Homework
Policy | Parent Responsibilities Concerning Homework | Time Guidelines | Acquiring Homework During an Absence
Policy
Homework is a central theme at Washington Traditional School. It has three major purposes:
1. To teach personal responsibility and time management skills.
2. To keep parents informed about what their children are studying.
3. To provide additional academic growth and development.
Extra credit is not given for any assignments in any class.
All students K-6 will receive homework at least three nights per week:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday - Optional
Thursday
Regular homework will not be assigned on the nights of the following activities:
School Open House, music programs, PTA or Student Council sponsored activity nights, Science Fair, and Halloween.
Teachers may give free homework passes as part of their classroom reward program. A Family Homework Pass is included in each 9-week homework assignment booklet. This pass can be used at the discretion of the parents and will be honored by the classroom teacher.
Homework will be directly related to daily instruction. Daily work not completed is not considered homework, but must be completed by the next day. Homework will be graded by the teacher or as a class assignment. Standards of neatness and accuracy are to be maintained regardless of the subject matter area.
Parent Responsibilities Concerning Homework
1. To provide a time and place free from distraction for the work to occur.
2. To sign the daily homework sheets or papers (whether completed or not) and review the child's work and provide encouragement.
3. To work closely with the teacher is a problem occurs.
Below are minimum and maximum time guidelines (in minutes) for homework for which parents should plan.
Grade / Minimum / Maximum
K / 10 min. / 15 min.
1st / 15 min. / 30 min.
2nd / 20 min. / 45 min.
3rd / 30 min. / 60 min.
4th / 30 min. / 75 min.
5th / 30 min. / 90 min.
6th / 30 min. / 90 min.
Parents should insist that students dedicate at least the minimum amount of time to some academic study at home. Reading or math is the recommended activity for that time if the homework from school is not enough to take up the minimum amount of time.
Parents should also teacher their children that unfinished classroom work must be completed in addition to the assigned homework and is not part of the actual homework time. Therefore, reports, themes, and unfinished daily work could account for some students spending more than the maximum amount of time stated.
Makeup work is only allowed in the case of an absence. Following an absence, students are allowed one school day for each day absent to turn in makeup work.
Acquiring Homework During an Absence
When a student is absent, the parent or sibling may wish to pick up that student's assignments. Assignments can be requested by contacting our office in person or by telephone. The teacher(s) will be notified. The list of assignments will become available in our office after 12:00 noon of the following day.