Hitmen/CBE Hockey Night

The CBE is getting together with the Calgary Hitmen to help raise funds for 'Fuel for School' breakfast program.  See a game for $10.00 and help out a worthy cause at the same time.  Click here or on the picture for more information.

Homework Discussion

The following post from the blog at "Parents of Wilma Hansen" has been generating a lot of feedback, although the K-6 homework situation is different, the same principles apply - what's your thought?

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During the last parent association meeting there was a discussion about homework.  Homework is always a bit of a hot button topic and stances and attitudes seem to go in cycles.  But always the basic question is asked - how much is too much?  To answer that question, I did some very basic research a la Google.

According to Duke University psychologist Harris Cooper, homework amount should be guided by the '10 minute rule'.  This guideline has been endorsed by National PTA and the National Education Association.  The rule is essentially 10 minutes per grade.  So, a student in Grade 8 should expect no more than 80 minutes of homework a night, 90 for Grade 9, 100 for grade 10, etc. For another interesting and thorough review of the homework topic, read Alfie Kohn: here he discusses rethinking homework as a principal.  I also came across this unfortunate case study from Psychology Today in which Dr. Guy Winch says:

"... study after study has shown that homework has little to do with achievement in elementary school and is only marginally related to achievement in middle school."

At the last PA meeting, the general rule that was discussed for Wilma students was 30 minutes per subject.  That could mean up to 3.5 hours of homework per night!  That plus a 6 hour school day is 9.5 hours. That's a long work day for anyone let alone a young teen.  For parents who are encouraging their children to lead well rounded lives with sports, music, social circles, quiet time (reading for enjoyment, movies, video games), and family events; that kind of time commitment for school is simply too much.

To be fair, not all teachers at Wilma will give 30 minutes of homework per day as a rule and will often only assign homework for special projects or even not at all.  But some classes/teachers are definitely pushing that 30 minute guideline on a daily basis.

What has been your experience?  Do you feel your child is getting enough to do at home? Or too much?  Fill in the comment or send an email - the PA and the school appreciate your feedback.

Parenting with Love and Logic

 During Teacher Convention this year, there will be a special Keynote Speaking event that is open to the public.  Parenting expert Jim Fay, will be speaking on Thursday, February 16 from 6:45-8:45 PM.  You can reserve your $10 tickets here.  Mr. Fay will introduce the crowd to funny, simple, and effective parenting techniques; part of the Parenting with Love and Logic program.

Message From Karen Drummond, CBE Communications Advisor

Hello everyone,

You are invited to attend the next system parent meeting, to be held as follows:

Date: Thursday, Feb. 2

Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Place: Multipurpose Room, Education Centre, 1221 – 8 Street S.W.

Parking: Free underground parking will be provided (access parkade from 12 Avenue)

Topic: How the Board of Trustees helps students succeed

Options: 1) attend in person or 2) participate via webinar

RSVP: kldrummond@cbe.ab.ca or 403-817-7951 (please note if attending in person or via webinar)

This meeting will provide opportunities to meet the Board of Trustees, hear presentations, engage in small group discussions and participate in a question and answer session.

Please RSVP by Jan. 31. Feel free to extend this invitation to other interested parents.

Thank you,

Karen Drummond

Communications Advisor

Calgary Board of Education | www.cbe.ab.ca

t | 403-817-7951

Ready or Not, Here I Come? Gauging Your Child's Kindergarten Readiness

From the Calgary's Child website.

Your child may be turning five before your school's deadline, but chronological age should not be the sole determinant of whether he is ready for Kindergarten. It's a huge leap from preschool, day care or the home setting to Kindergarten, with its longer, more structured day, larger class or group size and focus shift from play to academics.

If your child exhibits developmental delays, you may be wondering if he or she is ready for Kindergarten. Might he or she benefit more from an additional year of play-focused growth and maturity before facing the more difficult social and academic requirements of school?

Find out here.

Help Your Children Cope With the Winter Blues

The holidays are a whirlwind of fun and activity for children. The lights, mysterious packages, parties, new toys - it’s certainly the most wonderful time of year. But starting in January, children often feel let-down as life returns to a routine of school, homework, ordinary family life, and the winter blahs. The following suggestions from Silvana Clark, author of “Parent-Tested Ways to Grow Your Child’s Confidence” (Meadowbrook Press), are ways to help your child cope with the winter blues.

Click here to read!

Public school board boss defends ‘integrity’ of trustees

‘We haven’t handed anything off to anybody’

By Matthew McClure, Calgary Herald

The city’s public school board is poised to adopt a new policy Tuesday night that would no longer require trustees to approve hikes in busing fees, annual allocations to schools or expenditures over $500,000.

But the chairwoman of the Calgary Board of Education says that under the new policy — slated for final reading at Tuesday’s meeting — elected representatives will still have the capacity to be informed of and deal with problems.

“Our board has integrity,” Pat Cochrane told last week’s meeting of the Calgary Association of Parent and School Councils. “We haven’t handed anything off to anybody.”

Read more here.