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Administration | Main Office Staff | ||||||
| David Uminski, Principal | Gin Koski, Registrar | |||||||
| Greg Smith, Assistant Principal | Pegi Deshayes, Administrative Assistant | |||||||
| Brian Sargent, Dean of Students | Sharon Olson, Administrative Assistant | |||||||
PRINCIPALS' NEWS
HOMEWORK SURVEYWe’re very proud of the academic accomplishments of our students. They perform above state average on the MCAS and well above state and national averages on the SAT. However, parents and students have expressed concerns about homework. There have also been a number of scholarly studies and books written recently that challenge our current homework practices. Interestingly concerns and recommendations vary between too much homework and not enough homework. As educators we’re concerned about maintaining a balance when it comes to homework. While we believe that relevant out-of-class assignments are essential to intellectual rigor and academic achievement, we also understand that homework overload can cause stress for students and their families.
We recently conducted a survey of students regarding homework. We asked a group of students selected randomly to keep a log of the amount of time they spent on homework assignments during a two-week period in December. We also asked students to record the assignments they were given to be completed over the holiday break. Twenty-four students returned their logs. We found that the average student spends 1.65 hours a day completing homework assignments. A student who is enrolled in honors classes spends closer to two hours a day, or 1.98 hours.
We were also able to break down the amount of time students spent on homework in specific classes. For example, the average Humanities student surveyed spent .95 hours daily on assignments for that class, AP students reported .73 hours for each class and students in honors courses reported .55 hours for those classes. College Prep classes ranged from between .25 hours to .57 hours per class.
The one thing we should always remember is that every student treats homework differently. Some students try to get it done as quickly as possible, while others spend hours on the same assignment. It’s a good idea to talk with your son or daughter about strategies for time management and prioritization of assignments. Homework should be designed to maximize student learning. Please encourage your son or daughter to spend a reasonable amount of time with assignments and communicate with the teacher if there is a question about the assignment or if it takes an unreasonable time to complete. Also, question your son or daughter or contact teachers if you find that there is little or no homework being done at night.
The College Board has an excellent website with some great information for achieving academic success. We’ve reprinted one of their articles, titled “Take Control of Homework So It Doesn’t Control You,” on the 4th page of this newsletter. It offers some quick tips for successfully managing homework. You can also access it here. Homework is important for academic success, but it shouldn’t ruin anyone’s life. As always, please contact us if you have questions or concerns about homework or other matters that concern you.
Mr. Uminski Mr. Smith
(978) 827-5907 x2157 (978) 827-5907 x2155
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STUDENT HANDBOOK FOCUS
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MISSION STATEMENT
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PARENT FEEDBACK We want to hear from you.
Mr. Uminski
Mr. Smith |
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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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IMPORTANT YEARBOOK DEADLINE:
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By Elizabeth Brannon, Colleen Doherty and Erin Farrell
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CALENDAR
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SCHOOL COUNCIL
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Donate Them! Oakmont Regional High School is now accepting book, video,
DVD, CD, and audio book donations. Drop off your contributions to
help raise money for the school’s Business Education Department and put
books in the hands of people who will treasure them as you once did! |
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F.A.S. Calendar Sale
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COLLEGE PLANNING NIGHT
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CONGRATULATIONS! Oakmont Seniors
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NEWS FROM
THE NURSE
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OAKMONT
BOOSTER CLUB |
December Spartan
of the Month –
Bringing Light to the Darkness
Sometimes life’s difficulties and challenges bring out the best in people. Last month the Oakmont family was stunned and saddened when we heard of the death of Jordyn Kalagher, a wonderful young lady. In the hours after we learned of this terrible tragedy, there was a tremendous surge of support and outreach from many people in the Ashburnham-Westminster community that helped us all deal with our sense of loss. Within our own student body there was one young man who reached out to his fellow students in a very special and unique way. Tyler Berube, a junior who hopes one day to enter the priesthood, has been chosen as the December Spartan of the Month for his efforts to organize and lead a healing prayer service on that difficult day after Jordyn’s death.
“I saw people crying and upset and I was also feeling depressed,” is how Tyler described his reaction to his grief and that of the Oakmont community. “The best thing I could do was to help people not feel so hurt, and I thought, ‘What would a future priest do in a time of mourning?”
So Tyler sought out the administration and asked if he could organize a prayer service for the Oakmont community. After some discussion, it was decided to invite clergymen from Ashburnham and Westminster to help lead the service. Without question, five pastors from the two towns quickly agreed to join us in the service later that afternoon. Tyler then prepared his own message of comfort. “I searched the internet and found a prayer called, ‘Prayer for the Departed,” Tyler explained. “Then I changed it a bit so it would have more meaning for us.”
At the end of the school day students were invited to come to the gym to participate in a voluntary prayer service. (Students who chose not to participate were welcome to remain in their classrooms.) More than half the student body filed quietly into the bleachers, many of them sobbing and hugging one another. Tyler stood in front of the gym with the other clergymen and waited for everyone to be seated. “I was a little nervous at first, but then I saw my sister and my best friend,” Tyler recalled. “I was thinking more about the sadness of the people in front of me. I was there for them.” Tyler then stepped forward, took the microphone, and read his message of comfort to the grieving Oakmont community with poise and compassion. Each pastor then took his turn to offer a brief prayer or message.
When the service was over, many students and teachers expressed their thanks to Tyler for his part in setting up the prayer service and his words of healing. “I’ve never really been hugged in the hallway before,” he said. “I knew that my words meant something to people and that made me feel good.”
Tyler, who is the son of Debbie and Chris Berube of Ashburnham, hopes to attend Anna Maria or Assumption College after graduation and study for the priesthood. Since his sophomore year he has attended retreats and workshops to gain more information about vocations and the life of a priest. In addition to his studies here at Oakmont, Tyler also runs the mile and throws the javelin as a member of the track team.
In the dark and sad days of December, our Spartan of the Month, Tyler Berube, stepped forward to bring some light and comfort to all of us in the Oakmont community. “I wanted to help the people around me,” he explained simply, “because that’s what priests do.”—Greg Smith
Winter sports schedules can be found here.
Posted February 1, 2008
