Student Learning Plan, Lynette Harris.
In the 50,000-student Frisco Independent School District in Texas, community service is a key part of the school district’s fabric. High school students are encouraged to volunteer with local nonprofit organizations, and students logging at least 100 hours of community service receive special recognition when they graduate.
Dunham School, a preK-12 Christian school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a total of 679 students with 280 students in the Upper School. Dunham personalizes learning with 1:1 devices, and has recently added new technology to ease management of its ambitious student community service program.
Counselors across the U.S. work extremely hard to help their students have a successful high school career. But a counselor’s journey doesn’t end there. They also help their students find scholarship opportunities and guide them on the college application process. How do counselors do this? It’s not an easy job, but one that takes heart and dedication to the student’s success.
So how do you structure a service learning program? This is one of the earliest decisions that will be (or already has been) made at a school. And, as you probably guessed, no two service programs will be identical because no two schools work identically. Still - there are two main elements that can be found in just about any service programs structure. We'll explore both of those in this post.
Each student should be accountable for keeping track of their own hours. That means logging the hours as soon as possible after they perform their service, as well as making note of important information like contact names and phone numbers, or the next step or duty to be performed, or some other note of responsibility. Keeping notes like this is important to help the student keep moving along through the program without missing needed information.
By Doy Roberts, STARS Teacher, The Ann Richard’s School for Young Women Leaders
The Ann Richard’s School for Young Women Leaders has developed program called Success Through Academics, Resiliency and Service (STARS) that begins in sixth grade. Doy Roberts is an original STARS teacher who shaped the program over the last 6 years. Here are a few tips and tricks Doy shares if your school or district is considering starting a service program:
Let's be honest. Not all students want to serve others.
It's "inconvenient." "Boring." They just want to meet the minimum requirement and get it over with. Check the box. Done.
Some are willing to risk the consequences of falsifying hours and forging signatures. They put a lot of effort into avoiding it altogether. Who cares?
What if we could see each other's heart?
Really see it.
Would it be the first thing you notice?
Would the novelty wear off after awhile?
Would you have more compassion?
Would you forgive faster?
Would it be a reminder of what's really important?
