Homework Workshop (5th through 8th graders only)

(Note: 5th grade is a year of transition from the more self-contained world of the elementary level, to the more compartmentalized land of middle school. 5th graders are included in Homework Workshop as part of their preparation for middle school.)

Learners turn in homework for all their teachers in their homeroom class at the start of each day; their other teachers retrieve assignments from the homeroom teacher. This prevents kids from using class time to complete work that was to have been done as homework, when they should be doing the work assigned in class.
If any homework is missing, the learner is assigned to, and must attend, Homework Workshop the same afternoon (Tuesdays through Fridays). We are aware that having to pick your child up later may be inconvenient, but we know that you would be willing to do it occasionally if it helps your child.

details

  • Parents are notified by phone by 1:30 PM. Learners make the call to parents in teacher’s presence; the teacher may not be available to speak with the parent, depending on what’s happening in the classroom at the time of the call.
    1. another reason to make sure we have your current phone numbers
    2. If you know your child came to school without having completed all her homework, expect that she will be in Homework Workshop until 4:15 PM; expect the call.
    3. Learners are expected to be forthright in their attempts to reach their parents. Individuals who falsely claim to have made arrangements with parents are being dishonest and will receive a demerit for this infraction.
    •
  • Tuesday-Friday after school, 3:20-4:15 PM
  • monitored by staff who will be available to assist all students (not tutoring)
  • only teacher referred learners may attend workshop (not a drop-in study hall)
  • non-referred siblings may not attend
  • only extreme emergencies excuse a student from Homework Workshop (This must be arranged between the assigning teacher and the parent.)
  • assignments will be docked 10% when submitted the following day.


Completing and turning in homework is the child’s, NOT the parents’, responsibility. If a child leaves his homework on the kitchen table, while it is tempting to “rescue” the child by bringing the work to school, it does not support the child in developing accountability for his actions.

Homework Workshop is intended to address a current day’s homework. A learner who fails to complete and turn in the assignment that bought his way into Homework Workshop is not to be reassigned to Homework Workshop for the same assignment on subsequent days. The penalty for not turning in the work is the cumulative loss of credit at 10% per day. Teachers are encouraged to contact parents in such instances.

Ideally, learners will only need to attend Homework Workshop occasionally; however, if a certain learner is coming to Workshop too frequently, an alternate plan will be made. We want our 5th graders and middle school learners to become mature, responsible people who can be held accountable—we believe that the Homework Workshop will assist them in becoming more responsible, develop better study skills, and experience greater academic success.

Failure to show up for Homework Workshop will result in being assigned to in-school isolation for a portion of the following day, or until work is completed. Parents will be consulted and additional consequences may be assigned if a child fails to report to Homework Workshop more than twice.