Dear Juniors,

Thank you for signing up to take your required Ignatian Encounter course.

Ideally, this course will help you orient yourself to the world in a more generous and discerning way by putting you in contact with people on the margins, people you might not otherwise encounter.

Please understand that completion of this course is a GRADUATION REQUIREMENT and carries a TRANSCRIPT GRADE (i.e. A, B, C, D, F) that affects a student’s GPA like any other course.

This course’s grade is based on the student’s completion of the following requirements:

• 40 Hours of Service at a non-profit site that will put you in direct encounter with people in marginalized communities. (The OFJ offers a list of pre-approved sites which can be found here, but students can request approval for any site that meets this requirement of service done directly with people experiencing marginalization.) All hours are due for verification Friday, May 9th.

• NOTE: All students are required to inform Mr. Deline about where they are doing their service (even for pre-approved sites), and if there are any changes.

• Orientation Meeting will take place during a Community Period, the date of which will be announced soon. Make sure to bring a pen or pencil and your computer.

• Additional Written/ In-Person Reflections: TBD

• Final Written Reflection: The final reflection will be due via Google Classroom. You’ll receive an email link inviting you to join.

Please understand that completion of this course is a GRADUATION REQUIREMENT and carries a TRANSCRIPT GRADE, so:

• Just like any credit class, no extensions will be given to complete required work.

• Your final grade will be calculated in the following way:

Hours: 75%

Orientation Meeting Attendance & Additional Written/ In-Person Reflections: 15% (or 5% each)

Final Written Reflection: 10%

The add/drop period for Ignatian Encounter is the same as all other classes. This means the add/drop period is a critical time for students to ensure they feel comfortable completing their service in their chosen semester. After the add/drop period has passed, students cannot move their Encounter to a different semester without incurring the penalties below:

If a student does not complete their Encounter during the semester they have selected, they will be required to complete Encounter the following semester with the maximum grade possible being a C. 

Students who do not complete Encounter by the end of their junior year are liable to be dismissed from Brophy.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with our verification platform, MobileServe. Let me know if you have any issues getting started. You can find video instructions for using MobileServe here.

Some important points to remember.

• Your service should involve you directly serving members of a marginalized community through an organization that is dedicated to serving that marginalized community.

• We do not allow service at for-profit organizations, thrift stores, or sports leagues/ coaching.

• You are responsible for researching where you will do service and setting up and scheduling those opportunities for yourself. You should begin doing this ASAP if you haven't already.

• You MUST notify me about where you will be doing service and what your general schedule is for completing your hours.

Finally, your service with Ignatian Encounter must be a priority. Don’t just try to squeeze it in between other things you believe belong higher on your priority list–sports, gaming, travel, etc. As men for others, those things should not be higher priorities than service to your community. And please, don’t hesitate to communicate with me. Let me know how you’re doing at each step, if you need help, are confused, etc. I’d rather hear from you sooner than later, and I’d infinitely prefer to help you course correct earlier in the semester than receive an email from you after we’ve passed the event horizon.

Thank you in advance for your commitment to Ignatian Encounter! Whether you are aware or not, your service has real effects.

Ite Inflammate Omnia!