Park Hill celebrates strong assessment gains, lower chronic absenteeism as Derby Education Foundation ramps up grants

Park Hill Elementary principal Danae Bennett told the board that third‑through‑fifth‑grade students outperformed both district and state averages on recent state assessments in reading and math and that fifth‑grade science scores also surpassed district and state figures.

Bennett highlighted a targeted effort to reduce chronic absenteeism: the school’s rate dropped from 15.71% to 11.76% year‑to‑year, narrowly missing a 4% reduction target and prompting a new building goal to get chronic absenteeism under 10%. She described building initiatives including learner dispositions (self‑control, perseverance, attentiveness, curiosity and adaptability), MTSS groupings informed by daily checks for understanding, weekly student check‑ins for bullying and an expansion of after‑school clubs (chess, reading and additional enrichment) to support student engagement.

The board also heard from Janet Sprecher, chair of the Derby Education Foundation, who described a second annual pickleball fundraiser that raised more than $6,500 for classroom grants and concurrent credit scholarships. Sprecher said DEF piloted two new micro‑grant approaches this fall: $100 drawing grants for 10 new teachers and $200 classroom grants nominated at a city third‑Thursday event. She announced an annual fund drive with a $15,000 goal and directed interested donors to thederbyeducationfoundation.org for details.

Trustees congratulated Park Hill staff and students and thanked the Foundation for supporting classroom projects; no board action was required for the presentations.