If you have any questions, contact the Director of Christian Community Service (Ms. Buckowski) at: mbuckowski@immaculateheart.org

The mission of Immaculate Heart High School is to foster academic excellence in an environment that encourages students to become women of great heart and right conscience through leadership, service, and a life-long commitment to Christian values.  For this reason, participation in the Christian community service program is required of all students during each year of enrollment. 

The Christian community service program at Immaculate Heart High School exists to encourage a life-long commitment to Christian values through personal discovery of what it means to give oneself for others.   Simply, to teach the value of living as Christ lived.  Therefore, the ideal service projects are those that involve direct personal contact with the underprivileged and disenfranchised in our society.  Students serve through local, national, and international organizations.  The agencies with which IHHS is affiliated work to eradicate poverty, hunger, and homelessness, serve those with physical and mental disabilities, address issues of healthcare and education, and strive to protect the environment.

Hours are logged as soon as the student has submitted documentation of each of the following:

• The service has been PRE-approved by the Director of Community Service through the service proposal process.

• The service has been rendered and has earned a satisfactory evaluation by a supervisor at the volunteer site. 

• The student has thoughtfully considered her service experience and has articulated her response in a written reflection.  (Completed at the end of the year after reflecting on the entire year's service.)  

A portfolio for each student enrolled at Immaculate Heart High School is kept and maintained by administrative personnel.  Here, service proposals, evaluations, and written reflections are filed for each service project completed by the student for credit.  This portfolio may be reviewed by the student at any time, and is especially useful to students who are completing applications for summer programs, jobs, and of course, college admission.

Students must complete a minimum of 55 hours of service as a pre-requisite for graduation.  To assist each student in reaching this goal, a minimum requirement of service hours has been set at each of the four grade levels:

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

During her freshman year, each student should complete at least ten hours of service.  To be eligible for credit, projects must be pre-approved by the Director of Christian Community Service (Ms. Buckowski) through the service proposal process.  Service may be completed at several different sites.   After the student has completed ten hours of service at one or more pre-approved sites, she should choose one service project as the focus of a written reflection, which she will submit to her religion teacher (Ms. Wong or Ms. James).  Students are also encouraged to attach a piece of artwork inspired by their experience with the service project.  Service reflections are incorporated into end-of-year activities planned by the freshman religion teachers.  For this reason, these written reflections must be submitted by the last day of the third academic quarter (March 20th).  Successful completion of the Christian community service requirements during the freshman year accounts for 10% of the final freshman religion grade. 

Sophomores should complete at least fifteen hours of service.  Again, to be eligible for credit, projects must be pre-approved by the Director of Community Service (Ms. Buckowski) through the service proposal process.  As was the case in the freshman year, sophomore service hours may be completed at several different sites.   After at least fifteen hours of service have been completed during the sophomore year, each student should choose one service project to be the focus of a reflection, which she will submit to the Director of Community Service.  This reflection involves a required written element and an optional artistic expression.  (March 20th )

Juniors should complete at least fifteen hours of service.  Again, to be eligible for credit, projects must be pre-approved by the Director of Community Service (Ms. Buckowski) through the service proposal process.  For juniors, it is recommended that all fifteen service hours be completed at one site.  After at least fifteen hours of service have been completed during the junior year, each student should choose one service project to be the focus of a reflection, which she will submit to the Director of Community Service.  This reflection involves a required written element and an optional artistic expression.  (March 20th)

Seniors should complete at least fifteen hours of service.  Again, to be eligible for credit, projects must be pre-approved by the Director of Community Service (Ms. Buckowski) through the service proposal process.  For seniors, it is recommended that all fifteen service hours be completed at one site.  After at least fifteen hours of service have been completed during the senior year, each student should choose one service project to be the focus of a reflection, which she will submit to the Director of Community Service.  This reflection involves a required written element and an optional artistic expression.  (March 20th)