Our Philosophy

FREEDOM. TRUST. RESPONSIBILITY.

City-As-School emphasizes freedom, trust and responsibility. It’s a place where students learn by first hand experience—attending internships, participating in class, and preparing their portfolios for graduation.

Started in 1972 with 15 students and a staff of four, CAS has grown to a student body of over 600, and a staff of over 80 dedicated teachers and administrators. At the same time, City-As School has maintained its core values: 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 internships, conducting themselves professionally, and making up any missed days regardless of the reason).

academic, social, emotional growth.

Each City-As-School student takes a unique path to our doorstep.

Each student forges unique connections with their classmates, teachers, and mentors-in-the-field.

And each student, ultimately,  defines their own post-graduate success.

City-As-School is one of twenty-seven schools in the New York State Performance Standards Consortium promoting performance-based academic assessment over high stakes testing. Consortium Schools “boast graduation, college-going, and college retention rates that routinely top city, state, and national averages,” according to The Village Voice.

CLASSWORK. INTERNSHIPS. PORTFOLIOS.

There are three basic components to the City-As-School education: classwork, internships, and portfolios. Each is an important part of student development and prepare them for post-graduate success.

Students’ rigorous academic portfolios are assessed in order to graduate. These include: a: Personal Statement & Career Plan; College Application; Literary Essay; Math Project; Science Experiment; Social Studies Research Paper; STEM project; and other exemplary work.