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Elementary Partner Practice & Middle School Home Connection

Derby Public Schools provides an Elementary “Partner Practice” program and Middle School "Home Connection" program, designed to foster meaningful family engagement in our students' academic progress. This initiative reinforces skill development by encouraging collaboration between home and school, because we believe that family involvement is key to enhancing academic outcomes.

Why Partner Practice?

Families Are Key: Your investment in your child's education is invaluable.

Better Outcomes Together: Family participation is essential for increasing academic success. Research shows that even 15 minutes of focused reading each night can significantly improve vocabulary and reading levels. The same applies to math fluency and other areas where after-school support can make a big difference.

Elementary Level:
Elementary students will receive reading and math worksheets for practice, Monday through Thursday when school is in session. Completed Partner Practice assignments will be turned in every Friday. .

Choice Board Activities: Instead of just focusing on IXL, students will receive a weekly choice board (one for Math and one for English) with various activities, such as:

  • Completing IXL practice if they choose to
  • Reviewing a lesson with a parent/guardian
  • Reading a book of their choice

These activities are designed to encourage parent-child interaction and reflect classroom learning, with conversation starters that fit your family’s evening schedule. If your child is enrolled in the Brainfuse High Dose Tutoring program, their tutoring time will count towards their Partner Practice.

The Partner Practice Homework Program Aims to:

  • Strengthen academic achievement
  • Enhance family involvement in learning
  • Create a collaborative partnership focused on student success

Thank you for your continued support and feedback as we work together to make a difference in your child’s education. Partner Practice provides a wonderful opportunity for families to engage with their children’s learning while reinforcing the key concepts being taught in the classroom.

Why Home Connection?

Middle school is a time of big transitions. Students are developing independence, facing more rigorous academics and learning how to take ownership of responsibilities. One approach that supports both students and parents during this stage is the use of learning intentions and success criteria, central ideas from John Hattie’s Visible Learning research. Home Connection is a daily opportunity for students to share their learning with parents/guardians. Each evening, students will complete a Home Connection log that outlines the day’s Learning Intentions and Success Criteria being worked on in class.

Home Connection will be used instead of Partner Practice at the middle school level and helps students reflect on their learning while keeping families informed and engaged. It’s designed to encourage conversation, accountability and shared understanding of what students are working toward in the classroom.