Derby High School

In spite of it's lack of funds the teachers are caring, the guidance counselors are very helpful and I would like them to receive money to help upgrade their facilities.
—Submitted by a parent

Derby Middle School has had an astounding transformation over the past 4 years!! It's amazing how far it's come, especially DMS. The middle school is not mixed in with the high school and teachers & administraion make sure of that. We have different rules than the high school, different schedules. Lunch is just middle school, and you hvea a 7th grade wave and then an 8th grade wave. The music departmetn is one of the more dedicated areas of the school. The teachers are great! Derby has had a lot of issues in the past, but the new principals & superindente are trying to make it better, and and they are! It's really turning around, and you can really tell everyone's trying to make the best of what we have.
—Submitted by a student

Derby may be the smallest city in Connecticut and may get a lot of negative news...but the school isnt that bad. When you have lived in derby for your whole life and you grow up in the school sysetem you think it isnt a bad school. It is the new kids who hear all of the negative feed back. Starting of the 2008-2009 school year has been an interesting experience by getting yet another new princepal and many new teachers. The accedemics are low but with the help of the teachers becoming more active in the childrens learning i think the accedemics will grow with the school. Derby is really not as bad as most people say it is just a small town doing the best they can do with the little bit of supplies they have.
—Submitted by a student

2006-2007 year: loss of teachers has damaging effect on availability of classes. Limited number of AP classes. Loss of principal and teachers leaves many questions about the quality of education this year. Young families leaving Derby before their kids get to high school.
—Submitted by a parent

Derby High School is the best school ever ever ever! The teachers take alot of time with the students and they are very nice people! Because it is a great enviornment students get very good learning opportunities but most dont use these opportunities! Over its a good school.
—Submitted by a former student

Its funny but my daughter is in 7th grade and the homeowrk never stops. Some nights she up to 10 P.M. doing assignments. the mid term tests she had were really tough. You get out what you put in.Why don't these parents either e-mail the teachers or call them like I do? They encourage you to do that. However the big problem is that the 7th graders are mixied with the high school students during gym, lunch and music.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter and son attend this high school and when I ask them, 'what did you do today', they say 'nothing'. They are both 'A, B, C' students but never bring home any homework. My daughter tells me she sits in the class room and does nothing as long as they are good, they get good grades. (in most of her classses, not all of them.) This school needs to be looked at and the children need to be given more work so they can learn to their full abilities. I know I will not be putting my youngest child in Derby High School if it keeps going at this rate.
—Submitted by a parent

Derby High School's academic programs are decent but the participation in the classrooms are horrible. Parents involvment is also horrible. Overall this school needs new teachers with better teaching ability, and something to get the students motivated.
—Submitted by a staff

Overall, Derby High is decent. It is a small school, which can be an advantage or disadvantage for the students, depending on how you loook at it. Discipline is lacking a bit. Under the new principal, it is slightly chaotic, where it used to be just laid-back, but that should work itself out soon enough. Academically, Derby High is strong, but they could use newer books and they run low on supplies. There are good courses available for a decent range of interests in arts and sports.Overall, Derby has been viewed as a horrible place, but it's just the small guy getting picked on. It is not as bad as others make it seem.
—Submitted by Kelly, a student

Derby High School is small school which has the advantage that the teachers know just about all the students on a first name basis. The rules and regulations are reasonable and fair as well the faculty and principal. Students who are in the honors program receive a excellent education.
—Submitted by a parent