 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
School Directory
A school directory of families and staff is published each school year. The directory is for the personal use only
and should not be used or shared for any commercial purposes.
Homework
Homework at Touchstone begins the development of skills and capacities and is family friendly. Homework
enables students to:
Work on long-term projects designed to develop a capacity for independent work and sustained effort.
Practice skills or operations needed to develop automaticity and fluency.
Finish work begun in class.
Develop a topic or project further than is possible in class.
Use the classroom for individual or group exploration and learning.
Current homework guidelines are:
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD EITHER READ OR BE READ TO, AT HOME, APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES EACH DAY.
8-9 year olds will have no more than a 10-20 minute additional assignment each night.
9-10 year olds will have no more than a 20-30 minute additional assignment each night.
10-11 year olds will have no more than two additional assignments totaling 40 minutes each night.
OSP students will have 80 - 90 minutes of homework including 20 minutes of reading.
Teachers have discretion in the implementation of this policy. Homework is rarely given over the weekend.
Parent are encouraged to support and assist, if necessary, their children with homework, but increasing
independence is the goal. Questions about the parent’s role in homework should be discussed with the
classroom teacher.
School use for Events
All use of the school for events whether by a committee, a classroom or private party should be scheduled with
the EDP Director.
Alcohol Policy at School Events
Alcohol is not permitted at any event held on school property, or at any school sponsored event where
children will be present.
Holidays
Holidays are not celebrated on a school-wide basis. Each class chooses their celebrations throughout the year
based on the season, what is being celebrated by the student’s family and the current classroom theme. The
one exception is Halloween. On Halloween children come to school in costume and a parade takes place
followed by a fun-filled assembly. Parents are encouraged to participate by coming in costume and attending
the assembly.
Absenteeism and/or Extended Vacations
The staff of the school requires notification of children's absences due to illness or special circumstances.
Parents should call the school (508-839-0038) by 9:00 a.m. to let teachers know that the student will not be in
school on a given day.
No “make up” curriculum work will be provided unless the absence is an extended one and the teacher feels it
is necessary. Although the staff appreciates the rich educational value of family trips, we also recognize that if
they occur when school is in session, they disrupt the learning underway within a particular classroom. The
impact of this disruption varies from student to student, but its impact is experienced by each child and his/her
class. We expect that parents will plan family vacations during school vacation periods and communicate with
the teacher long in advance should an extended absence be necessary.