
Michaelah Valentine
Where did you grow up and what was your first language?
I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. My first language is English.
What from your hometown do you wish you could find in New York City?
When I was younger, I loved attending the annual carnival, festival, or circus that came in town. I eagerly waited for the day I could play games to win the biggest stuffed animals, wear some funky circus light up gear, and eat zeppoles and funnel cake with my friends and family. I still look forward to all of those things even now because they bring me back to when I was a child growing up and remind me of home.
Where did you go to college?
I attended Rutgers University where I earned my B.A. in Social Work and Africana Studies. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Education at Relay Graduate School of Education.
What was your favorite book in middle school?
My favorite book in middle school was The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney.
What is the best part of teaching at Hamilton Grange?
The best part of teaching at HG is having the wonderful opportunity of getting to know my students and building relationships with them during Advisory and Club. I enjoy these moments because they allow both the students and teachers to understand that we are both not only teachable, but, we are both people. When I was in middle school often times the only thing I knew about my teachers is that they were teachers and maybe if they had a pet. It was like solving a mystery to know that they had a life outside of teaching. Club and Advisory not only add a unique way for students to learn more about one another, but for staff and students to build sustainable relationships while learning.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not teaching?
I love exploring different places like museums and restaurants with my family and close friends. I also enjoy doing hair.
What is your favorite quote?
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2 NKJV

Michaelah Valentine
Where did you grow up and what was your first language?
I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. My first language is English.
What from your hometown do you wish you could find in New York City?
When I was younger, I loved attending the annual carnival, festival, or circus that came in town. I eagerly waited for the day I could play games to win the biggest stuffed animals, wear some funky circus light up gear, and eat zeppoles and funnel cake with my friends and family. I still look forward to all of those things even now because they bring me back to when I was a child growing up and remind me of home.
Where did you go to college?
I attended Rutgers University where I earned my B.A. in Social Work and Africana Studies. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Education at Relay Graduate School of Education.
What was your favorite book in middle school?
My favorite book in middle school was The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney.
What is the best part of teaching at Hamilton Grange?
The best part of teaching at HG is having the wonderful opportunity of getting to know my students and building relationships with them during Advisory and Club. I enjoy these moments because they allow both the students and teachers to understand that we are both not only teachable, but, we are both people. When I was in middle school often times the only thing I knew about my teachers is that they were teachers and maybe if they had a pet. It was like solving a mystery to know that they had a life outside of teaching. Club and Advisory not only add a unique way for students to learn more about one another, but for staff and students to build sustainable relationships while learning.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not teaching?
I love exploring different places like museums and restaurants with my family and close friends. I also enjoy doing hair.
What is your favorite quote?
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2 NKJV
ACADEMICS

Student Led Conferences
Twice during the school year, we invite students and their families to attend formal Student Led Conferences (SLCs). SLCs are attended by the student's parent/guardian, student's advisor, and other adults the student would like present. The advisor facilitates the meeting, but the student is in charge.
During the conference, students explain their progress toward and mastery of both academic (content/skill) and character (habits of work and learning) learning targets. Students justify their progress by leading their families through a portfolio of assignments they've selected from their classes. SLCs support students in public speaking and provide them agency, allowing them to take control of their own learning and progress.

Curriculum
A Viable Curriculum
We create curriculum that is shared across each grade and department. This guarantees that important, agreed-upon content and literacy skills are actually taught to every student, regardless of the teacher they are assigned.
A Coherent and Content-Rich Curriculum
Our curriculum is based on a progression of skills in reading, writing and speaking, carefully designed to grow more complex from grades six to eight. Teachers of the same grade plan curriculum in their subject that complements and builds on curriculum being taught in other subjects throughout the grade.
Instructional Focus
Argumentative writing is our instructional focus because when paired with a polarizing question, such as, "Should Britain return the Rosetta Stone to Egypt?" it encourages students to analyze different viewpoints, choose a side, and support their thinking using evidence from multiple texts.
A Curriculum Rich In Authentic Literacy
"Literacy is 'the most important single goal of schooling in any nation' because it both requires and further enables the acquisition of knowledge." (Hirsch, 2010)
It is for this reason that reading, writing and speaking are the primary activities in every lesson we teach (click these links for diverse books for students and families).
We concentrate our literacy efforts on:
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Building students' knowledge through content-rich nonfiction,
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Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from texts, and
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Regular practice with complex text and its academic language
Extended Learning Opportunities
Relearn and Revise
It's our goal to ensure that all students feel competent, experience success, and learn.
For this reason, students are encouraged to revise essays and retake exams to improve their work.
Lunch and Learn, After School and Saturday
Each week, students are administered a quiz in core content areas. If they score less than an 80%, they come in during lunch, after school, and on Saturday to relearn the material and retake the quiz, or revise the writing assignment to illustrate the progress they've made toward mastering the skills and content.
DOWNLOAD OUR SATURDAY ACADEMY CALENDAR HERE!

Courses
Core Classes
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Humanities (10 periods per week)
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Math (10 periods per week
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Science (5-6 periods per week)
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Advisory (2 periods per week)
Electives (5 periods per week)
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Art
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Music
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In-School Clubs
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Gym
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Health
Regents Classes
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Algebra I
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Living Environment
* Electives: 6th Grade rotates through the electives every Marking Period. 7th & 8th Grade choose the elective of their choice.
*Regent Classes end in students taking the Regents exam for the course. Successful completion of the course and passing the NYS Regents exam will result in high school credit.
Grading Policy
