HOMEWORK

We believe that students need time away from school work and that participating in other activities is essential for their health, growth, and development.  We also believe that students need down time when they are free to explore and be creative.  Research has proven that downtime and even boredom is essential to creativity.  Students need this time so that their minds can be creative.  This is when essential skills are developed.   

Homework is meant to be a reinforcement, extension and/or preparation of materials and skills covered in the classroom, and allows the student an opportunity to work independently. As reinforcement, assignments should cover skills previously taught which the majority of the class understands. As extension, long term projects such as compositions, book reports, research projects, and oral presentations may be assigned. 

Homework may be assigned Monday through Thursday for grades 3 through 8. TK- through 2nd grade students are not assigned homework. Ordinarily, homework is not assigned on weekends except for the purpose of making up work missed through absence or to complete long term projects. The teacher at Back to School Night explains individual class homework policies, procedures and timelines.

Students in grades one to five have a school-provided planner in which daily notes or homework may be written. Assignments are generally written on the board for students to copy.  Junior High students provide their own planner or use GoogleDocs for homework reminders. 

Homework Time Allotments

These time allotments are approximate. Individual students may require more or less time on a given day, depending on their individual skills and capabilities.

Homework

Homework reflects the learning that takes place at school and is meant to reinforce it.  Homework should not be meaningless or rote.  The homework allotments are as follows:

• TK -2nd  grade no homework

• 3rd and 4th grade up to half an hour

• 5th grade up to one hour

• 6th-8th grade up to one and a half hours

If your child is spending more than the above allotted time for ​homework, please reach out to the teacher(s) to let them know.  

Parents can do their part to help homework by:

1. Providing a desk or table in a quiet place (no TV, radio, phone calls or other interruptions.)

2. Scheduling a regular time for study.

3. Seeing that their child spends the allotted time for their grade level.

4. Impressing upon their child the importance of completing their assignments, but avoiding undue pressure.

5. Showing their child that they are interested in the work by checking the work for accuracy and neatness.

6. Signing homework assignments as requested.

7. Requiring their child to read even if there is no written assignment.

8. Encourage students to review class notes and study/read class assignments.

9. Provide a computer and wifi so that students can complete online assignments. (Grades 3 and above)