Dear Parents,

As an expression of the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, education at St. Joseph’s Academy emphasizes the importance of relationships with the dear neighbor. The service component of our curriculum is one way we encourage our students to express God’s love, both within our school community and in the context of the broader world. As the campus minister at SJA, I am pleased to share information with you about our service program.
Our service program is a complement to the charism theme for this school year: Leadership: Weave One Heart.  Through service, your daughter will meet and identify with others so that all may be one. The connections made with suffering, impoverished, and marginalized people allow a student at SJA the chance to reflect on her personal dignity and what it means in the context of the human family. As our students struggle with what it means to relate on the most basic human level, they grow in awareness of themselves and become increasingly connected with all God’s creation.  We strive to ensure that our service program embodies this philosophy. Listed below is the basic information about the program:

1. Each student will complete 15 hours of service. The first 15 hours required of all students must come from Category A: Gospel Mission Hours.  These hours model Jesus’ example of the works of mercy shown to us through the Gospels.  Following the first 15 required hours, additional hours may be counted in Category B: Building Community Hours.  To encourage students to be involved in their Church parishes and school community, the first five hours of Category B can be counted as part of the required 15 hours. Please refer to the Service Directory (www.sjabr.org), under both the Student and Parent dropdowns, for specifics. In addition, the online Student Handbook contains information about the service program. Service hours are due on the following dates:

Seniors: Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Juniors: Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sophomores: Thursday, April 7, 2011
Freshmen:  Friday, April 8, 2011

There will be checkpoints throughout the year to ensure timely completion of the service requirement.

2. The Service Directory is an excellent starting point for contacting agencies and locating places to serve. We
realize there may be other opportunities for your daughter, and we want to honor her desire to serve in any
capacity in which she may feel called. However, her safety and security are our primary concern. As a result,
your daughter will be asked to meet with the campus minister prior to serving with an organization not listed in
the Service Directory. Her hours may be denied if she fails to meet with the campus minister first.

3. A necessary piece of the service program is the experience of reflection. Upon completion of her service
hours, your daughter will be asked to write a paper, which is requisite to finishing her service. Your daughter
will also participate in a day of guided reflection through meditation and conversation during her religion class to
share a bit of her experience as a way to spark discussion about service and justice.

4.  In an effort to support and encourage service as a regular part of the lives of our students, we recognize those students who go beyond the required service hours.  Those students completing over 50 hours of service in one school year will receive special recognition at the end of the year.  Students who have completed 50 hours of service at the end of every academic school year they have attended the Academy will receive a Service Award at the end of their senior year.

I appreciate your support of our efforts to educate your daughter in and out of the classroom. I ask that you initiate conversations with your daughter about her experiences. As a parent, you play an essential role in her personal reflection and understanding the need for this integral element of an  Academy education. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 388-2321 or speegk@sjabr.org .

Pax Christi,

Kristen Speeg Lazarine
Campus Minster
St. Joseph's Academy