I. School-Sponsored Travel

Seniors must complete Community Engagement hours by a different deadline, to be communicated by the Director of Community Engagement, each spring. Students who do not complete the requirement on time will meet with the Director of Community Engagement, Class Dean, their advisor, and their parents. The Director of Community Engagement and the Class Dean will create a formal plan of completion that must be completed prior to graduation.

Overseas Community Engagement and Study Abroad Programs

Community Engagement done abroad (during the school year or during vacations) is accepted when it meets the following criteria: ● Is core or support ● Can be verified by a supervisor over email ● Is not done for compensation (school credit, monetary or other)

For the CE hours to be accepted, the student must submit in writing a paragraph long description of the experience, along with the electronic timecard. The Director of Community Engagement shall review and meet with the student as necessary.

When students participate in study abroad programs (like SYA, CityTerm, or The Island School), the community engagement yearly requirement changes according to the nature of the program. If it is a full year program, the student does not need to complete any community engagement. If the student chooses to participate in term- or semester-long programs, their graduation requirement will be prorated according to the amount of time spent off campus.

Students are offered many opportunities to enjoy the varied recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities of the Bay Area and beyond. Some field trips are class-specific and some are open to the entire community. For any trip, the faculty and staff organizers will follow Branson’s official protocol for off-campus travel, and students must have emergency information on file and complete the appropriate forms in order to participate. In addition, all school rules and expectations apply to students for the duration of the trip.

Class-Specific Field Trips

Teachers will announce course-specific trips during class and provide students with details and permission slips. Students must obtain permission from their parents to participate. Students also must obtain permission, at least one week in advance, from any teacher whose class they will miss because of the field trip. Note that the school reserves the right to deny participation in a field trip to any student for whom it feels missing class would not be in their best interest. Students are responsible for making up any work they miss because of a field trip.