Anonymous
11/23/2025 16:35
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
We have found St. Andrew’s to have a moderate level of homework. As someone said earlier, it depends on the classes taken, but overall we feel it’s a healthy level, and our kid is usually able to balance school work with sports, between home and study hall time.
Anonymous
11/23/2025 12:26
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It is a valid question. A lot of the high schools in this area have kids doing 3 hours a night. That is a lot for teenagers, especially if they play sports and/or have other time-intensive outside interests. Some people want to spend time with their kids before they leave for college.
Or maybe, just maybe, here's a radical thought that most DCUM parents would strangle at birth before it could take hold:
Maybe teens deserve to have a life outside school that they choose. Have some time for their own interests. Dumping kids into a miserable grind at 12 for lifetime "achievement" causes incredible emotional turmoil and damage for some.
But you won't find much sympathy for that POV here. Just wait for the reactions.
+1. I’m with you.
Anonymous
11/23/2025 12:19
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:It is a valid question. A lot of the high schools in this area have kids doing 3 hours a night. That is a lot for teenagers, especially if they play sports and/or have other time-intensive outside interests. Some people want to spend time with their kids before they leave for college.
Or maybe, just maybe, here's a radical thought that most DCUM parents would strangle at birth before it could take hold:
Maybe teens deserve to have a life outside school that they choose. Have some time for their own interests. Dumping kids into a miserable grind at 12 for lifetime "achievement" causes incredible emotional turmoil and damage for some.
But you won't find much sympathy for that POV here. Just wait for the reactions.
Anonymous
11/22/2025 16:09
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
It is a valid question. A lot of the high schools in this area have kids doing 3 hours a night. That is a lot for teenagers, especially if they play sports and/or have other time-intensive outside interests. Some people want to spend time with their kids before they leave for college.
Anonymous
11/20/2025 14:44
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Not really sure that it's a plus, but Field certainly has a reputation for many kids having little to no homework most nights.
Finding this not to be the case. DC is 10th grade, and there is homework every day. It's manageable, but it's there.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 21:47
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Homework in HS is optional and not graded at Maret. Students take two assessments a year, but it is to prepare students for assessments for college testing/admissions. They also have a free period starting in 9th.
This is wrong. Homework is not optional. Some of it is graded and some is meant as practice for tests. In terms of exams this is also wrong (not assessments). It is either three finals or two finals depending on year.
Interesting. I just went on a tour at Maret this month and the HS student guide stated this. The team may want to work on ensuring the students are providing correct information because an entire group of interested parents were, according to you, given false information. But doubly interesting that a current HS student would present such incorrect information to parents trying to do their due diligence in getting a better understanding of the school. But, thanks for clarifying. Now I do question the accuracy of other information given.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 21:19
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Homework in HS is optional and not graded at Maret. Students take two assessments a year, but it is to prepare students for assessments for college testing/admissions. They also have a free period starting in 9th.
This is wrong. Homework is not optional. Some of it is graded and some is meant as practice for tests. In terms of exams this is also wrong (not assessments). It is either three finals or two finals depending on year.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 21:17
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:St John's College High School
With the changes they made to finals before Christmas, my kid feels under constant stress.
I would not recommend SJC unless your child will be a recruited athlete and you need a school that will support them through this journey.
I have spoken with the school counselor and they have flagged the issue to school leadership and the school knows it is a problem but has not done anything to address it
The opposite for us. My DC (and us) prefer getting the exams done before Christmas break so we all could enjoy the break without stress or studying. We also really like the block schedule much more than having 7 classes everyday without homework for every class. With the block schedule, homework is every other day for each class. Overall, we’ve loved these changes at SJC.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 19:15
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:St John's College High School
With the changes they made to finals before Christmas, my kid feels under constant stress.
I would not recommend SJC unless your child will be a recruited athlete and you need a school that will support them through this journey.
I have spoken with the school counselor and they have flagged the issue to school leadership and the school knows it is a problem but has not done anything to address it
This has not been my family’s experience. My kids prefer exams after Christmas and don’t find the homework load overly stressful.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 19:12
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:How about St. John's ? How is the HW load there?
SJC honors and AP classes have a lot of homework.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 18:20
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Homework in HS is optional and not graded at Maret. Students take two assessments a year, but it is to prepare students for assessments for college testing/admissions. They also have a free period starting in 9th.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 12:30
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:And, as often stated in this forum, Field families report a comfortable homework/downtime balance that still results in great college outcomes.
Current Field parent. Agree with this and would also mention that there is a lot of emphasis on executive function and how to plan for assignment timing and how to balance homework with other extracurricular commitments. The advisor structure at Field has been helpful to us.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 07:44
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:I think, more than the school itself, the classes that a student chooses to take drives the amount of homework that they will have each night. If your child chooses to take advanced, honors, and AP classes, they are going to have hours of work each night (even with a block schedule). If they choose to not take the more rigorous courses, they will have a lot less homework. They will still have to do a lot of reading and labs, i.e. but the amount with be significantly lighter. I have noticed that my child's friends who are taking lighter loads have a lot more time for hanging out and doing other activities. My child, who chose to pursue the most rigorous classes she could test into, has very little free time each evening (again, she was aware of what her homework load was going to be and chose to move forward with the difficult classes anyway). I hope this helps!
This! One student’s homework load can be completely different from another student’s at the same school depending on the classes they choose to take.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 07:41
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Exams before Christmas has not been an issue for my kids.
+1 My kid much prefers getting exams out of the way before Christmas.
Same for my kid. It’s a push but Christmas break will actually be a REAL break with time to rest/travel/do fun things, with midterms taking place before vacation starts. It’s healthy to have some real downtime.
DC is in several honors classes at SJC and has a heavy homework load, but has loved the block schedule which spreads out the work. Some nights are better than others, with math being the biggest time-suck. DC came from a Catholic K-8 so they are used to frequent tests and quizzes with no retakes.
Anonymous
11/19/2025 07:29
Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
I think, more than the school itself, the classes that a student chooses to take drives the amount of homework that they will have each night. If your child chooses to take advanced, honors, and AP classes, they are going to have hours of work each night (even with a block schedule). If they choose to not take the more rigorous courses, they will have a lot less homework. They will still have to do a lot of reading and labs, i.e. but the amount with be significantly lighter. I have noticed that my child's friends who are taking lighter loads have a lot more time for hanging out and doing other activities. My child, who chose to pursue the most rigorous classes she could test into, has very little free time each evening (again, she was aware of what her homework load was going to be and chose to move forward with the difficult classes anyway). I hope this helps!