Harbor Park (Machado Lake)

Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC)

Taper Avenue Elementary School

Toberman Neighborhood Center

See below for more information

Check here for more information to be posted

In keeping with the mission, Rolling Hills Preparatory School & Renaissance School requires each student to take part in the Service Learning program. In an increasingly connected world, students preparing for success in the 21st century learn the importance of supporting and working in partnership with their neighbors down the street and halfway around the world. The Service Learning program specifically highlights the learning expectations related to the pillar of Sound Character:

• To develop skills of leadership, cooperation, and teamwork
• To demonstrate a sense of personal and social responsibility
• To develop cross-cultural appreciation and understanding
• To develop a positive and healthy appreciation of self.

All Upper School students are required to complete 30 hours of service learning (community service) per year. Upper School students may complete additional hours in their freshman, sophomore, and junior years and bank them toward the graduation requirement. A student enrolled in the Upper School all four years will complete 120 hours of service learning. Middle School students are required to complete 15 hours of service learning per year.

The RHP and Renaissance Service Learning Program offers three ways students can fulfill their requirements:

1. Through specific projects conceived, organized and carried out by one or more Advisory Groups or clubs in the school. More information regarding this option will be provided once school starts.

2. By participating in one of the volunteer programs at one of our partner organizations. The RHP & Renaissance partner organizations are updated regularly on the website here ("Service Learning) and under "Calendar". The current options are listed below:

• Harbor Park (Machado Lake) (helping with cleanup, organizing events, doing restoration, working with the City of L.A. or special PVPLC work day on September 18, 2010; planning for park uses.)
• Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC)
  www.pvplc.org
  (working in plant nursery, Saturday planting and trail work days, i.e., special RHP planting days TBD)
• Taper Avenue Elementary School
  http://www.toberman.org
  (helping with events, possible tutoring, TBD when school resumes)
• Toberman Neighborhood Center (tutoring, cooking and serving dinner one day per month, athletic coaching, special events)
• Check the website under School News, "Service Learning," and under "Calendar", or the Friday Letter for more details.

3. Individual volunteer efforts:

• Participating in any of the opportunities posted on the "Calendar" of the RHP website
• Volunteering for any project at any of the approved partner organizations
• Working on an approved project to benefit the school, including:
• i. Helping at a special event such as Susie's Parade, the Annual Fund thank-you phonathon, etc.
• ii.Helping to produce videos or other promotional materials for the school
• iii.Participating in a major cleanup project like the reorganization of the Theater House
• iv.Serving in a volunteer position of responsibility, such as chorus scheduler
• v.Other volunteering that has been approved in advance by Mr. Boccuzzi

Students will be placed on the Head of School Service Learning Honor Roll when they complete a minimum number of hours of volunteer time (15 hours for Upper School, 7 hours for Middle School) in one trimester. Students may complete the entire commitment (45 hours for Upper School, 21 hours for Middle School) during the summer or in one trimester and remain on the Honor Roll for the year. Students may be asked to share their work with their advisory groups to help them reflect on their activities and to introduce their peers to potential opportunities.

The advisory presentation will focus on answering the following questions:

• In what activities did I participate?
• How did I help people?
• How could this activity be improved or built upon?
• What did I learn from the opportunity?

Students who wish to volunteer for an event that is not pre-approved (i.e. it is not on the "Calendar" or with a partner organization listed under "Service Learning") must e-mail Mr. Boccuzzi IN ADVANCE with the name of the organization and a brief description of the proposed volunteer work.

Volunteer log forms for all service work must be filled out, signed by a supervisor (who is not related to the student) from the organization for which students are volunteering, and turned in to Mr. Boccuzzi for hours to be counted. Hours must be turned in before the end of the current trimester to be considered for the Service Learning Honor Roll. Volunteer log forms will be available in the office, from Mr. Boccuzzi, or on the website (see top of "Service Learning" page)