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Denise Kritikos, Assistant Principal

Fort Hamilton High School’s English department is committed to engaging and
meeting the needs of all students. We strive to maintain a wide variety of courses
ranging from the traditional survey to interdisciplinary, honors, a balanced literacy
program, and elective courses. Our approach is based on flexibility, response to
student aspirations and goals, with emphasis on the highest standards of scholastic
excellence.

To qualify for graduation, students are required to successfully complete eight terms
of English and pass the English Language Arts Regents exam given in junior year.
In order to qualify for college and career readiness, students must achieve a score
above 75. All instruction is aligned to the New York State Next Generation Learning
Standards and adapted from the NYS EngageNY curriculum. Students may opt to
study the genre of Drama in the freshman and sophomore year and participate in the
Performing Arts.

All classes emphasize a workshop approach to acquiring college-level skills in
reading and writing, as evidenced in a portfolio of narrative, argumentative, creative,
and research-based writing. A Humanities-based honors program, culminating in
Advanced Placement Language is offered in the junior year, and Advanced
Placement Literature is offered in the senior year. All seniors who have completed
the English Regents requirement have the opportunity to take a college-level
selective in the senior year, in place of English 7 and English 8 such as: College and
Career Writing; Film and History; Film and Literature; The Immigrant Experience;
Honors Journalism; The Language of Shakespeare; Philosophy and Literature;
Human and Civil Injustice in Literature, and Poetry and the Arts. ELA electives such
as College Inquiry and Research, ELA College Aptitude (SAT and College Prep), and
Public Speaking are also offered in addition to Core English in grades 9-11.

Recent immigrant students who are not native speakers have the opportunity to take
an elective, Communication Arts, in addition to English, to further develop proficiency
in reading, writing, and speaking English. Seniors are also offered the Library
Research Seminar as an elective to enhance research and study skills.