January 7, 2010 Dear Parent(s), Happy New Year!!! We look forward to the many learning opportunities your child will experience in the coming months and are as eager as you are to get back into a regular routine. As you know, the debate over homework is an ongoing issue across North America.  Some of the questions that have been raised include “Do children benefit from homework?  Do young children, in particular, understand the assigned homework tasks? Do parents? Are we stealing from family time?  Does homework cause undue stress for children and their families?”  As a staff, we have recently discussed this issue at length and as a result, have revised the homework policy at our school. Our intent is to focus on the two most important early skills; reading and basic math facts/strategies. What will this mean for you and your child?  1) Children at all grades will continue to read every night at their instructional level. Parents will also be encouraged to read to your child on a regular basis. 2) Children in the primary grades will continue to have weekly sight words to practice along with their assigned reading. 3) Children will also practice math facts/strategies being covered for the week as assigned by the homeroom teacher.    Primary Homework (K-2) – maximum 20 minutes each night (15 minutes reading/word work, 5 minutes practice math facts/strategies.) Upper Elementary Homework (Gr. 3-5 English) – maximum 25 minutes each night (15 minutes reading/word work, 10 minutes practice math facts/strategies.) Upper Elementary Homework (Gr. 3-5 Immersion) – maximum 40 minutes night (15 minutes English reading/word work, 15 minutes French reading/word work and 10 minutes practice math facts/strategies). Important Notes: • All written work and projects will be completed during regular class time.• Thirty minutes each day will be set aside in each class for remediation purposes. During this time independent assignments (written work, projects, etc.) will be worked on by the majority of the class, while small group instruction will be provided by the teacher to students in need of extra help.• Spelling will be done as part of in class work. This new routine will be implemented beginning January 11, 2010.  In addition, each teacher at Croft will provide weekly updates on their “Teacher Page” at croft.nbed.nb.ca.  By using the school website as an additional communication tool we should alleviate any confusion regarding assigned homework. The Teacher Page may also provide practical suggestions for you to use when assisting your child with reading and math.      We always value your input as parents. Please let us know how this new emphasis on homework is working at Parent Teacher Interviews in March. Together, we can make a big difference in your child’s learning. Sincerely,   Mark Donovan                                           Krista PagePrincipal                                                   Vice-Principal