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[Principal]

Often the difference between a successful student and one who is underachieving amounts to their attitude towards home work assignments. Our Parent Handbook and the Ontario Ministry of Education recommends about 10 minutes homework per evening for each grade level. In other words a student in Grade 3 can expect about 30 minutes, on average, per night. This is an accumulated average when projects and regular assignments are averaged. A Grade 8 student should be prepared to accomplish an average of 80 minutes per evening.  Please remember this is an average and includes both regular assignments and projects.

Parents are often fooled by students indicating they have "no homework." This may be one of those 1/2 truths in that they may not have a specific assignment due for the next day; but a check of the child's agenda or class newsletter will reveal there is a test or project due in 3 - 5 days down the road.

Many parents have solved this challenge by setting the recommended time aside each evening in a specified location. In other words the student will be in their predetermined location at the predetermined time; regardless of their admission of homework. Students will catch on that it is better to spread work out over a period of time then it is to "power study" the night before. The informed parent will have the assignments, both short and long term, available as printed in the newsletter or the student's agenda. A good habit is to sign the student's agenda each evening indicating, to the teacher, you have checked the agenda.

There is always homework of some description to be completed and the successful student will be grateful for your intervention.

Bill Freeman
Principal