My son, goes to a private school, and hardly ever has homework, unless, the class "acts up". As long as his grades are good, i would not be concerned.

when my daughter was in 6th grade she had at least 1hr of hw a nite at the beginning. Then once she got herself into a routine she was able to finish in 40 min. I think 30 to 40 min of hw a nite is good for them it helps them review what they learned in school. She's in 8th now and most nites she gets about 40 min of hw.
Every subject also gives her a project to do during the school year.

Thank you for all the answers. I did go to the Middle School Group and was horrified to see the problems that other parents and their children are having. Now I consider myself lucky because overall I guess it is not that bad not to be overload with homework and have the chance to smoothly transition from Elementary to Middle school which is a huge change. My son seems more focused now that he is back from winter break and he is taking more initiative with his work and organization skills so I guess it is not that bad after all. It has given him time to adjust. THanks everyone for your answers and support. This is great!

There is no research that demonstrates homework helps kids learn. Homework is more of a tradition than a well-thought practice. You might get hold of a newer book called The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn.
With that, some schools have rethought their homework policies and your son's school is one of them. I think it's a sign of a great school when the school keeps up with the research and is reflective about its practices and policies and then willing to make changes to be the best school they can be. Some schools don't do any of that and just go on doing what they've always done.

You may be absolutely right. I have heard about that book. I will take a look. Thank you so much for your valuable answer !!