Homework

Colonel Sanders TLC is part of the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), and as such we need to follow the CBE’s Administrative Regulations (AR). AR 3066 contains information about homework. If you would like to read the official AR, please click here AR3066.  Below is a parent friendly version of this AR which only contains information about Grades 1-4.  

The Calgary Board of Education would like to promote good study habits. Homework can be a part of building good study habits as well as practicing learning. CBE wants to promote support that the home can have in a child’s education, it also does not want homework to interfere with the child’s interests in non-school educational, cultural, or recreational activities. 

Teachers assign homework based on the guidelines below. Parents should set aside some regular time for homework. 

In Division One (Grade 1-3) the motivation for homework comes from the parents' interest in the child’s schoolwork. Parents and teachers should encourage children to read. Pressure can bring negative results. No formal assignments shall be made but 5-10 minutes per night is recommended. 

In Division Two (Grade 4-6) formal assignments may be provided by the teacher, especially for students who need extra support. Parents need to be aware of the teacher’s expectations. Schools cannot ask students to complete more than 20 minutes of homework. 

Colonel Sanders School is a proud Traditional Learning Centre (TLC), which has specific homework understandings that parents are aware of prior to Expressing Interest in the program. Families sign the Parent Acknowledgement of Understanding for Traditional Learning Centre Program showing their understanding of these agreements and their commitment to the TLC Program. This agreement is reviewed and signed by families each year.  

One section of the Parent Acknowledgement of Understanding for Traditional Learning Centre Program states: Daily homework expectations are in place for grades 1-9. Parents are encouraged to support a child’s homework on a nightly basis.   

Colonel Sanders Staff have taken much time to discuss the quality of homework, necessary engagement from students and family members, as well as the research connected to the impact homework has on student learning. Based on the above, we have made changes to the homework component of our program.   

At Colonel Sanders we understand that a student’s job is to come to school each day ready to learn and engage in lessons/activities which build understandings of ideas and concepts. This then leads to transferring these learnings into deeper connections or in new ways. As well, as family members, you need to be aware of what your student is learning to be able to support the building of this knowledge. To build knowledge does not mean having repeated practice of the same type of work over and over. It also does not mean that students should be sitting completing worksheet after worksheet (sometimes practicing incorrect penmanship and/or skills).   

Building knowledge means engaging in the sharing of learning, applying the learning in a new setting, and finding examples of this learning within the home environment. Thus, this year you may see homework which looks more like game play, sharing a task that was completed at school, and/or reviewing something that was completed at school for the purpose of setting a goal and then working toward this goal. 

Grade levels will be working on providing homework to students through Google Classroom which focuses on the above understandings of what homework is, as well as following the CBE’s allotted amount of time for homework. This means that families who have students in grades:  

• 1-3: students will be encouraged to read nightly, as well as some additional activities which bring family members into the learning. This will not be more than an average of 5-10 minutes per school night.  
• 4: there may be more homework, up to 20 minutes per night. Some grade 4 students may receive more homework than others based on what each student specifically needs. 

If a family chooses to go on an Extended Absence during the school year, it is not the responsibility of the school or teacher to provide additional homework or an outline of what will be covered while the student is absent. Families have access to Google Classroom which will contain a portion of what is occurring in the classroom. This information will be reviewed with families at the Extended Absence meeting.  

Character Education

At the beginning of each school year Colonel Sanders staff and students focus on the Three Pillars of Respect (self, others, and environment). Within the Seven Sacred Teachings, the Buffalo represents respect.

Respect for Self

Each student will strive for academic excellence. Students and parents recognize that diligence, effort and scholastic achievement generate self-esteem. Students understand that they are to abide by a code of conduct and that they are a main contributor to the school climate and culture.

Respect for Others

This comprises of respect for human and property rights of others, respect for roles or legitimate authority in home, community and country, and respect for the contributions of those more or less capable than oneself in given areas. 

Respect for the Environment

Students are expected to care and nurture the school environment and the resources made available to them. Students are to take an active role in preserving the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling. 

Seven Sacred Teachings

At Colonel Sanders TLC we proudly and intentionally celebrate our connectedness by learning the Seven Sacred Teachings. Each animal represents a specific virtue which is explored through embedded and explicitly taught lessons, selected literature, and videos. Students use their visual journals to demonstrate their conceptual understanding of these character virtues. The character board evolves throughout the school year with the board being used as a specific learning tool, as well as a place to display what has been learned. Grade levels will share their learnings and active practice through announcements for the school to hear. This year, we have also decided to use the Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework as a guide to our teachings and understandings of self.

Our virtual Character Celebrations will be held on the dates listed below. Each celebration will begin with the Acknowledgement of the Land, singing O Canada, an introduction into all the 7 Sacred Teachings, followed by Character Award presentations. Next is an introduction to the next virtue and the listening of our school song.  

2023-2024 Dates - Assemblies and School Events*

• August 31, 2023 |  Welcome 
• September 15, 2023 |  Terry Fox Run 
• September 21, 2023 |  Open House 4:30-6:00 
• September 28 |  Orange Shirt Day (Sep. 30) 
• October 25, 2023 |  Celebrating Buffalo (respect) and Wolf (humility)
• October 31, 2023 |  Halloween and Pumpkin Parade**
• November 8, 2023 |  Remembrance Day 
• December 14, 2023 |  Celebrating Bear(courage) and Sabe (honesty)
• February 1, 2024 |  Carnaval 
• February 2, 2024 |  Carnaval Activities 
• February 29, 2024 |  Pink Shirt Day and Celebrating Beaver (wisdom) and Eagle (love)
• April 23, 2024 |  Celebrating Turtle (truth
• June 21, 2024 |  Grade 4 Farewell (grade 4 students only) 
• June 17-20, 2024 |  French Plays
• June 27, 2024 |  Sports Day

*Dates may change - please use dates provided in the weekly parent SchoolMessenger

**Sponsored by School Council