New System Aims End to Homework Excuses

By: Becky Nahm
Channel 5 News, St. Cloud, MN

September 11, 2009

Parents in one school district will soon have a new way to monitor their kids progress. It’s a system that will make it harder to convince teachers that ‘the dog ate my homework.’

After two decades of teaching at Oak Hill School in St. Cloud, Dale Freese can write a book about excuses from students who didn’t do their homework.

Freese said, “I have yet to hear the old dog ate the homework one.”

Leah Challberg, 11, is honest enough to admit she could add to Mr. Freese’s book.

Challberg said, “There were a few times but we have some very understanding teachers.”

Next month, the St. Cloud School District will start a new online system for parents to monitor their child’s classwork. For example, a parent can check to see if a student completed an assignment.

Parents will be able to log on, check grades or see what homework has been assigned.

Parents will also be able to send and receive notes from teachers.

The new system will cost the district about $135,000 to install and train staff and an additional $50,000 every year to keep the program running.

Leah’s mother Lara Challberg thinks it’s worth every dime.

Challberg said, “I check individually the classes, the assignments, daily if I want to and see oops did we miss something or are we right where we should be and everything is in line.”

As for Mr. Freese, he’ll be able to post worksheets on the system which means students will also no longer be able to say I forgot my homework at school.

Freese said, “The parents or the student can pull it off and there they have it. Yes the dog did eat it, but you could have made a copy right there, ha!”