City As School - New York

Angela O.

My daughter heard about CAS (City As School) from a friend who had a similar academic experience and told her that she'd never been happier in school. I was skeptical to say the least when my daughter asked to attend an Open House at the start of school last year. I wish that more parents and students knew that CAS existed as an excellent option for students who are struggling in mainstream schools which is why I am offering this review.

My daughter has attended selective NYC schools since elementary school, but because of her ADHD, her academic experience has been a roller coaster. She was accepted into a very selective HS with a 5% acceptance rate. Her first two years were very frustrating and disheartening because academically the school was a wrong fit for her due to her issues with Executive Functioning. At home we provided a lot of support and she worked round the clock to maintain a B average because as an academically rigorous school there was a huge work load. Although she was keeping up, her confidence dwindled because her efforts were not translating into the grades she wanted. She also wondered how she would keep up going away to college without all the support.

Needless to say it was extremely risky to decide to transfer schools, especially in her Junior year. She had started the year on strong footing which made it an even harder decision, but she saw it as leaving on a "good note". Academically she had already learned a lot, but needed to learn more life skills in order help her succeed in college. I knew of so many cases where the parents were doing so much for their kids at home that when they went off to college they could not do it on their own. This was a frightening thought and was definitely part of our decision.

As a parent, the first few months were nerve-wracking because the CAS model is so different than that of her prior school. The students time is spent 50/50 doing internships and classes. The internships offer academic credits and an array of experiences from working with a Judge to working in many different businesses. The students are in charge of selecting their internships and classes during the registration process which occurs every 8 weeks. A lot of the structure of the school is designed to foster independence and confidence. The teacher's help students understand how to interact with adults in the real world.

I was part of a parent group for a School Quality Review last month for which they got the highest possible rating. We shared similar experiences with kids from high achieving schools who felt overwhelmed or out of place. The reviewer asked us why we chose CAS and with each story there were tears. The tears were for all the years of frustration not knowing how to help our kids. They were also of happiness that our kids finally found a school where they could regain confidence and mature. While teachers at CAS have great empathy, they are tough and have high expectations. The Principal gives out his cell number and everyone I've experienced at the school makes time to communicate with students and parents whether on the phone or by email even on the weekends.

My daughter is excelling in school, taking college classes, and studying for SAT's. She is excited to come home and share her experiences which she rarely did before. She has not missed a single day of school or internship and is excited to share her experience with incoming students who are admitted on a rolling basis.

So far the staff has been exceptionally caring, smart, and wiling to go out of their way. Of course no place is perfect. The students are definitely a "mixed bag", but the ones who want to do well and have parental support can truly thrive. The ones who don't have this have the support of the amazing staff.

The college office offers incredible support and resources which I have not seen in many NYC Public HS's. At CAS students graduate with a plan for their future whether it's college or work, they are taught to deal in the real world.

Rocio R.

AWESOME SCHOOL !!!!The graduation rate is high so thats a good thing to keep in mind. When I was unsure if I was going to ever make it out of high School a good friend of mine suggested city as & it was the perfect school for me. The teachers help you so much they care, Rachel, Vicent , Veronica, Marcus, Andrew, Rita, Joseline, Gary, art teacher, Melissa, tomiko, omg I can say all of the teachers ! they help me so much. I really suggest this school if you want to meet great people and if you want to graduate, they have tutoring, Saturdays schools, esl, ,. The key is to stay focused and do all your work and assignments and you will pass. You'll feel like home there, the internships are awesome , its in the city beautiful, clean classrooms, the halls are full of art and you meet a lot of great souls. The teachers help you always I never been to a school so dedicated to their students.from the security guards they super cool . I graduated and I still miss it there with all these great humans more like family. Thank you for everything you guys are a blessing !

Eddie O.

I graduated from city-as-school in June of 1995, yes, it does help you out to graduate and an eye opener especially if you were struggling thru high school and wasn't able to finish on time. I needed an extra year of school and attended city-as-school for one year and I was able to graduate and receive my hs diploma. This school is perfect for kids who are struggling to graduate to open their eyes and also a second chance in hs life to get it right. Trust the teachers and they will give you confidence in graduating on time.

Karin B.

My son was in the same private school in NYC from Pre-school through 11th grade. For financial reasons we had to switch him out his senior year. This is not an easy thing to do and we wanted to find a school that offered something different so that the transition would be exciting and rewarding and different from his previous experience. We had friends who's children had gone through City As and found it to be transformational, so after a terrific open house lead by Lucy Small, we were sold.

In September there was an extensive orientation for new students so that helped with the transition. He was put on a three day a week internship/2 day per week class schedule. This suited him very well. Each cycle is 8 weeks long so after this you change your internships and classes. The catalog of choices for internships and the credits offered was stupendous: Museums, urban farms, veterinary centers, food and cooking services, hydroponic farms, social justice organizations, film and television opportunities, law office, political offices, medical facilities, some retail, a casting agency, and so much more… Depending on how many hours you worked and which internship you chose determined credits received. For his first internship he chose the Animal Medical Center. Students have to prepare a paper (called a LEAP) after each internship that includes several components. They are also visited at their internship by staff from City-As. The quality of internships varies and in many cases it is up to the student to make as much of it as possible. But it can be very fulfilling. It is not just folding clothes or answering phone calls. It is hands on, learning experiences.

His class choices were terrific as well. He had a social studies class called Guns In America for which he had to write a paper choosing a position and backing it up with documentation; He had an English class called Making Meaning that also had a paper due at the end of the 8 week session; and lastly a computer science class that he had to learn how to make his own website and present it to the teacher showing depth and understanding to get his credit. City-As does not provide grades they provide credit-no credit. There are no tests. However to graduate you need to complete four portfolio pieces (a comprehensive paper or project in math, science, social studies and English) and pass the English Regents. He took a class specifically designed to help with Regents preparation. My son worked hard and was engaged with the work. It may have been a relief not to have tests, however I would venture to say that made him more relaxed and therefore eager to learn. The papers keep him on his toes as did the class discussion. My son was there for three cycles and was able to graduate in mid- April. He did two other internships, one at a local TV station and another at a Documentary House. He had a wonderful geometry in Art class, a terrific Japanese Culture and Anime class, American Poetry in the 20th Century class where he had to create a portfolio of his own poetry based on the styles of different American Poets.

The atmosphere is supportive and relaxed. The class sizes are very reasonable. The teachers are extremely hands on and were very willing to communicate with me if I had concerns. They offer after school academic classes and are always providing new and interesting forums: Career workshops, college days where different colleges come or there are field trips to local colleges; help with job placement during or after school. The college office was extremely helpful to me and I was particularily anxious about that since we had been at the same private school for so many years. He was accepted at 10 different colleges and will be taking a GAP Year - City-As is even helping with his plans during that year!

Ed P.

Graduated in '04. If you are attending City-As, it means you have probably struggled at some point during your high school career. I was no different. Without City-As, I probably wouldn't have graduated. I learned valuable life skills, and had some dedicated teachers. I am very grateful to have found this school. I graduated instead of dropping out or getting a GED like so many of my peers at other schools, went to a community college, eventually wound up at a four year school, and today I have a graduate degree. City-As is not perfect and still deals with many of the problems that public schools face, but I owe this school a lot.

Hasan B.

Best public school in the city. Great teachers that sacrifice a lot. Great experience for students. Great environment for all. Love this school, I am a graduate... Make good choices. - Holly S.

Peter G.

Was never able to be in a class until i came to this school. Was the greatest years of my life.
Finish school in the year 2000, greatest instructors and teachers I have ever had.
For all walks of life and more.

Brian W.

Why CAS was a great choice for me.:

Wonderful program
Mature environment
Awesome teachers and personnel
Off site learning experiences were the best part (this is a great idea)

Thank you CAS!