Current Students & Families
Dear Hamilton Grange Family,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!
We are delighted to be back in the building and with your children as we help them to become reacquainted with all that makes our community great - from engaging experiences in their classrooms to Saturday hikes upstate, and everything in between.
We are confident that this will be another great school year thanks to the collaborative efforts of our staff, families, and students.
While this section of the website provides a glance at expectations at our school, as the year progresses, you will likely have more questions that are not answered here. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us using the directory found in this section, and please watch this video to get a better sense of what makes our school special before you reach out.
Looking forward to seeing all of you!
In Unity,
Benjamin Lev
Founding Principal
A Letter From the Principal
Uniforms
At Hamilton Grange we wear school uniforms for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, we are a team who acts to support one another in learning each day. As athletic teams wear uniforms to represent this unity, we do during the school day, too.
A study by the University of Houston, “Dressed for Success: Do School Uniforms Improve Student Behavior, Attendance and Achievement?” suggests that school uniforms can have a positive impact on grades, attendance and behavior, improve graduation rates and decrease suspension rates.
Students must arrive at school in full uniform, NO EXCEPTIONS. If a student does not come in uniform, we will provide them with one to wear for the day. Students will also be given items such as HG T-shirts and sweatshirts throughout the school year that can be worn as uniform pieces. Student athletes and club members who receive HG swag as part of their participation in a club or sport may also wear those pieces as their uniform.
Our uniform is as follows:
Any HGMS sweater, sweatshirt, jacket, polo shirt or t-shirt
Bottoms in gray, khaki, black or royal blue
THE HGMS LOGO IS THE ONLY LOGO THAT SHOULD BE VISIBLE ON STUDENT CLOTHING - NO OTHER LOGOS ARE PERMITTED
Any clothing from an HGMS sports team or club
While we provide uniform shirts and hoodies and sweatpants for all students free of charge, additional school uniforms may be purchased at:
Peligro Sports
2200 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10032
(212) 568 - 0222
They may also be ordered online here.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt blames the recent spike in teen-age depression and anxiety on the rise of smartphones and social media, and he offers a set of prescriptions: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age sixteen. We urge you to read the article in the link as that provides necessary insight into our cell phone policy:
Students are not permitted to use cell phones during school hours, including to respond to text messages, as cell phones can become distracting and make it difficult for students to engage in learning activities. Upon arrival at school each morning, students will place their cell phone, as well as ear buds, in a YONDR pouch in the presence of a school staff member. The pouch is locked and the student carries their pouch during the school day. At the end of the day, students will be able to unlock their pouches with any of the multiple staff members present at dismissal in the entrance of the school building.
TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING:Students who damage or lose pouches will be asked to pay a $15.00 fee to replace their pouch.
IIf a student does not have their pouch on a given school day, they can leave their phone with a staff member and retrieve it at the end of the day.
Students who are found to be in possession of an unlocked phone will be required to give their phone to a staff member, who will store the phone in a locked compartment until a parent can come to school to pick up the phone.
We ask that families support us in this policy, which again is intended to support learning spaces where students can be focused on their learning. Should a parent need to communicate with their child during the school day, they can call the Main Office at 212-775-9600. Students may make phone calls to parents/guardians in the Main Office as well.
Cell Phone Policy
At Hamilton Grange Middle School we maintain a fair and equitable grading policy, accurately reflecting each individual student’s achievement efforts based on New York State’s Board of Regents’ Learning Standards for grades 6 - 8, Algebra I, and Living Environment. Each grade measures mastery in course content by tracking students’ academic progress around the learning of a skill and/or mastery of a learning standard.
Our grading system is different from traditional grading systems, and is known as Mastery Based Grading. The key underlying principle of mastery grading is that all students can learn, but different students will learn at different rates and need different strategies and supports to assist them in their learning (Bonner 2016, Towsley and Schmid 2020).
Three defining traits of mastery grading are
Providing students with learning objectives for course content.
Allowing students opportunities to show mastery on assessments that are aligned to the learning objectives.
Giving students multiple ways to demonstrate mastery of each learning objective
(Campbell et al. 2020, Cilli-Turner et al. 2020, Towsley and Schmid 2020).
A more detailed look at Mastery-Based grading can be found here.
Student grades can be found via our online gradebook, accessible by students and their families through your SyncGrades account using the email you have on file with the NYC Department of Education.
Report cards and Individual Student Reports (our own version of report cards that reflects all testing data) will be mailed home at the end of each marking period - remember to refer to our school calendar for these dates in November, February, April and June.
Grading Policy
Classes, Clubs, & Teams: Academics, Arts, and Athletics
WIN - WIN stands for What I Need. It happens three times each week and is a time when we place between three and five teachers in the humanities classrooms so that we can create small groups of students reading at the same levels. This allows us to better support our diverse readers according to what they need most to continue to improve their literacy skills. Students with a reading level that demands instruction in the REWARDS reading program will receive instruction in this program during the WIN periods
Advisory - Advisory happens three times each week. Students meet with an advisory teacher in a community circle of ten students. We use advisory to cultivate relationships between students and teachers and between students and their peers.
Humanities - a mix of social studies and English Language Arts.. We use the Expeditionary Learning curriculum as a supplement to what our teachers create. Our curriculum focuses on the experience of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Math - our students learn using the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum. All of our 8th graders are enrolled in accelerated Algebra I, this is a high school level course that ends in the New York State Regents exam and provides students with high school credit.
Science - 6th and 7th graders learn three years worth of science in their first two years at Hamilton Grange, taking the 8th grade New York State science exam in June of their 7th grade year.This allows all of our 8th graders to enroll in accelerated Biology (using the New Visions curriculum), a high school level course that ends in the New York State Regents exam and provides students with high school credit.
Arts Rotation/Arts Major - all 6th graders take a trimester each of visual arts, music and dance to learn more about the artform of which they are most passionate. Based on their experience in 6th grade, all 7th and 8th grade students select one of those three artforms, and it becomes their major, or the arts class that they attend daily.
Health - over the course of their three years at Hamilton Grange students learn about how to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle through lessons including sexual, physical, and mental health
Gym - twice each week students actively engage in physical education in our gymnasium or outside on our field learning how to play a variety of sports and completing the annual Fitnessgram as a measure of their physical fitness.
Cycling - as part of our partnership with I Challenge Myself, our kids get to learn how to ride bikes safely on our campus. All bikes and helmets are provided, free of charge. When it gets too cold or wet outside, our kids continue cycling on our stationary bikes.
Cooking Club - learn how to cook in our after school program with Ms. De Leon
Fitness Club - this club meets during the school day, so students will miss one class a week while they are enrolled in fitness, where they will learn how to safely lift weights in our state of the art fitness center.
Fencing - We partner with the PISTE Academy to provide fencing, free of charge to our students as a regular school day elective class.Our students then compete against other fencers at private and independent schools in New York City. We are home to the two time Manhattan middle school fencing champion, Jiro Penafiel-Sato!
Boxing - each week we escort students to former US Olympian Eric Kelly’s SouthBox Gym where students learn the fundamentals of boxing and get a great workout, free of charge!
Bouldering - Twice each week our students walk to Vital Climbing Gym where they climb the rock walls and build muscle and endurance, all free of charge!
Explorers Hiking Club - fitness is important, but mental health is, too. Once each month we take a bus or the MetroNorth train to upstate NY, New Jersey, and/or Connecticut to enjoy the outdoors on a hike in the beautiful nature the tri-state offers. It’s the perfect activity for supporting physical and mental well-being
Baseball/Softball - our baseball (boys) and softball (girls) teams compete in the NYC Middle School Athletic League. Students must try out to make the team. Both teams qualified for the playoffs last year, and our boys made the Manhattan borough semifinals!
Volleyball - we have a junior varsity and varsity girls volleyball team that both compete in the NYC Middle School Athletic League. Girls must try out to make the team.
Flag Football - we have a junior varsity and varsity co-ed flag football team that both compete in the NYC Middle School Athletic League. Students must try out to make the team.
Basketball - we have a junior varsity and varsity boys basketball team, and a girls varsity basketball team that all compete in the NYC Middle School Athletic League. Students must try out to make the team. Our boys have won the Manhattan Borough Championship and have advanced to the citywide Final Four two years in a row, while our girls have won the Uptown Manhattan Championship and advanced to the Manhattan Borough championship game two years in a row.
Tennis - we are just one of seven schools in the entire city with a middle school tennis team. Last year our team made the NYC semifinal!
Cheerleading - our cheerleaders support our basketball teams at all home games. Students must try out for the squad..
Sailing - it’s true, our kids learn how to sail in the Hudson River each week in our partnership with Hudson River Sailing. We launch from the Dyckman Marina.
Ballet - an after school club designed to support students with their auditions for selective arts high schools
PRIDE Club - our Gender-Sexuality alliance allows students in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies a space to come together and connect
Choir -over 100 students participate in our award winning choir; an honors choir is reserved for students interested in more complex repertoires and performance
Theater - each year we put on a musical: High School Musical, Legally Blonde, Aladdin, and Matilda are a few of our past productions. Our kids partner with the Roundabout Theater Company to also design the sets, lighting, and sound for our shows, so even our shyest students can be part of the action! In the fall, our students write, direct, and act in a one act play through the NYC Thespian Society’s One Act Play Festival. Last year our students won the prize for best play, best student director, and best comedic performance!
Band - we provide small group and individual instruction for beginners and experienced musicians alike with brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments, as well as keyboards and guitars.
Soundtrack Club - a club for students that want to create music without being asked to perform in the band
Ukulele Club - Ms. Sally’s club for students that want to learn to play the ukulele
National Honors Dance - our students most interested in dance can apply to work with Ms. Jess and join the National Dance Honor Society where they combine dance with community service in local elementary schools and within the community.
Visiting Artists and Mural Club - Visual artists who want to meet professional artists should join this club where a rotating mix of artists come to the club to provide instruction to our students.
Service Club - working with students from Columbia University after school, our students find ways to make our surrounding community a better place through their efforts
Tutoring - regular tutoring for all academic classes is available Tuesday through Saturday each week.
Debate - our after school debate club competes monthly in the NYC Urban Debate League tournaments. Our debaters have finished with top prizes at both the City and State levels.
Highlights:
August
Week of Aug 26: Orientation for New Students and their Families
September
Thursday After Labor Day: First Day of School
After School Programming Begins
Citywide Open House Night (virtual)
November
End of Marking Period 1 - Report Cards and individual Student Reports Mailed Out (link to grading policy page)
Student Led Conferences (virtual)
Wednesday Before Thanksgiving Recess: Fall Feast
December
Winter Arts Showcase
Winter Dance
High School Applications Due
February
End of Marking Period 2 - Report Cards and Individual Student Reports Mailed out (link to grading policy page)
Valentine’s Dance
March
Student Led Conferences (virtual)
April
Annual HGMS Musical Performances
State Exams Begin
May
Spring Dance
Citywide Open House (virtual)
United At the Palace Arts Showcase
June
Spring Arts Showcase
Field Day
June Regents Exams in Algebra I and Living Environment for All 8th Graders
8th Grade Trip
8th Grade Dance
8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
School Calendar
How Can I Get Involved and Stay Informed?
Parent Association: Meetings are held the last Thursday of each month from 6-7pm.
Link to the minutes
Link to the Bylaws
School Leadership Team: Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month from 3:00 - 5:00pm.
Link to the minutes
Link to the Bylaws
Family Fitness Classes - strength training and spinning (schedule to be linked upon release)
Monthly Newsletter - each month we will upload a newsletter to Class Dojo to inform you about what students have been learning and doing. It’s a great tool for engaging your child in conversation about their time at school. (Include a link to each month, and each grade’s newsletter as they are published)
Class Dojo - be sure to accept your invitation to Class Dojo that was shared via email or a a text message to your phone. We use Class Dojo to communicate with families and post photos and reminders of everything happening in our school.
Family and Student Handbooks
What Do I Need for School/Frequently Asked Questions?
School Supplies: we provide all school supplies free of charge! All you need to bring to school is a backpack, a water bottle (it can be filled in one of our bottle filling stations), and any pens or pencils that you might like if you are particular about your writing instruments.
Homework: students should complete their reading log each night, and get it signed by their guardian. In addition to the reading log, nightly homework is assigned in math and science. If you are unable to support your student in completing their assigned homework, please ensure you reach out to your child’s teachers.
Students with Disabilities:
participate fully across all of our classrooms and in all of our clubs, teams, and activities
Receive services in integrated, co-taught classrooms, with push in and pull out services by licensed special educators, speech therapists, and occupational therapists
Receive mandated counseling services
Collaborate with paraprofessionals, as required by their IEP
Receive bussing, as required by their IEP
High School Applications
Introduction to the Process can be found at the link, including:
How to apply as an 8th grader
Directory of high schools and programs
Information on applying to specialized and audition-based high schools
Sign up for a tour to one of our preferred high schools
Data on our success at HG
Student Email/Google Classroom
A NYC My Schools account is necessary to access our online gradebook, apply for high schools, and view report cards and test scores. Sign up for one here
All Hamilton Grange students receive a Google account through which they access their Google Classroom and school email. Their email address is their first name last initial @theHamiltonGrangeSchool.org (i.e. a student with the name Juan Soto would have an email of JuanS@theHamiltonGrangeSchool.org. Speak to any teacher about resetting forgotten passwords.
Update Family and Student Information
Emergency Contact Information: Families must provide emergency contact information at the beginning of each year by completing an emergency contact form.. Remember to list ALL of your child’s health/medical alerts (including food allergies). It is important that you provide the school with a current and working telephone number and two emergency telephone and cell phone numbers, where someone is sure to be reached in your absence. It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to update this information with our Parent Coordinator, Melquis Remy (212-775-9600 or mremy@theHamiltonGrangeSchool.org ) when changes are made. This can be done electronically through our partnership with School Status.
Lunch Forms: Our school is funded based on the information you provide on the school lunch forms. Please fill out a school lunch application at school or online here.
Additional Forms: Parents must also complete a Media Consent form for their child. Those families interested in enrolling their child in programs after school should also complete the After School Program application. These forms can be completed electronically through our partnership with School Status.
Students can use their HG email address to log on and access photos from all of our events