Mostly+for+Parents

 Answers to Frequently Asked Questions from Parents/Guardians.

Click on files below the bullet points for more information

Absences for Illness
 * There is no need to email me for homework for an absence due to illness.
 * Students should take the time to feel better and catch up upon return to school.
 * Students have as many days as they were out to make up work.
 * **Schedule a time to make up missed quizzes, tests, or projects within a week of returning to school. __YOU__ must remember to do this.** With 115 students to track, __I will not remind you.__

Helping Students with Homework How much is enough time on homework? Extra Credit Options
 * Students should expect to spend an average of **between 20 and 30 minutes of FOCUSED effort** on ELA on the nights I assign work--which averages 3-4 nights a week.
 * In my experience, MOST Ahern students stay caught up and put in honest effort on each assignement.
 * If the load on a particular night adds up to more for your student, the student need only have a note from a parent/guardian stating the work was honestly attempted and the student will be given a one day extension.
 * ** After Term 1, late work will NOT be accepted without a note from a parent/guardian. ****FOCUSED effort means the work is attempted without texting, Facebook, T.V. or sibling arguments. I do not expect any student to spend hours on one assignment. I want learning or practice to happen--not frustration.**
 * The **exception to this is for project work or multi-day assignments** . If a student receives an assignment on a Monday that is due Wednesday and waits until Tuesday night to start--the student should expect to put in BOTH night's effort (40-60 minutes) before asking for a parental excuse note. If student digs a whole--the student has to deal with that. Parent notes in this case should specifically state that the child worked on EACH night of the assignment.
 * **Sometimes work becomes homework because a student did not use time wisely in class. ** Before writing a note, double check this site to see if the work was started in class. I often give 40 -60 minutes worth of work, but anticipate that 20 will be done at school and 20-30 at home. It has been known to happen that students doodle through the school time and then complain that there is too much work left when they arrive home.
 * If there are chronic problems with homework taking too long, the student may need to stay after for help, or may have to find a different environment to work in. Sometimes a TOO-quiet space causes some students to drift away from tasks, while the kitchen table may be too noisy for others. Sometimes staying after to work in a classroom provides the necessary focus.
 * Click below for my letter on how to help at home. Section 3 of the letter includes extra credit options that can be pursued throughout the semester. NO extra credit projects can be initiated the last 2 weeks of any grading period.
 * Many one and two day only extra-credit options are listed in daily class reviews.

Vacation Homework Requests

Class Expectations Welcome Letter