City-As-School (CAS) emphasizes freedom, trust and responsibility. It’s a place where students learn by doing; doing in their internships, doing in their class work, and doing on their own as they prepare their portfolios for graduation. Started in 1972 with 15 students and the staff of four, CAS has grown to a student body of 685, and a staff of 86 dedicated teachers and administrators. Despite this growth the school has maintained the same core values it had at its founding: open communication (everyone in the school is on a first name basis), personal freedom (we don’t issue hall passes, there are no metal detectors and no violence in our halls), and personal accountability (students are responsible for getting to their placements on their own and for making up any days they miss regardless of the reason).
There are three basic components to the City-As program: classwork, internships, and the preparation of portfolio for graduation. You’ll learn more about each of these as you browse this website. Suffice it to say here that they work together to provide students with the background that they need to graduate from high school and achieve success as adults.