Educating a child is a cooperative effort involving both home and school. Homework is an integral part of a student’s overall learning experience. In order to promote and enhance the effective use of homework as an extension of the learning experience beyond the classroom, the following guidelines and procedures have been developed. These guidelines and procedures detail the objectives of homework and the responsibilities of students, parents, and teachers in achieving those objectives.
Homework definition: Learning activities that reinforce topics, knowledge and skills taught in class
Objectives
Provide independent practice of learned concepts
Develop lifelong learning skills
Develop good study habits
Promote student responsibility, self-discipline and time management skills
General Guidelines
Kindergarten through Second Grade – up to 15 minutes daily
Third through Fifth Grade – 15-30 minutes daily
Student Responsibility
- work with their parent/guardian to establish a daily time and place for completion of their homework
- complete their homework independently, but should ask their teachers and parent/guardian for assistance when necessary
Parent/Guardian Responsibility
- work with their child to establish a daily time and place for completion of homework
- monitor, but not do, their child’s homework
- initiate communication with the teacher if concerns arise
Teacher Responsibility
- share district homework guidelines with students and parents at the beginning of the school year
- provide meaningful tasks that support instruction taught during class time
- work with families if concerns arise
Importance of Reading
Beginning at the elementary level, we strive to engage, motivate and inspire a love of reading in children. Research suggests that encouraging a love of reading plays an important role in promoting learning both in childhood and as an adult. (Krashen, 2004) As such, we do not consider nightly reading homework. We recommend that families create daily routines that include time for both homework and reading. Over time, nightly reading should include a variety of texts and genres, as well as both independent reading and read-a-loud with family members. Our hope is that families set aside, on average, twenty minutes a night for reading.
Krashen, Stephen D. The Power of Reading: Insight from the Research. 2nd ed., Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
Revised January 2019