Good Morning Gibbon Nation,
Gibbon Public Schools has dedicated time and energy to revisit our "homework" policy and revised the approach of collecting work from students. Renamed the "Practice Policy," Gibbon Public Schools defines homework as the act of practicing essential concepts, skills, or behaviors assigned by a teacher. Practice is a purposeful task given to a student to be completed at a time specified by the classroom teacher. Students are expected to complete and submit all assigned practice activities at the time specified by the teacher. This expectation exists whether practice is graded or not graded.
Guiding Principle 1
Practice offers each student the opportunity to apply, build, and enhance the essential concepts, skills, and behaviors they are expected to know and be able to do. Practice builds knowledge, increases the level of understanding of essential concepts, and improves student achievement.
Guiding Principle 2
Practice assigned will be aligned to the priority standards, proficiency scales, and learning targets identified and created by the classroom teachers. Practice equips parents and teachers with additional evidence of a student’s progress on identified priority standards.
Guiding Principle 3
It is the responsibility of each student to complete practice in the time specified by the classroom teacher.
Guiding Principle 4
Practice assigned will not be accepted after the completion of a unit, chapter, or final assessment. A grade of “ZERO” will be assigned to any work that is not turned in by the time specified by the classroom teacher.
Guiding Principle 5
Gibbon Public Schools is focused on building skills that prepare all students for college and career. The school district has a focus on developing responsibility and work ethic. Practice assists with the development of responsibility and work ethic.
Guiding Principle 6
It is the responsibility of the student to contact their teacher and/or access information through Schoology anytime he/she will be or has been absent from class.
Absences - Handbook
Absences - The school district, typically through the school nurse, will contact parents if a student becomes ill at school. A student who is absent due to illness has until the end of the unit to make-up missing work. If the absence occurs at the end of a unit, the teacher will work with the individual student to identify a date when all work must be completed and turned in to the teacher.
Planned Absences - Parents who know in advance that a student will be absent must contact the school at the earliest possible date. Students who will be absent for reasons that can be anticipated, such as routine medical appointments and school activities, may be required to complete any work required by the teacher before the absence. Parents should make every attempt to schedule medical and other appointments after school hours when possible.
We hope this clarifies why completing work assigned by the classroom teacher is important, simplifies the approach to collecting evidence of student work, and explains the students role in making up any missed work due to an illness. Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions regarding the practice policy.