Almost a quarter of seniors don't have enough SSL to graduate at our HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s like 14 people who work in the SSL office. I think volunteering and service is important, but SSL hours misses the mark a lot of the time. Students earn 45 hours for just taking required classes. I’d be ok with eliminating the requirement and re-assigning the SSL office.

Agreed. ELD (ESOL) students have historically had a difficult time with this requirement. Why make this a graduation requirement? Reassign SSL staff to teach.

Do you have evidence to back that up, or are you making it up?

In my experience, teaching in a different district with a similar requirement, low income kids are comfortable with public transportation, and they are more likely to live in areas that aren't car dependent. MCPS offers opportunities at school, and at organizations in all neighborhoods, like public elementary schools, libraries, community based organizations, churches that operate food pantries etc . . . If anything, they are more opportunities in lower income neighborhoods, because those neighborhoods are denser housing.

The argument that a kid can't do SSL hours without someone driving applies to affluent kids who are overscheduled and picky about what they do, and whose parents don't expect them to walk or take public transportation. A kid who is willing to do a variety of work, and can get places by themself, can find opportunities.

My kids have been taking public buses since they were 11. They are very skilled at the system. There are very few opportunities that are accessible by public transportation, which kids can do without a parent accompanying them, and which give you more than an hour or two at a time. For instance, my kid did one where she went to a community center in Gaithersburg to help the elderly with their phones….it was 90 minutes of service for which I had to drive her about 40 minutes each way. There was no way to get there by bus in less than about 3 hours with multiple transfers. I really do read these emails every week and there are very few options that don’t require a parent to attend, drive or shell out money (eg buy supplies for the kid to make something at home). One year we went to the County MLK day of service and it was soooooo overcrowded — a lot of the events ran out of supplies before the kids even got a chance to do them. Ans that required an adult (I brought 6 kids as a favor to other parents). And even then was booked up very early so you had to sign up right away.

The idea that there are thousands and thousands of hours of meaningful service in the county that these kids can do on their own is just not realistic. I think. In large party because no one really wants unsupervised kids — unless it is part of a scouting program or a camp where you have parental permissions, waivers and insurance.

+1. This. People keep posting on this thread about how easy it is to get hours and how parents didn’t need to get involved in driving them around at all, but few are posting any details about what these unicorn opportunities are. My takeaway from this thread is that you need to be a parent who paid $$$ for a camp for years that then contracts your kid as free labor and gives them SSl hours once they’re 13+. That doesn’t seem particularly meaningful to me.

Go here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/volunteercenter/ Click mcps SSL hours, and use the right-side dropdown "filter by" menu to select virtual opportunity. SSL from your very own home! Easy.

Yes that was posted about 25 posts ago. We all know that the website exists. I’ve even spent quite a bit of time looking at the opportunities with my kid. I’m just waiting for all the “easy” opportunities that don’t involve me driving him all over MoCo to be explained.

I just now did a search on that site and 24 virtual opportunities came up in the search.

[Anonymous]

Not sure why they put an emphasis on 75 hours of random stuff and call it "service" (30 hours from Outdoor Ed that is required anyway, 15 hours here and there for random virtual learnings that are required anyway to be a student...)

75 hours of SSL is a mandate from the Maryland State Board of Education. All kids in the State of Maryland who expect a diploma from a public high school need to get it done.

There are no SSL hours earned through Oudoor Ed specifically. Student in sixth grade will, by the end of the school year, earn 10 SSL hours through the Science curriculum. Most schools opt to use a portion of their time at Outdoor Ed for some SSL action projects. That reflects a small portion of the 10 hours they will get for successfully completing science.

In seventh grade, students will earn another 10 hours for successfully completing everything in their English curriculum.

In eighth grade, students will earn an additional 10 hours for successfully completing everything in their World Studies curriculum.

By the time students enter 9th Grade, they will already have 30 hours of SSL.

All students and families are different with different access to resources outside of school. The 30 hours from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade are meant to align with curriculum content and still provide students with opportunities to plan, act, and reflect upon their chances to learn a bit while they provide some service to their community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Not sure why they put an emphasis on 75 hours of random stuff and call it "service" (30 hours from Outdoor Ed that is required anyway, 15 hours here and there for random virtual learnings that are required anyway to be a student...)

75 hours of SSL is a mandate from the Maryland State Board of Education. All kids in the State of Maryland who expect a diploma from a public high school need to get it done.

There are no SSL hours earned through Oudoor Ed specifically. Student in sixth grade will, by the end of the school year, earn 10 SSL hours through the Science curriculum. Most schools opt to use a portion of their time at Outdoor Ed for some SSL action projects. That reflects a small portion of the 10 hours they will get for successfully completing science.

In seventh grade, students will earn another 10 hours for successfully completing everything in their English curriculum.

In eighth grade, students will earn an additional 10 hours for successfully completing everything in their World Studies curriculum.

By the time students enter 9th Grade, they will already have 30 hours of SSL.

All students and families are different with different access to resources outside of school. The 30 hours from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade are meant to align with curriculum content and still provide students with opportunities to plan, act, and reflect upon their chances to learn a bit while they provide some service to their community.

Outdoor ed is not required. Not all kids go. We never got SSL for English and World studies. That must be your school only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a stupid requirement, anyway.

It really is. Just do away with it and move those resources spent on it to something else.

We heard of a student who said they have spent thousands of hours on community volunteer service yet hasn't submitted any of those hours, only the required 45 or so hours. If your kid doesn't want to serve, they shouldn't have to. Those who do so willingly don't need "hours." Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

Because MCPS IT is still stuck in the early 2000s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

Because MCPS IT is still stuck in the early 2000s.

Yet it is so easy to do online platforms. But...
A middle school student can create a site for them if they are so desperate to save a few bucks on going online with ssl forms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents at your school think that they're special. Just do the hours and stop whining.

- Parent of special needs kid who finished their's by the end of middle school.

So glad your student did well on this. Why isn't everyone able to do what your family did? Have an extra pair of bootstraps available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

I believe that MCPS school staff still use paper timesheets as well. Crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

I believe that MCPS school staff still use paper timesheets as well. Crazy.

We transitioned to online timesheets last year- 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

Because MCPS IT is still stuck in the early 2000s.

Yet it is so easy to do online platforms. But...
A middle school student can create a site for them if they are so desperate to save a few bucks on going online with ssl forms.

It’s incredible. Every single MS and HS has a paid processor of SSL forms. Imagine the expense-even if that staff member does this part-time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless a child has their own transportation (so like late high school) it’s the parent’s responsibility to cart them to SSL things-it’s annoying. Like we need another thing to keep up with-especially with more than one kid. I’m making sure my kids have their hours but I also agree they should eliminate the requirement.

+1. Even the posted upthread who said there are 25+ virtual options, the last time I checked, a lot of the “virtual” options were to assemble care kits or sandwiches at home and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen. That’s not virtual and definitely requires family resources both for materials and for driving to deliver the required items.

I think SSL is a waste of resources. I’d rather my middle schooler didn’t have 35 kids in every class and that MCPS take the 14 central office people and staff person at every high school and middle school who processes these forms and give them classroom facing duties.

At the very least they could modernize those stupid forms that have to be handwritten.

omg yes the paper forms that you have to scan and email. no. why isn’t there an online form?!!? it’s 2026.

I believe that MCPS school staff still use paper timesheets as well. Crazy.

We transitioned to online timesheets last year- 2025

The irony of forcing kids to do assignments on a Chromebook from grade 4 onwards while staff submit paper timesheets…I would happily get rid of SSl and use that funding to bring MCPS IT systems into this century.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read this entire thread, but the 75 SSL isn't a requirement from MCPS. It's from the State of Maryland.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/programs/pages/service-learning/graduation-requirement.aspx