McCourt High School Recruiting Students

with frank mccourt high school slated to open in september, administrators are starting the recruiting and application phase to assemble the first class of freshmen.

the high school, housed on the brandeis high school campus at 145 w. 84th st. between columbus and amsterdam avenues, will be open to students in all five boroughs. named after the late pulitzer prize-winning author who spent 29 years as a teacher, the new school will focus on communications and civic engagement.

"either kids that already demonstrated skills in that area, or kids who want to improve their skills in those areas, those are the kinds of kids we're looking for," said incoming principal danielle salzberg.

in addition to being evaluated on grades and attendance, students interested in enrolling must take part in an interview, which screens for writing ability and collaborative skills. part of the interview will include an on-demand writing test and a group task to gauge students' interest in collaboration.

brandeis is currently being phased out and replaced with other smaller schools. in addition to mccourt high school, those schools include the innovation diploma plus high school, a "transfer" high school for students who might not earn their credits elsewhere; the global learning collective, which will focus on an international approach to learning; and the urban assembly school for green careers, whose mission is to give students the skills they need for both "green jobs" and college.

mccourt high school is aiming to accept 108 students for this september's freshman class. each year, a new grade will be added, and the school will eventually serve 432 students by the 2013-2014 school year.

high school-bound students must send in school preferences to the department of education by the end of february. the department will match mccourt high school with desired students who are interested in attending. there will be an opportunity for students to submit additional high school preferences in march and april. mccourt high school will be recruiting throughout the spring.

the department is hosting a "new high schools information fair" saturday, feb. 6 and sunday, feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at emigrant savings bank hall, 51 chambers st.

feb. 11 there will be an open house for new high schools with 9th grade classes that will be occupying the brandeis high school campus, including mccourt high school, urban assembly school for green careers and global learning collaborative. the event begins at 6 p.m. at the brandeis campus on west 84th street.

for more information, parents can contact the office of council member gale brewer at 212-788-6975.