City High enrolls students from across the city’s neighborhoods and from neighboring districts.

The cost of each student's public education and laptop is paid for by taxpayer dollars.
City High is an Equal Rights and Opportunity Public School.

Technology is one of the founding principles at City Charter High School. We recognized early on, the importance of emerging technology as a learning tool as well as a vital skill for the modern workplace.

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 the Honors Program
Learn more about -For Credit College Classes

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.

Technology is another founding principle at City Charter High School. We recognized early on, the importance of emerging technology as a learning tool as well as a vital skill for the modern workplace. So we make sure that in addition to FREE* laptops, our students have mandatory computer classes and get software skills training, tech support and certifications to prepare them for their future.  

Our Financial Literacy and Technology 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, programming or participate in the student-run Robotics team.

Learn more about our Financial Literacy & Technology curriculum

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

City Charter High School provides students the opportunity to explore electives during all four years of high school.  Ninth and tenth grade students can take electives in the arts, music, technology or desktop publishing.  Upperclassmen can take electives in all content areas. Elective offerings can change based upon trimester.

Learn More about our 9-12th Grade Electives

Learn more about STEM Robotics

BotsIQ is a workforce development program of the Pittsburgh Chapter National Tooling & Machining Foundation.  It was created to provide a pathway for youth to explore rewarding careers in manufacturing in grades 9 to 12. To accomplish its mission, BotsIQ offers multiple programs, two of which are offered at City High.

Learn more about BotsIQ Combat Robotics and BotsIQ Academy

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 City High's unique 13 Week Mentored Internship Program

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.

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.

Best Practices Workforce Culture
 

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.  

Learn more about our Trimester Year and 4PLUS Schedule