Academics. Burbank School. BPS.


	Mary Lee Burbank Elementary School 266 School Street \| Belmont, MA 02478 phone: 617 - 993 - 5500

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Curriculum

All Belmont elementary schools have the same basic comprehensive elementary school curriculum. All students receive instruction in the

Grade Level System-Wide Curriculum Overviews are distributed via the school newsletter prior to Curriculum Night. Each child brings home the overview for her or his grade. During Curriculum Night in the fall, the classroom teachers and specialists describe their programs.

MCAS

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System is administered to students in grades 3 and 4 in the spring, per state requirements.

Instrumental Music

Children have the opportunity to participate in the instrumental music program in grades 3 and 4. Lessons are held during the morning one day per week and again on Saturday morning. Saturday morning lessons are optional and are fee based. For more information visit Saturday Morning Music School web page.

grade 3: strings
grades 4: strings, woodwind, etc.

The music department informs all families of these offerings in September.

Instrument Choice Form GRADE 3

Instrument Choice Form GRADE 4

Field Trips

Part of the educational program is the inclusion of field trips in the curriculum, when possible. Such trips are taken to enrich the child's classroom experience. All trips are correlated with the educational program and are carefully planned and supervised by the classroom teacher. There are often fees or other expenses. Scholarships are available, if necessary. Children are required to bring a signed permission slip to school prior to the day of the excursion.

HOMEWORK SYSTEM-WIDE GUIDELINES

Homework is any assigned activity done outside of school which relates to any phase of learning. It can be an enrichment, a refinement, or a reinforcement of learning activities.

Purpose of Homework

To supplement and reinforce skills and work done in class.
To enrich the child's school experience.
To provide opportunities to use skills/knowledge learned in school in creative ways outside of school.
To promote individual responsibility.
To teach ability to budget time and organize one's materials.
To promote independent study and research skills.
To help children make up work lost through absence after appropriate instruction has been given in school.

Role of Teachers

to design homework to accomplish a specific purpose closely related to the curriculum for the grade level.
to assign the homework carefully making sure the assignment is clear.
to assist the pupils in learning how to study.
to examine completed homework assignment so that the instructional program can be adapted to meet observed needs.
to communicate with pupil and parent when problems concerning homework arise.
to vary types of assignments to address different needs.

Assignments Time and Frequency

Grade 1 Discretion of the teacher, Monday - Thursday

Grade 2 Discretion of the teacher, Monday - Thursday

Grade 3 30 minutes - Monday - Thursday

Grade 4 30 minutes - Monday - Thursday

For all grades, reading aloud or independent reading are encouraged whenever there is time.

Role of Student

to be responsible for the completion of assignments.
to confer with parents and/or teachers if assignments are not clear or are too difficult

Role of Parents/Guardians

to encourage the child to accept the responsibility for completing home assignments.
to provide a quiet study environment.
to assist the child when the teacher and parent have conferred, and agreed that this asistance would be helpful.
to confer with the teacher if assignments are unclear or too difficult.
to notify the teacher if an unforeseen occurence prevents the child from completing an assignment.

updated: 6/11/2009 by webmaster

Burbank School | 266 School Street | Belmont, MA 02478
phone: 617 - 993 - 5500