MIDDLE SCHOOL RELIGION INFORMATION

CHRISTIAN SERVICE…Having selected Our Lady of the Lakes as your middle school says that you are committed to the Christian values that Jesus taught. Our school, in keeping with these values, asks each middle school student to perform 10 hours of Christian service every school year. This service is intended as a ministry where OLL students reach out to various community members and offer their time, help, and compassion. There are a variety of places in which your child may earn Christian service hours: Lourdes Nursing Home, Oakland County Food Bank, Columbiere, weekend or summer Altar service for funerals, vacation bible school, etc. Additionally, Jeanne Sharp, OLL's Christian Service Director, is always kind enough to post opportunities in the parish bulletin for our students to earn Christian service hours. Most recently Christian Service asked for volunteers to adopt a parking lot island for beautification. This might be a great way for your child to earn Christian service and help beautify our parish grounds as well. Other opportunities have included working the St. Vincent DePaul truck and packing Easter baskets. The key is to accomplish your hours in a timely manner. Do not try waiting until the last minute! This almost always has a negative effect on your child's grade.

Please understand that we do require that all hours be earned in the community. This eliminates all friend and family-related hours (yard work, housecleaning, family business, babysitting etc.). To ensure that all students accomplish this requirement we will continue to track these hours. Christian service hours have the value of a 100 point final exam grade. Students are required to complete five of these hours by mid-year (early January) and the remaining five before final exam week (June). Students must complete all 10 hours at the designated intervals to receive the 100 points. Partial credit will not be given.

We are hoping that making you aware of, or reminding you of, this middle school policy will allow you ample time to fulfill this obligation before the end of next school year. Christian service forms are available on this web-page for you to copy and use to submit any earned hours to the appropriate teacher. It is also important to note that, if you have a student who is a NJHS member, those community hours are in addition to the middle school requirement.

Thank you for all you do in supporting our efforts to bring a rich Catholic experience to your child.