Homework Policy

When it comes to assessment and homework, sometimes communication breaks down between the time a student leaves school and the time they arrive home.  This blog (and particularly, this post) should help to clarify any questions you have about our homework policy.

We set dates for assessments and deadlines for assignments well in advance.  Because students are made aware of deadlines, they are expected to meet them (barring any extenuating circumstances). If a student requires an extension, it is expected that they will be asking for this themselves, demonstrating initiative and responsibility.  It is also expected that they will not be asking for extensions the day the assignment is due.  Please encourage your child to approach us with regards to extensions - then they reach high school, they will need to advocate for themselves and this is a good time to practice!

Because we assess students in a wide variety of different ways throughout a unit, students will NOT be given the opportunity for retests.  Tests are one of many forms of assessment, and while they do contribute to the student's overall grade, they are by no means the only form of assessment that will take place over the course of the unit.

If students are absent for lessons, they are expected to seek the issued information from their teacher or peers.  "I wasn't here for this" will not be an acceptable reason for not completing an assessment.  Our calendar on this site, as well as the calendar in the classroom, will be updated with assessment dates and due dates and we hope that you will support your child in staying caught up.

In Grade 8, homework is very important.  It can come in the form of work completion (e.g., unfinished work, unfinished assignments), preparation work (e.g., research, studying for assessments), or concept review (e.g., practice, reviewing notes).  On evenings when students are not assigned specific homework tasks, they are strongly encouraged to ensure that they are spending at least 20 minutes reading, and practicing various math facts.  Reviewing daily notes and doing independent research to support in-class concepts are also ways to consolidate daily learning.

If you're interested in more information, Simcoe County District School Board's Homework Policy is available as a PDF on the SCDSB website, under SCDSB Policy 4106.  Classroom specific homework questions may be directed to Miss Skelton (sskelton@scdsb.on.ca) and Mrs. Davis (vdavis@scdsb.on.ca).

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