Students across the country are heading away from school this weekend to celebrate Memorial Day. Should they have to spend part of the holiday – or any other weekend – doing homework?

Maybe not, if they live in New Jersey.

The Galloway Township Public Schools Board of Education is considering changes to its homework policy that prohibits teachers from assigning extra work on any weekend or holiday break, according to Jennifer Bogdan of The Press of Atlantic City.

Superintendent Annette Giaquinto told the paper that she and two top administrators created the recommendation, also suggesting that teachers assign no more than 10 minutes of homework, multiplied by the child's grade level, per night.

“The recommendations are aimed at ensuring students are not assigned busywork such as 25 math problems when five would sufficiently prove a child mastered a skill,” Bodgan wrote. “The changes would allow students to have time for extracurricular activities and quality time with their families.”

Giaquinto told the paper that she's not abolishing homework, but wants “to make sure the homework we are sending home is meaningful.” Administrators also want to make sure students are not penalized for having outside activities.

School board members aren't expected to vote on the recommendation until the summer, but Bogdan reported there were mixed reactions when the plan was first discussed.

One board member said abolishing homework over weekends and holidays would not make sense because parents may have more time to help children with assignments at those times.

But the district's curriculum director told the board that the recommendation would be that no assignments would be due on a day directly following a weekend or a holiday break. Parents, however, could choose to work with child on a long-term project, read a book or study for a test over a holiday or weekend.

I'm looking to hear from teachers about what they think about the policy, whether they find homework effective – and whether they ever assign it over the weekend or holiday breaks.

E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterDMurray