Homework Guidelines

The North Andover Public School Department recognizes that there is a very high correlation between academic achievement and the amount of time, energy and effort a student spends working on class work assigned by the classroom teacher. The school department believes that homework is part of a total instructional experience and, as an extension of the classroom, is intended to enrich and extend the student initiative.  To that end, the purpose of homework is the following:

• To incorporate parents/guardians or significant others into the student’s school experiences through related home activities
• To provide an opportunity to review subject matter taught in school
• To teach students that learning is not only done in the classroom
• To reinforce learning by providing practice and application of skills or completion of familiar, unfinished work
• To help develop responsibility, independent study habits and self-discipline in learning to use and manage time

General Guidelines for Homework

In addition to the time represented by homework guidelines listed below, it is expected that all elementary students will read or be read to each evening. 

Homework time guidelines K-5:

Homework time guidelines 6-12:

As students move into the secondary level, their interests and academic strengths begin to broaden. At the middle school, teachers may vary assignments and projects to match individual learning needs, and at the high school course selections and levels play a significant role with the amount of time a student may spend each night on homework. At every grade level, all students should be working at home, whether it is a review of class notes or material, written homework, test preparation, or a long term project or assignment. Our goals are to instill daily in our students that they have some type of homework and to continue to guide them toward solid study habits and time management.

These timelines are approximate for daily assignments. Homework may also involve long term projects, products or performances that serve as a demonstration of learning. Long term assignments should be made well in advance of the due date and should include incremental checkpoints or benchmarks to help students complete them successfully.

School administrators are responsible for ensuring compliance with the homework guidelines. Parents are strongly encouraged to monitor homework and communicate concerns to teachers and administrators.

Page Last Modified Sun 08-17-2008 00:16