City-As-School

I am retired now! But I was a lifelong Teacher in the NY school system. I worked in traditional schools, for the Board of Education and later as teacher in Graduate school training future supervisors. But my experience at City As School taught me more about what true teaching was meant to be. Quoting another visitor to CAS it was an epiphany. Based on the philosophy of John Dewey that "learning is an adventure" it has transformed learning from being a passive 2 dimensional locked in classroom experience governed by more by the needs of a school into a participatory active 3 dimensional adventure controlled by the needs of the student. It not only changes student lives it also transforms teachers as well. Once you have experienced you will never be the same!
5 7 years ago (01-03-2018)

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.
5 7 years ago (16-02-2018)

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.
5 7 years ago (28-02-2018)

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 !
5 8 years ago (21-07-2017)

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!
5 8 years ago (06-07-2017)