Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students
and parents.
- Is homework assigned every night?
- How much time should my child be spending on homework?
- What if my child has worked for an hour or more and cannot complete the work?
- What is the late work policy?
- How can I obtain my absent student's class assignments?
- How can I contact the teacher?
- When will conferences be held?
- What other ways will I know how my child is doing?
- How can I best support my child at home?
- What is the Homework Calendar?
- Should I be signing all graded work?
- Is homework graded?
- What types of phone calls is a student allowed to make from school?
Is homework assigned every night?
Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. On rare occasions,
a student may have weekend homework (i.e. a long-term project).
Students are expected to record all assignments in the Homework
Calendar that is provided by our school.
How much time should my child be spending on homework?
Typically, a student is assigned about one hour of homework plus
a 30-minute quiet reading time. The "hour" of homework will vary
depending upon the types of assignments and the student who is
doing them. There is usually time provided in class for a
student to begin a homework assignment, so you should see
evidence of that when your child comes home from school.
Students are expected to bring home any homework assignment that
was completed at school so that you can see it.
What if my child has worked for an hour or more and cannot complete the work?
If a sincere effort has been made to complete the assignment, and
the student has sought help from parents or classmates, then the
incomplete work will be accepted. There must be evidence on the
paper that the work was attempted.
What is the late work policy?
Late work is not accepted. No credit is given for late or
incomplete work, except in special situations like that described
in Question 3. This policy does not apply to students with an
excused absence. Typically, absent students have the same number
of days as they were absent to hand in missing assignments.
How can I obtain my absent student's class assignments?
A "We Missed You Today" assignment sheet (yellow) will be written
for a student who is absent. It will be left on the student's
desk where it can be found when s/he returns to school. The
assignment sheet can be left in the school office for pick up
after 2:20 pm, or sent home with another student, if such a
request is made. In addition, all assignments are posted daily
on the homework page of this website.
How can I contact the teacher?
There are several ways this can be done. A note or a phone call
will be answered promptly, usually after school on the same day.
My e-mail address is kanderso@egusd.net or use the link from this
website. Phoning after 2:07 pm is preferable to calling before
school which is usually a hectic time.
When will conferences be held?
Any time that a parent, student, or teacher believes a conference
is necessary, one can be scheduled. They are typically scheduled
between 2:15 -3:00pm, but other arrangements can be made upon
request.
What other ways will I know how my child is doing?
There are several parts to the home-school communication
network. The very best way to stay informed is to have daily
discussions with your child about his/her academic progress. In
addition to that: 1) Checking this website daily will keep you
up-to-date on assignments, graded work returns, and other
happenings at school. 2) Every piece of graded work will be sent
home for a parent signature, and the student is expected to bring
back the signed work promptly. Please write a note on any work
about which you have a question.
3) Students are expected to keep their own record of graded work
in each subject, and record sheets are provided for this
purpose. Students should save these record sheets, and the
graded work itself, until the end of each trimester. 4) Progress
reports will be sent home at mid-trimester, and report cards at
the end of each trimester.
How can I best support my child at home?
As mentioned earlier, constant communication with your child is
the very best way to support her/him. Nothing will have greater
impact on your child than knowing that you are ready to listen to
how s/he is feeling about school in both its academic and social
aspects. Setting aside a half-hour each day to talk about
school, read notes and handouts in the VIP (red) folder, and
review homework is ideal. Reading with and to your fifth grader
several times a week will improve fluency and comprehension.
Talking about good books is a great way to get close to your
child!
What is the Homework Calendar?
The Homework Calendar, sometimes called the planner or the
agenda, is provided for every intermediate student at John
Ehrhardt. It has a picture of the U.S. Capitol on the red, white
and blue cover. Students are expected to use it for recording
all homework assignments as well as other important deadlines and
reminders. Your child should be showing you this calendar every
night and asking you to sign or initial at the bottom of each
day's section. This should be done after looking over the
completed homework, since your signature indicates that you know
what the assignments were and that your child has completed
them. Feel free to write a note on the page if you have
a question or comment.
Should I be signing all graded work?
Parents are asked to sign/initial all graded work that is sent
home (i.e. tests, projects, essays.) It is helpful if you sign
next to the grade, so that your signature can be spotted
quickly. The graded work for the previous week is stapled
together, so you may sign once on the first page or sign
each page separately. Most work is sent home on Monday, so look
it over and sign and return it by Thursday or Friday. If you are
out of town, your child may keep the work until you return home.
Write any questions or comments on the work, and you will receive
a response.
Is homework graded?
Most homework assignments are not graded, since the purpose of
these assignments is to practice and reinforce concepts and
skills the student is learning. Most assignments are corrected
in class with the student correcting her/his own work. Research
shows that this type of immediate feedback is the most
beneficial. Although the work is not graded, each completed
homework assignment is worth 5 points (occasionally, a more
complex assignment is worth more than 5 points.)
What types of phone calls is a student allowed to make from school?
Students may not call you at home or at work during the day to
ask for forgotten homework to be delivered to school. The
exception to this is when the forgotten item is needed by other
students((i.e. a group or committee). If you notice that
something has been forgotten and you choose to deliver it to
school, please leave it in the office with your child's name on
it. Students who feel ill at school may call you at home or at
work for advice. Students may have a cell phone at school as
long as it is kept inside the backpack and is turned off during
school hours.