SSL in middle school

[Anonymous]

My son is heading to 6th grade next year and I've looked at some activities at our zoned middle school that he's going to attend for next year. We're suppose to have a rising 6th grade meeting after winter break and they might discuss about getting SSL hours during middle school (and probably finishing them early). Has anyone had kids who finished the SSL requirement in order to graduate from high school while they were still at high school? If so, what activities/clubs did they participate in to get the learning hours?

[Anonymous]

Yes, DD finished 75+ hours while in MS. In school, my DD did peer tutoring. Environmental Club also came with SSL hours. There are several hours built in class each year, too. You can start earning right after 5th, so sometimes teachers in the ES need help cleaning their rooms and give SSL. Plus there are summer camps that will focus on community service.

[Anonymous]

Our kids all finished all SSL hours in middle school by volunteering at a food bank.

[Anonymous]

They’ll probably tell you this, but MCPS students also get ssl hours by doing things at school (like 10 hours for outdoor Ed, taking surveys), so as long as they are turning in their forms on time, you don’t actually have to scramble for all 75 hours, probably only half.

[Anonymous]

My kid finished all her hours in 6th grade. She did some activities through school but mostly did activities outside of school. There are tons of opportunities on the Montgomery County volunteer portal.

[Anonymous]

DC finished SSL hours by the end of 6th. Continues to accumulate them in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They’ll probably tell you this, but MCPS students also get ssl hours by doing things at school (like 10 hours for outdoor Ed, taking surveys), so as long as they are turning in their forms on time, you don’t actually have to scramble for all 75 hours, probably only half.

This is true. By the end of 6th grade, DS will have about 40 hours just from in-school activities/outdoor ed. The teachers are really good about finding ways to incorporate them into the cirriculum. Montgomery College also offers a few camps that wil give them 15-30 hours for a week. You have to pay for it but I would be paying for camp anyway so might as well get the hours. I also volunteer a lot with the PTA and my kids get hours for helping me so it's a good way for me to give back while doing activities with them to earn hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’ll probably tell you this, but MCPS students also get ssl hours by doing things at school (like 10 hours for outdoor Ed, taking surveys), so as long as they are turning in their forms on time, you don’t actually have to scramble for all 75 hours, probably only half.

This is true. By the end of 6th grade, DS will have about 40 hours just from in-school activities/outdoor ed. The teachers are really good about finding ways to incorporate them into the cirriculum. Montgomery College also offers a few camps that wil give them 15-30 hours for a week. You have to pay for it but I would be paying for camp anyway so might as well get the hours. I also volunteer a lot with the PTA and my kids get hours for helping me so it's a good way for me to give back while doing activities with them to earn hours.

Parents can give SSL hours to kids?

[Anonymous]

My DS accumulated at least 80 hours by the end of middle school for a recycling club at their middle school. They continued to do more hours at high school and overall finished with at least 350 hours and receiving the purple tassel this year for graduation. If your kid wants to receive that award, then they need at least 240 learning hours.

If your kid was going to do a club/activity that offers hours then you must submit verification forms to your kids school to show proof that he participated in the activity. This link will be helpful though your schools SSL coordinator might tell them in advance. https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/detail.aspx?formNumber=560-51&catID=2&subCatId=9

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’ll probably tell you this, but MCPS students also get ssl hours by doing things at school (like 10 hours for outdoor Ed, taking surveys), so as long as they are turning in their forms on time, you don’t actually have to scramble for all 75 hours, probably only half.

This is true. By the end of 6th grade, DS will have about 40 hours just from in-school activities/outdoor ed. The teachers are really good about finding ways to incorporate them into the cirriculum. Montgomery College also offers a few camps that wil give them 15-30 hours for a week. You have to pay for it but I would be paying for camp anyway so might as well get the hours. I also volunteer a lot with the PTA and my kids get hours for helping me so it's a good way for me to give back while doing activities with them to earn hours.

Parents can give SSL hours to kids?

Read. The SSL hours are for the PTA not the parent. As long as PTA parent is honest, it's not different than me volunteering with my kid at the food pantry.

- Not OP

[Anonymous]

They get SSL hours almost for tying their shoes. Don't worry about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They get SSL hours almost for tying their shoes. Don't worry about it

That was corny to say.

[Anonymous]

Take your kid to outdoor ed in 6th grade, it's a good boost and takes about 10% of the requirement.

[Anonymous]

OP our kids were at Pyle and I made sure they had completed the required SSL hours by the end of 7th grade because I wanted them to have more options in HS for travel and study over the summers and a less pressured schedule in the school year. I don't know if all of these still run, but it is worth looking at them

Kid Museum - they offer 1 wk SSL camps
Landon Summer - they did offer a food resource camp which no longer runs but I believe they do have others
Sidwell summer - has some SSL camps for HS kids but occasionally also a week here and there for MS kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’ll probably tell you this, but MCPS students also get ssl hours by doing things at school (like 10 hours for outdoor Ed, taking surveys), so as long as they are turning in their forms on time, you don’t actually have to scramble for all 75 hours, probably only half.

This is true. By the end of 6th grade, DS will have about 40 hours just from in-school activities/outdoor ed. The teachers are really good about finding ways to incorporate them into the cirriculum. Montgomery College also offers a few camps that wil give them 15-30 hours for a week. You have to pay for it but I would be paying for camp anyway so might as well get the hours. I also volunteer a lot with the PTA and my kids get hours for helping me so it's a good way for me to give back while doing activities with them to earn hours.

Parents can give SSL hours to kids?

Read. The SSL hours are for the PTA not the parent. As long as PTA parent is honest, it's not different than me volunteering with my kid at the food pantry.

- Not OP

PP here. You just need to make sure that the form is signed by a member of the board. The parent cannot sign the form for their child but usually an officer is more than willing to sign it.