February 17th, 2026

Hello Parents and Caregivers,

As you may already know, all students are required to volunteer for at least 40 Community Involvement/Service hours to graduate from high school.  These hours continue to be a requirement for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The Ontario Ministry of Education has released new information about recognition for students who go above and beyond the 40-hour minimum requirement for graduation.  Starting this year, students can earn a Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement when they graduate. This new certificate celebrates their dedication to helping others and for completing more than 50 volunteer hours during high school.  There are now three levels of recognition for this new Certificate:

  • Bronze Level: 50-99 volunteer hours

  • Silver Level: 100-199 volunteer hours

  • Gold Level: 200+ volunteer hours

For more information about the new Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Hours, please visit the Ministry of Education website.

We are currently developing a new process to track Community Involvement hours beyond the current 40 required for graduation, which we will share as soon as it is available.  In the meantime, please continue to submit your hours using this link.

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