Homework Partners Plays Major Part In Leighton Student Success

August 21, 2009 Contributor

OSWEGO, NY – Several Frederick Leighton Elementary School students weren’t upset with staying after school.

When the new school year commences, the students at the west side Oswego elementary school will once again have the opportunity to stay after school to do their homework.

However, the students aren’t fending for themselves.

On the final day of the Homework Partnership there was a celebration in the Frederick Leighton Elementary School library. In front are Jacob White, April Howard, Alyssa Schuyler, Kathy Perkins, Crystal Brooks and Tiffany Crowe. In back are Collin Samson, Meg Quigley, Susan Lemon, Nancy Hale, Rita Crawford, and in front of her are Harley Allen and Cameron Endres.
On the final day of the Homework Partnership there was a celebration in the Frederick Leighton Elementary School library. In front are Jacob White, April Howard, Alyssa Schuyler, Kathy Perkins, Crystal Brooks and Tiffany Crowe. In back are Collin Samson, Meg Quigley, Susan Lemon, Nancy Hale, Rita Crawford, and in front of her are Harley Allen and Cameron Endres.

They will have numerous volunteer assistance from a group of parents, teachers and students as part of the Homework Partners program.

This program was well received during the past year and is expected to grow considerably in 2009-10.

Meg Quigley is one of the mentors.

“The Homework Partners program is set up to help children in grades four thru six who have been recommended by their teachers. We help them with their homework,” she said,

Students met with the volunteers in the school library for an hour after school each Tuesday and Thursday.

Quigley said, ”We help the students get started with their homework and if they have any questions we try to explain the answers to them. This past school year we had community volunteers and students from the college assisting Leighton students.”

Community member and former teacher Nancy Hale was excited to be part of the program.

She said, “We did the mentoring program the previous year and wanted to focus in more on something that had a little more substance to it in the area of academics. We thought we could make homework enjoyable for the children as well as help them to improve their grades.  This definitely helped them feel better about themselves.  There has been a real bonding here and the students know that people care about them and they like that.”

This past school year approximately 20 students participated in the program.

One sixth grader noted, “This helped me quite a bit. It helped me change my experience in math and helped me finish my homework so I can go out and play when I get home.”

A fourth grader noted she benefited from the program as well.

“It has helped me catch up on my homework and I have improved my multiplication and division. I don’t mind staying after school at all for this,” she said.

Another student said there were other benefits than improving grades.

She explained, “It has helped me with my grades, but it has also got me ungrounded. I was always getting grounded for not doing my homework. But, but not anymore. I am getting my homework completed.”

Partnerships are important for the Oswego City School District.

The connection between home, community and school is critical to the success of students.

This Homework Partners program has proven to be worthwhile, beneficial and enjoyable for everyone involved.

When the new school year begins this partnership will continue at the Frederick Leighton Elementary School. missing or outdated ad config

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