BURRILLVILLE – Students will have to do more than just participate in clubs and sports to meet the community service requirement for graduation from Burrillville High School in future years, following an update to the policy recommended by the School Improvement Team.
According to the recently-passed changes, students who are currently juniors and seniors will still be able to use hours spent in the activities to meet the requirement, with the new policy to apply to the Class of 2027.
School Committee Student Liaison Benjamin Pena announced the plan to the board at their meeting this month, noting that future Broncos can consult with their guidance counselors to identify appropriate ways to meet the 20 hour requirement.
“They’re going to be phasing in sports and activities not being counted as community service,” Pena said.
The policy notes that future proposals for community service must be submitted to and approved by school administration, a student’s guidance counselor, or the school’s graduation requirements coordinator prior to the student beginning the completion of their hours.
“Occasionally, students may be allowed to complete fewer hours if there are special needs or extenuating circumstances impacting a student’s ability to accrue the minimum,” it notes.
The school keeps a short list of organizations where students have completed the requirement in the past including Burrillville Animal Control and local fire departments, but the policy notes it is up to the student to reach out to develop a plan. A responsible supervisor or leader must be able to verify that the hours were completed.
Activities that are not considered to be community service include anything that benefits the student finically or materially; is completed for a member of one’s family; has no responsible leader to document the hours served; is completed prior to an individual becoming a high school student or completed after graduation or is a performance or participation on a sports team.
Principal Michael Lazzareschi noted that activities performed as a team can still be used to meet the requirement, found in the diploma handbook. The school’s graduation requirements are currently being revised as part of the reaccreditation process with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
