Hamilton Middle School

Beside the IPM and TAP issue, which I'm glad most people realize what is going on at this school, I believe there's segregation between the IPM program. My best friend and I have many friends in TAP, most of them from elementary school, but not a lot in our own program. We felt that since we hung out with TAP kids whenever we had the chance to be with them, other IPM students thought that we had the stereotypical TAP traits, which were unintelligent, poor, and didn't care about our education (which is the opposite of many students in TAP actually. Most are quite smart). We were and still are extremely shy around crowds so we didn't want to be open. This lead to us, and some other students with the same problem, being the outcasts of the core. I assumed the teachers realized this, and acted as if we were less intelligent than the other students too, despite the grades we got. My other problem is, you have to be either popular or extremely (un)intelligent to get a teacher's attention. I remember, while I was there, my teacher never learned my name till the end of the the year, despite the times I've participated in class.HMS is a large school, but that was ridiculous.Worst school.

After being away from this school for two years and finally getting my head around what was really going on here, I have decided that I wish I had filed a formal complaint against this principal. Shocking and embarrassing, the worst year of our lives. She even had separate dances and drinking fountains. Shame on Hamilton and DPS!
--Submitted by a parent

I go to Hamilton and I have not been very pleased with it. The teachers in the IPM program are good, but the principal is not. She doesn't listen to suggestions and doesn't know kids unless they're unusually good or bad. Furthermore, there is a ton of segregation between TAP and IPM. IPM (which I am in) gets all the attention, and TAP falls by the wayside. Also, there are stereotypes that "IPMers have no life" and "TAP is not smart." This, and the fact that the two cores are kept as far from each other as possible, causes almost no interaction between them, which only serves to increase the stereotypes.I have found that the classes are not challenging at all, and with minimal amounts of homework. Whoever said that we get four hours of homework each night is completely wrong. The most homework I've ever gotten in my three years here is 3 hours working the night before a history assignment was due. The teachers move fairly slowly, because they have to keep up with the unmotivated kids, which IPM is full of (contrary to popular belief) which serves to make motivated kids incredibly bored and staring at the clock. Hamilton needs to start living up to its reputation or it'll lose it.

First of all, the school is completely divided between the regular classes and the IPM program. Most of the attention is focused on the IPM program and that attention is not even good. The student body is constantly made to feel unworthy and "bad" especially by one of the vice principals. Teacher and course quality is so-so because,with the exception of some, the teachers are awful. Now, I know the music program at Hamilton was outstanding mainly because of the terrific music teacher. However, this outstanding music teacher has since retired and the school chose an unfit person to take his place. The new teacher routinely puts us down and makes us students feel awful about our playing ability.These actions caused a huge percentage of music students to drop out of his class. He has turned what was arguably the best music program of any DPS middle school into at best an okay music program at best. This schools only bright spots seem to be the sports program and even that has holes (holes meaning some sports are plain awful). This school may seem great on the outside with the magnet program but going through it made me see how terrible this school really is.

Hands down the best middle school in Denver. The IPM program is tremendous. Rigorous, great leadership, a focus on excellence and a premium on individual achievement. The IPM program at Hamilton is about molding young men and women into leaders - not followers. Hard work, dedication and a desire to succeed are all awarded at Hamilton. The IPM program is not designed to be "politically correct", it is designed to facilitate the highest level of achievement for those kids willing to put in the time and hard work to meet the challenge.
--Submitted by a parent

I am deeply concerned about the segregation between the high-performing and TAP (traditional program) students. There is a wide gap--an embarrassing gap, between the performance of these two groups. Although there are some outstanding teachers in this school, teachers clearly differentiate between groups. I feel it. My student feels it. And I would imagine the TAP students feel it too. Overall, this divide is not good for our kids--both the achieving and underachieving and I believe it is wrong for our schools, wrong for our kids and wrong for our society. It is wrong to support some kids at the expense of the other kids. I hope others will stand up and speak up about this segregation which is right here in our back yard.
--Submitted by a parent

After "shadowing" at several DPS middle schools, I was incredibly impressed with Hamilton. As a parent, I knew my child would have a quality education, especially because of the International Preparatory Magnate program. We are fortunate to have such a fine caliber of a school in our city. The teachers are unparalleled. Hamilton lays the foundation of important study habits, along with organizational skills that will stay with the student throughout his education. In my opinion, Hamilton affords our children with an education equal to that of a private school, only at taxpayers cost! Our family loves Hamilton.
--Submitted by a parent

My son graduated from Hamilton and is now a freshman at the United States Air Force Academy. This is not an easy school to get into and he did have to report where he went to middle school. He had friends in all areas of the school, Magnet, TAPS etc. My daughter is now a 6th grader at Hamilton and loves it as well. The Teachers, Principal and Vice Principal are outstanding. There could always be more parent participation but that is not for lack of trying on the schools part. Get involved and make difference in your child's life.
--Submitted by a parent

Hamilton is a phenomenal middle school! My 7th grader recently came to me and said, "Mom, I'm so happy!" That's almost unheard of for a middle schooler! Danny feels cared about at Hamilton. The kids treat each other with respect. They feel connected to the adults in the building. And he is getting a great education! My older son also got so much out of his time at Hamilton. He learned to manage his time so well that he is now able to juggle IB classes at GW, swim team and being a very committed thespian! Thanks, Hamilton!
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a 6th grader at Hamilton and loves it. She enjoys her classes and the teachers have been great. The principal is fantastic, really cares about the kids and it shows in the performance of the school. I'm happy that I have a happy middle-schooler - a rare thing!
--Submitted by a parent