Trusting relationships

City High teachers “loop” with the same students over all 4 years, allowing personal connections to develop between teachers, students and families. This more personalized approach allows teachers to adapt their teaching style to each individual student, making sure they stay engaged and can achieve to the best of their ability. The City High experience culminates in our unique senior model – an opportunity for students to demonstrate their independent learning skills and readiness for life after high school.

In addition to looping students and teachers together all four years, we place each grade level classes on a single floor. This facilitates ownership of the floor and builds close relationships needed for project-based learning. As students work in groups, it helps them learn planning, teamwork, and communication skills highly valued by employers. 

Learn More about Looping

Personal Mentor/Advisor

Each student has a personal Mentor/Advisor whose goal is the realization of the potential of every child on every level – intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. This may mean regular, small group discussions or one-on-one meetings to address a student’s future plans. Our mentors are there for constant contact with parents about grades and other issues that may impact learning. Additionally, City High has three full-time mental health professionals available for students.

On Track for Future Success

Our Financial Literacy program prepares students for life after high school through three years of courses in small business, budgeting, banking, saving for cars/housing. In addition, students can choose electives in accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, or programming.

Read more about City High's "Professional Advantage"

Learn more about our Financial Literacy & Technology curriculum

Career Curriculum

Our students take three years of Career courses where they explore college and career options, build a resume and learn interviewing skills, and develop time-management, collaboration and a professional work ethic.

 

13-Week Mentored Internship

An internship at City Charter High School is a unique career exploration that integrates study with planned and supervised career-related work experience. Students are involved as non-paid “authentic employees” receiving academic credit for work experiences. The purpose of the program is to develop and strengthen the student’s educational and career preparation. An internship will expose the student to the interpersonal relationships a job requires, both with co-workers and supervisors that are essential in obtaining a successful, satisfying career. Internships enable employers to assist the high school students in preparing them to work in today’s business environment. This mandatory 13-week Internship allows students to
try out a career while gaining valuable real-world experience.

Learn More About Our Mentored Internships

 

Post-High School Planning

Our students are prepared to get started in the world – whether it’s college, a training program, the military or the workplace. Our Post High School Planning Team works individually with students and families from grades 9—12 on college/trade school applications, career planning, interview preparation, and development of an appropriate post-high school plan for every graduating student.

Rigorous Academics

City Charter High School recognizes that some students thrive on a challenge. So we make sure to offer them the opportunity to develop advanced skills, like earning Adobe and Microsoft certifications or college credits at CCAC or Point Park University. Other student elect to take Honors course or focus on electives in music, creative writing or the arts.

Learn More about Advanced Learning at City High
 

Computer classes and software skills training

At City High our students have mandatory computer classes and get software skills training, tech support and certifications to prepare them for their future.  

All Students have the opportunity for Certifications to beef up their resume for career success:
Core and Expert Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications (MOS*) in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, and Outlook. 

Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) Program, offering the following Adobe product certifications Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash Professional and Adobe InDesign. 

Learn more about Technology at City High

Year-round Learning & 4PLUS Schedule

Our full-time four day schedule enables us to enhance a holistic approach to serving students while maintaining the core elements of our school that contribute to our success at growing individual students as learners.  Students go to school year-round to maintain continuity of learning and support consistent academic growth.

Read about our innovative schedule in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Learn more about our Trimester Year and 4PLUS Schedule

Modeling Professional Standards

City High prepares students for life after high school. One important aspect of this is the standard of professional and appropriate dress.  City High students are expected to present themselves in business casual dress. This standard is important as it builds buy-in to the seriousness of school and connection to the future. Our professional dress code also reinforces that our students are part of the Downtown community and should be prepared to go out on internships, site visits or other field experiences.

Students also take required Career classes that teach time-management, collaboration and professional work ethic, which culminate in a 13-week Mentored Internship experience.

Learn About our Best Practices and Workforce Culture