Homework Policy

Forming good habits around Homework expectations builds life-long skills essential to a child’s success in life.  Homework gives students the opportunity to demonstrate and practice learning with families.  It is relevant to coursework and helps parents to know what is happening at school.

Although first graders do not have homework, we encourage parents to continue reading to their children as a night time ritual and to engage their children in games and/or other activities that expose children to numbers and counting.  Grade two begins receiving homework after the Spring Break.

In grade three, the family has primary responsibility for seeing that homework is completed.  We ask that you support your child by finding a quiet place at home away from television and/or computers, by being available to clarify directions, by checking for neatness and completeness and by assuring that your child turns in their homework on the due date. 

In grade four, beginning with the practice of carrying an empty homework folder between school and home, more responsibility for meeting homework completion expectations is place on the student.  Children are given either brief daily assignments Monday through Thursday or a week’s worth of assignments with a series of mini-deadlines (ex: 15 minutes of reading each evening).  In either case, children are to bring their homework folders to school every day so that teachers can check student progress and offer support as appropriate.

In grade five, weekly assignments are given by the class teacher and are due on a specified day.  Students are now learning how to pace their work each night to meet the due date weekly.

Starting in grade six and continuing through the Upper School grades, students are given assignment planners as tools to help them manage their work with varying due dates and longer term projects.

Assisting students in developing this “homework habit” involves the student, teacher, parent and school.  In order to establish and support good homework habits, we ask that families agree to the following:

Teachers will:

§  Assign appropriate and relevant homework.

§  Make sure that students and/or parents understand assignment task(s)

§  When needed, provide “Homework Club” leader with a list of students participating for the day and their assignments.

§  Return homework in a timely manner with positive, constructive feedback, grade, or score.

§  Establish a positive reinforcement system/incentive to celebrate student successes.

Students will:

§  Complete assignments to the best of their abilities.

§  Return assignments on time.

§  Participate in “Homework Club” when needed (grades 4-8 ).

Parents will:

§  Provide space without distractions (i.e., TV, radio) and establish a consistent time for child to do homework.

§  Review homework assignments and check for completion nightly.

§  Support homework interventions when needed.

School will:

§  Provide a “Homework Club” during lunch recess where students in grades 4–8 will finish incomplete homework.  Homework Club will be held daily in the cafeteria.

§  Provide an after school “Homework Club” once a week for students who need assistance with homework.

§  When necessary, convene a parent-student-teacher conference to discuss homework concerns and agree upon a homework plan.

As part of our school wide plan to improve student achievement, we ask that all Village School families join the teachers in making a commitment by signing The Village School Compact and turning it in to the teachers.  A example of this compact is as follows:

The Village School Compact

Student—Teacher—Parent

At the first class parent meetings in September, parents are asked to sign a Village School Compact.  This compact outlines what teachers, students, and parents can do to provide optimum support for student success at The Village School.

Teachers of the Village School agree to:

• Provide meaningful learning experiences for all children.
• Provide positive structure and routine within the school day and throughout the week.
• Promote a sense of ownership that respects the interest and needs of students.
• Consistently enforce rules and expectations.
• Maintain an open channel of communication with students and parents throughout the year.

Students of the Village School agree to:

• Pay attention in class.
• Participate and give their best effort in all learning activities.
• Do their homework.
• Follow the school rules.
• Treat others and the world with respect and compassion.

Parents of the Village School agree to:

• Get my child to school on time.
• Enforce consistent bed time.
• Provide a quiet space and time for homework.
• Keep TV watching to weekends.
• Strive to maintain a positive attitude about my child’s education.