Pierce School 7th & 8th Grades Homework Support Policies

To: Pierce 7/8 Students and families

From: Teachers of 7/8 Students, Dr. Smith-Mumford and Mr. Frank

Date: September 14, 2006

Pierce School is committed to supporting all of our students in ways that allow them to grow as learners, and as people. Students in the 7th and 8th grade are expected to complete homework on a daily basis. If students fall behind on homework, the reason may be that they need more specific help or support from the appropriate teacher. In this case our teachers will offer to provide extra help and support before or after school. Students may also fall behind simply because they don’t have a reliable, friendly, supportive place to get general help right after school. To meet this need the computer lab is open for homework every morning, from 7:35 - 7:55 and Wednesday & Thursday afternoons from 2-2:30. Pierce is opening a staffed Homework Help Center that will be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:15-3:15 at no cost to families. Occasionally though, students fall behind because of poor work habits, which usually leads to poor performance and lowered self-esteem. In order to both support and hold accountable students who fall seriously behind on homework, Homework Detention sessions will be held every Wednesday after school as described below.

Homework Detention

Every Friday the grade 7/8 teachers will update a list of students who are two or more assignments behind on homework in their classes (See Friday Homework List on other side of this sheet). This list may or may not include all assigned homework. Some late assignments can’t be made up either because they provide practice building skills in a sequence, or because classroom activities are based on homework being completed. Students who receive a Friday Homework List will then have the weekend to complete these assignments. The teacher may still assess a late penalty but if a student hands in all the assigned work to his/her teacher(s) on Monday, he/she will not be required to attend Homework Detention on Wednesday. (Students handing in missing work on Tuesday will be required to attend).

Students must bring the missing assignments and any necessary materials to Homework Detention. Failure to attend Homework Detention or to bring necessary materials will result in notification of the subject area teacher (who will take this information into account in calculating behavior, effort and letter grades) and a phone call from Mr. Frank to the student’s parent/guardian. Failure to attend Homework Detention a second time will result in a meeting at Pierce with the Mr. Frank, the student and a parent/guardian.

(Please tear off at the dotted line, and return to your advisor by September 18)

………………………………………………………………………………...

I have read the Homework Support Policies.

Student name (Please print): __________________________

Student Signature: _____________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: ______________________________________________

Friday Homework List
Student: ___________________ Subject: ____________________

Date: __________________

Homework Detention—Mr. Frank

Your presence will be required in Mr. Frank’s office next Wednesday for Homework Detention, due to excessive missing work, unless you bring in the missing assignments listed below on Monday. Please bring this list, signed by a parent/guardian and the missing assignments to school on Monday. Turn in the assignments to your teacher(s), and this list to Mr. Frank. If you are absent or there is no school on Monday you may hand in these assignments on Tuesday.

Missing assignments:

Student name (Please print): ________________________________________

Student Signature: _____________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: _______________________________________

Homework Detention

Student: ___________________________________

Date: __________________

Homework Detention—Mr. Frank

Your presence is required in Mr. Frank’s office this Wednesday for Homework Detention, due to excessive missing work. Please bring this and any materials you will need in order to complete the listed assignments.

Subject: Missing assignments:

Subject: Missing assignments:

Subject: Missing assignments:

Subject: Missing assignments:

Please report promptly at 2:15 p.m. and plan to stay until 3:30 p.m. Please make necessary arrangements such as childcare for younger siblings and transportation in advance. Mr. Frank will be able to assist and support students in their effort to complete their work.