Connecting our schools with their broader communities
Autumn is always a busy and exciting time for families as children go back to class and settle in. I like seeing how the whole community takes on a new feel as the 33 schools in Toronto-Danforth are full and bustling once again, with students filling the streets in the mornings and afternoons. Each of our community schools is diverse, dynamic and unique. For the rest of the fall, I will be highlighting different Toronto-Danforth schools and their principals here in the Town Crier as a way of connecting our schools with the broader community.
Every school operates in accordance with a variety of policies set by the board of trustees. It is often difficult for parents to keep track of these policies and how they affect their children. One of the policies of great interest to parents is the one on homework.
Parents have varying opinions on how homework should be assigned. The current homework policy was re-visited in 2008 and based on comprehensive research. One of the most interesting research findings on which the policy is based is the lack of a link between homework and student success in the elementary grades. The link that emerged from the research was between reading and student success. At the elementary level, students who read at home are more likely to do well in school.
If you want to discuss how homework is being assigned in your child’s classroom, you should feel free to reference the homework policy when you speak with your child’s teacher. You can find out more information on the homework policy and others at [url]www.cathydandy.ca.[/url]
