At the Kennedy middle school center, certified teachers assist students with homework Monday through Friday in two-hour blocks.
ENFIELD - Educational Resources for Children's school-age centers are accepting enrollments online for before- and after-school activities for children in kindergarten through Grade 5 and at John F. Kennedy Middle School for students in grades 6 through 8.
Executive director Claire Hall urges parents enroll their children at the beginning of the school year so they are on the right track with completing homework
requirements from day one.
"Both parents and students (say) they like having homework completed by 6 p.m. every day," said Hall.
In a survey of Enfield families with children conducted by her agency in the spring, parents indicated the number one priority, tied with after-school safety, for enrolling students in a school-age center is the "quality of homework assistance and academic support students receive every day," she added.
In a survey of all teachers with students enrolled in the centers, 91 percent of the students improved in completing their homework to teacher satisfaction, said Hall. The survey also indicated that 87 percent improved their attendance and came to school motivated to learn, 96 percent increased classroom participation and 93 percent improved their academic performance.
Claire Hall Hall said more and more families want family time during evenings, Hall added. "Getting kids motivated after dinner to complete homework, having time to relax and unwind, and get to bed at a reasonable hour is often a challenge - especially with multiple children," she said.
Another challenge for parents is being able to understand the homework kids take home. "Middle school homework is very unfamiliar territory for parents. Many parents come to us saying they are unable to help their children with homework because the homework is very different from when they were in school, especially math," said Hall.
At the Kennedy middle school center, certified teachers assist students with homework Monday through Friday in two-hour blocks.
Homework time is a mandatory component of the schedule at the after-school centers, according to Hall. She said students are taught organizational skills and how to prioritize their work in order to complete homework in a timely manner. Students spend 50 minutes a day working on homework, reading, studying, and completing assignments. Younger students with less homework will work on reading activities, in the computer labs, and in other educational activities during this time frame.
If students don't complete homework and need more time, there is a homework club from 5 to 6 p.m. Many students use this time frame to work on long-term reading, writing and science projects a couple of days a week, said Hall.
"It is important that younger students learn the importance of setting aside time each day for homework, reading, and study time," said Hall. Even our kindergarten program includes learning centers for students to practice skills they are learning during the school day, she added.
There are school-age centers at Henry Barnard, Enfield Street School, Hazardville Memorial and Eli Whitney elementary schools, along with the middle school Al open on Sept. 3.
Busing is available for students in-district attending Parkman and Crandall Schools to Enfield Street and Barnard School. Out-of-district students attending these schools may also attend after-school activities at Barnard and Enfield Street centers with permission from the superintendent's office.
For a full school-year after-school calendar, enrollment forms, schedules and costs, go online to erfc.us or call the administrative office, (860) 253-9935.