Programming Choices at Woodman School
We are proud to offer a high-quality comprehensive program which combines academic, complimentary, co-curricular and extra-curricular learning activities and experiences. Our students enjoy a rich school experience enhanced by a supporting emphasis on technology in teaching and learning, performing arts, fine arts, and community involvement.
We are a triple-track program, offering a community-centred English Regular program (Grade 7-9), Early French Immersion (Grades5-9) and Late French Immersion (Grade 7-9). We are the SE/SW program of choice for beginning on the exciting journey of language learning in the middle years, preparing adolescents for a future in which both official languages of Canada - English and French - can be fully utilized.
Our teachers possess a wide range of professional skill sets, with areas of expertise in Career Technology Foundations, such as Culinary Arts, Design Technology, Construction, Ceramics, Art, Photography and Athletics. Teachers of the French Immersion program model strong language proficiency and pedagogy.
Homework Assignments
In all subjects, students will be expected to complete assignments and daily work, which will often require some study and work at home. Completion of homework and other assignments contributes to student success as a learner. Therefore, it is important that homework and study responsibilities be carried out as promptly and diligently as possible. One way for teachers to help students to learn and be successful is to assign appropriate and meaningful homework. At Woodman School, teachers may give homework for several reasons:
- To reinforce learning through further practice and application of material
- To enrich learning through independent study, individual research and experimentation
- To develop independent study habits
- To enable students to complete assignments that they were not able to complete in class
- To work on projects of a long-term nature
The amount of time students spend on homework is contingent on many factors: how quickly they read, how much they finished in class and the knowledge base they have brought with them from other places and schools. This means that it is difficult to put a precise, standard number of minutes on the amount of time students should spend studying. The Calgary Board of Education outlines that Grade 5-6 students may be expected to complete up to 20 minutes of their total homework load per day. Grades 7-9 students may be assigned from ½ to 1 hour of homework per night. If students find that the amount of time they are spending varies drastically from the above guidelines, they will want to seek help from their teachers or the school counselor.
Homework is to be recorded in agendas or the format of their choice on a daily basis. Assignments are available on teacher online forums to support homework. While teachers strive to coordinate project, assignment and test dates, there may be times in which students are not able to complete all of their homework. Please discuss with individual teachers any requests for extensions before the due date. It is the student’s full responsibility to ensure that any homework that accumulates, due to absences from school, is collected and completed within a reasonable amount of time.
Take note of a few other points regarding homework/tests.
- Tests will not be given, nor long term assignments due, on the first day of school after a long holiday weekend or school vacation.
- Homework will not be assigned on extended holidays such as Winter and Spring Break. The holidays allow students, as life-long learners, the opportunity to explore and expand various interests.
- If a student is absent from school, they are responsible for making up missed assignments. In case of absences, teachers will give them adequate time to make up missing work or assessments. D2L will be an important source to reference.
Textbooks
Due to limited number of textbooks, students will primarily access textbooks within the classroom. In some cases, textbooks may be signed out by individual students on an interim basis. Many textbooks may also be accessed electronically. If possible, teachers will post electronic copies of textbooks to their D2L shells. COVID guidelines related to the sharing of equipment will further limit the possibility for accessing content in textbooks on an interim basis. Textbooks used by one student will be sanitized or placed in quarantine for three days prior to being issued to another student.
Supplies
To reduce the sharing of supplies and materials, a suggested student supply list is provided on the school website back to school page. A $40 centralized Student Supply Fee is charged to Grade 5-6 students for the 2021-2022 school year. This fee will be used by the school to purchase items such as: manipulatives, consumables, folders, duotangs, paper, tissues, etc. There is a $30 CTF Instructional Materials fee for some complementary courses at the Grade 7-9 level (Food, Art, Construction, etc.) to cover the cost of consumables.
