Preparation: Students at NYA should expect that each course will require work outside of class. Examples include regular homework assignments, papers, laboratory reports, long-term projects, oral reports, and reading assignments. Fifth and sixth graders receive 30 – 80 minutes of homework nightly. Seventh and eighth grade students will need to spend approximately 1 to 2 hours on homework each day. Upper School students should anticipate 40-55 minutes per course each day.
Music/Preparation Periods: Certain periods of the school day are reserved for music ensembles to meet. Students who are not in ensembles during this time are assigned to a study hall for that period. Students should bring all necessary materials to Preparation Period with them. Students may arrange to use some of this time to get extra help from a teacher with permission of the proctor and teacher. Seniors who are not in a music class are excused from Preparation Period. All other Upper School students must attend Preparation Period regardless of honor roll status.
Late policy: Students are encouraged to manage their time so that they can hand in work on the day it is due. Work that is handed in late is often of poor quality.
Grade 5: Late policy will be set by fifth grade teachers.
Grade 6: Late policy will be set by sixth grade teachers.
Grades 7-9: Late work will receive a 1/3 grade deduction (B to B-, for example) for each day late. Late work will be accepted for a period of 5 days. After day 5, late work may be given an F or a zero, at the discretion of the teacher.
Grades 10-12: The same grade reduction policy applies. The period in which late work is accepted is 3 days after the due date. After day 3, late work may be given an F or a zero, at the discretion of the teacher.
Teachers will count a weekend as one day, not two, in figuring a grade reduction. A day in which a student is absent does not count when figuring a grade reduction for late work.
Study Halls: Study Halls are designed to provide a quiet study time for students. Students should arrive with all the materials they will need for the entire period and should be prepared for quiet, individual study.
All ninth graders will be assigned to study hall during the first trimester, regardless of honor standing in the eighth grade. Beginning in the second trimester all Upper School students are exempt from study hall. However, any student who is in serious academic difficulty may be assigned to study hall and/or Academic Study Hall at the discretion of the Head of Upper School.
