Fr. Michael Goetz Catholic Secondary School

Community Service Hours

Forty hours of community service are a requirement for graduation as per the policy of the Ministry of Education of Ontario. Students are encouraged to complete their forty hours as soon as possible. Leaving community hours to grade 12 may jeopardize graduation.

At Father Michael Goetz Secondary School community hours must be done for a non-profit/charitable organization (e.g. school, hospital, church, library, food bank, service organization). Students must volunteer their time and cannot be paid for community service hours.

Community hours cannot be done for a commercial business. They cannot be done for an individual (e.g. parent, relative, neighbour, friend). For example, babysitting free of charge for a neighbour does not qualify for community service.

It is important that students get clearance from their guidance counsellors before starting their community service hours. Guidance counsellors will know what constitutes a non-profit/charitable organization. This will avoid situations of finding out afterwards that the community service hours are not acceptable.

(updated June 2009)