Principal Genique Flournoy-Hamilton is a compassionate educator committed to serving youth from the city of Newark.  As a proud University High School alumnus, who continues to live in the great city of Newark with her family, she finds it an honor and privilege to serve our scholars and families.

Principal Hamilton is a product of Newark Public Schools. She attended and graduated from Camden Middle School and University High School in Newark, NJ.  Her diligence as a scholar athlete at University High School afforded her a four-year Presidential Scholarship to Tuskegee University in Tuskegee Alabama. 

While attending Tuskegee University, Principal Hamilton was honored as a Gates Millennium Scholar, Pi Sigma Alpha honor society scholar, United Negro College Fund Scholar, and two time Tuskegee University’s Scholar Athlete of the Year.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Tuskegee University with a BA in Political Science.  

Principal Hamilton furthered her academic career at Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work and School Counseling. She earned a Master's degree in Social Work and began her career as a school social worker in Newark.  She later earned a certificate in Educational Leadership, eventually leading to her obtaining a position as a Vice Principal and later Principal in Newark, NJ.  

In August 2019, Principal Hamilton returned to University High School, her alma mater, to serve as Principal.  She currently continues to serve as Principal there and prides herself in increasing the academic outcomes at the school.  During her first three years as Principal at University High School, despite being faced with a global pandemic, Principal Hamilton’s leadership supported a twenty- six percent increase in the English Language Arts state assessment scores and a 12 percent decrease in Chronic absenteeism. Under her leadership, University high school has expanded the AP courses and college in high school course offerings. University High School became the first Newark Public School to offer dual enrollment courses with a Historically Black College or University, Howard University,  In addition the school also began officer courses at an Ivy League University, Brown University.  The school has college partnerships with Montclair State University, launching the Red Hawks Rising Teacher Academy, a grow your  own teacher academy that aims to increase the number of teachers of color in the profession.   Even more impressive, Principal Hamilton fulfilled her commitment to provide an opportunity for the scholars at University High School to  complete their Associates Degree during the same year of their high school graduation with the first cohort finishing in June 2023. 

Principal Hamilton  has also expanded mentorship beyond her school building.  Partnerships with Mentor Newark, Montclair State University, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and many other organizations help to ensure scholars have meaningful mentoring experiences. 

Principal Hamilton and University High School has been recognized by the  New Jersey Department of Education and Rutgers University for being one of 52 schools in the state who demonstrated promising practices that led to noticeable academic achievement following a global pandemic.  Mrs. Hamilton has also been commended by the National Sorority of Phi Delta kappa, Inc., Delta Pi Chapter and the City Of Newark Clergy Alliance for her educational contributions to the city of Newark. Principal Hamilton is a firm believer that every scholar is gifted with varied intelligences and it is the job of the educational ecosystem to support them in discovering these gifts and walking in their EXCELLENCE to become local, state, and global leaders.

College

• Tuskegee University
• Rutgers University