For Parents

Please contact me if you have questions or need more information about assignments, class procedures or would like to know what you can do to help your child with their science work.

Contact information:

My email is rbuzzell@nhsau107.gov

Please feel free to send me an email or leave a message if you have a question for me.  I check email before and after school and will respond as quickly as possible.

Daily Classwork:

Daily classwork assignments typically can be completed in 50 minutes; if students are using their time effectively in class, they should not have homework. Unfinished classwork is expected to be completed before the next class. Work assigned on remote days is expected to be completed before the next in-person class.

 Late classwork will receive 50% credit. Work that needs to be revised is expected to be turned back in for regrading within 3 days of the student receiving their graded work returned.

Homework assigned to the class will be posted on Google Classroom.  (Unfinished classwork is expected to be completed the same day it is assigned and will not  be reposted as homework)

Students should be able to complete homework independently and in a short time frame; 30 minutes maximum. Independent work allows for formative assessment and if too much assistance is given at home, the work doesn't accurately reflect what a student actually knows. Homework may be differentiated by amount or type of assignment according to student need. 

Homework may be  assigned for the following reasons:

1) Pre-learning: Reading or outlining/note taking of assigned reading as an introduction to a topic before a class discussion and/or to give some background information before a more in-depth lesson.

2) Checking for understanding: Journal questions about a science experiment, student reflective writing, evaluate / project organizer.  Formative work helps assess a student's mastery of new material.

3) Practice: Practice of rote skills - some things need to be memorized:  new science vocabulary, reviewing new concepts.

4) Processing: Processing homework allows students to demonstrate what they have learned; such as summarizing major concepts in a unit.

Grading of Homework:

Credit for completion is given as follows: 100% (x/x points)  indicates the student did a thorough job of completing the assignment - it is neat, written in complete sentences, with punctuation and shows thought and effort and includes a heading on the paper.  A 50 indicates the assignment was rushed, sloppy, and/or late or incomplete.  A zero will be recorded for all missing work; students may complete the assignment for late credit. 

7th/8th grade homework policy:

Work should be ready to hand in at the start of class on the day it is due.  Work that is completed, but left at home is considered late. Late work may be turned in for partial credit but will not be accepted once the unit is complete.  If there is a family emergency, please email me or send a note with your child, and an extension will be given with no late penalty.  

Homework is closely connected to classroom learning and academic success.  In general, students who complete their classwork and homework, do well on assessments because they have mastered the content that they were expected to learn.  

Google Classroom / ALMA Grade Portal:

Science assignments are posted in Google Classroom and grades are available on ALMA, the new parent portal. The student view in ALMA also gives a To Do list of work that needs to be turned in. 

Homework Help:

If you child needs assistance with organization and homework completion, consider signing them up for SHARP; an after school homework club, on Mondays and Thursdays, from 2:30-3:45. Student eligibility is determined by a combination of several factors, including level of student need, teacher / guidance recommendations, and parent requests.  SHARP provides a quiet work space with access to a teacher and resources such as computers, textbooks, and peer support.