Homework Guidelines
Great Valley School District believes homework is an opportunity to support and enhance learning. Homework introduces, reinforces, or extends knowledge and skills learned in the classroom.
Homework promotes learning related behaviors that lead to independence such as time management, responsibility, organization, self- advocacy, and inquiry.
Elementary Guidelines
Time Management
In order to build student literacy and responsibility at the elementary level, students are expected to read or be read to daily. Students may be expected to complete additional assignments to enhance and support learning. Expected time frames (Monday – Thursday) include daily reading and possible additional assignments and will not exceed:
| Kindergarten | 10 minutes daily |
| 1st Grade | 15 minutes daily |
| 2nd grade | 20 minutes daily |
| 3rd Grade | 30 minutes daily |
| 4th Grade | 40 minutes daily |
Occasionally, projects may extend this homework timeframe.
Guidelines for Teachers:
- Be mindful and aware of situations/home environment.
- Be mindful that homework supports student learning. Give choice as often as possible.
- Consider learning styles, product, and depth of knowledge when assigning homework.
- Utilize Canvas or Skyward as a tool to share information about homework.
- Include checkpoints for long-term assignments to ensure student progress and understanding.
- Share the purpose of the homework with both the student and his/her parent.
- Communicate with the family if a student is demonstrating a struggle with accurately completing homework assignments.
Guidelines for Students:
- Bring all materials home and return to school the next day.
- Limit distractions while completing homework so that you can focus solely on your homework.
- Try your best to work independently to complete homework.
- Let your teacher know if you had difficulty completing the assignment and why.
Guidelines for Parents:
- Encourage your child to work independently, but say that you are available for help.
- Be encouraging and supportive. Praise your child for completing their homework.
- Provide a quiet space at home for homework completion.
- Communicate directly with the teacher if a student is having difficulty or requiring excessive time to complete homework.
- Access homework on Canvas or Skyward as these tools will share information about homework expectations
5/6 Guidelines
Time Management
In order to build student literacy and responsibility at the elementary level, students are expected to read or be read to daily. Students may be expected to complete additional assignments to enhance and support learning. Expected time frames (Monday – Thursday) include daily reading and possible additional assignments and will not exceed:
| 5th Grade | 50 minutes daily |
| 6th Grade | 90 minutes daily |
Occasionally, projects may extend this homework timeframe.
Guidelines for Teachers:
- Be mindful and aware of situations/home environment.
- Be mindful that homework supports student learning. Give choice as often as possible.
- Consider learning styles, product, and depth of knowledge when assigning homework.
- Utilize Canvas or Skyward as a tool to share information about homework.
- Include checkpoints for long-term assignments to ensure student progress and understanding.
- Share the purpose of the homework with both the student and his/her parent.
- Communicate with the family if a student is demonstrating a struggle with accurately completing homework assignments.
Guidelines for Students:
- Bring all materials home and return to school the next day.
- Limit distractions while completing homework so that you can focus solely on your homework.
- Try your best to work independently to complete homework.
- Let your teacher know if you had difficulty completing the assignment and why.
Guidelines for Parents:
- Encourage your child to work independently, but say that you are available for help.
- Be encouraging and supportive. Praise your child for completing their homework.
- Provide a quiet space at home for homework completion.
- Communicate directly with the teacher if a student is having difficulty or requiring excessive time to complete homework.
- Access homework on Canvas or Skyward as these tools will share information about homework expectations
Middle School Guidelines
Time Management
- On average, homework per night should not exceed 1.5 hours.
- Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks are reserved for time with family. Students may elect to use this time to review materials, make up work, complete projects, and enjoy recreational reading, but new assignments will not be made over these breaks by the teacher.
- Homework assigned over a weekend shall be considered the equivalent of a one-night daily assignment.
Guidelines for Teachers:
- Review, discuss, and return, if collected, homework in a timely manner.
- Communicate and coordinate assignments with colleagues so that students do not receive an overload of homework.
- Explain homework to the students prior to the assignment, including the purpose and an estimated time of completion for the assignment.
- Identify the access that students will have to materials for projects and other homework assignments- taking into account affordability, resource materials from the library, assistance opportunities, and technology resources.
- Communicate homework expectations, policies, procedures, and the impact on the overall grade.
- Include a framework for timely completion for long-term assignments.
- Utilize Canvas or Skyward as a tool to share information about homework.
Guidelines for Students:
- Accurately record homework assignments made in class by the teacher.
- Seek clarification or assistance from the teacher prior to the assignment due date when homework assignment is unclear, or if an assignment requires excessive time to complete.
- Make every effort to complete homework as assigned.
- Use time provided for completing classwork and/or starting homework.
- Limit distractions while completing homework.
Guidelines for Parents:
- Provide a quiet space at home for homework completion.
- Help your student to develop time management skills as a way to increase productivity and manage assignments.
- Communicate directly with the teacher if a student is having difficulty or requiring excessive time to complete homework.
- Access homework on Canvas or Skyward as these tools will share information about homework expectations.
High School Guidelines
Time Management
- On average, homework per night should not exceed 2.5 hours.
- Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks are reserved for time with family. Students may elect to use this time to review materials, make up work, complete projects, and enjoy recreational reading, but new assignments will not be made over these breaks by the teacher.
- Homework assigned over a weekend shall be considered the equivalent of a one-night daily assignment.
Guidelines for Teachers:
- Discussion and development of homework should be part of the curriculum process. Teachers teaching the same courses should have similar homework expectations.
- When possible, teachers should give a quarterly overview of long term assignments and testing schedules.
- Teachers should explain the purpose of homework assignments to their students.
- Teachers will use Canvas or Skyward, or posting on board to communicate homework to students.
Guidelines for Students:
- Access homework assignments through Canvas, Skyward, or postings on the board in the classroom.
- Take an active role in your learning through the completion of homework.
- Seek clarification or assistance from the teacher prior to the assignment due date when a homework assignment is unclear, or if an assignment requires excessive time to complete.
- Strive to not only complete homework, but to also make use of it as a learning tool.
- Review, correct, or revise assignments before submitting them to a teacher.
- Utilize available resources for homework support.
- Limit distractions while completing homework.
Guidelines for Parents:
- Expect that your student will be responsible for his/her homework assignments and that he/she will be able to share information about those assignments with you.
- Access homework on Canvas or Skyward as these tools will share information about homework expectations.
- Communicate directly with the teacher if a student is having difficulty or requiring excessive time to complete homework.
- Work with your student during course selection time (using the weekly time commitment planning sheet). Consider family commitments, extra-curricular activities, sleep, and student physical/mental health to determine the appropriate potential course load.