Curtis High School
For the school of the same name in Washington, see Curtis Senior High School.
| Curtis High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
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New York City , New York United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | Curtis Cares |
| Established | 1904 |
| Principal | Aurelia Curtis |
| Faculty | 190 |
| Number of students | Approximately 2,617 |
| Mascot | Warriors |
| Newspaper | Curtis Log |
| Yearbook | Crosswinds |
| Colors | Maroon and White |
| Website | http://curtishs.org |
Curtis is a public high school located in Staten Island, New York City.
Curtis High School is a part of the New York City Department of Education, and is one of seven Staten Island public high schools. The school was founded on February 9th, 1904 and was the first high school opened on Staten Island. Admission to Curtis is prioritized by geography; Staten Island residents having main priority over other boroughs.
History
Curtis High School is named after nationally prominent writer and orator George W. Curtis, who lived nearby. The school was the first public building built following the consolidation of Greater New York. It was part of a plan to erect a major high school in each of the outlying boroughs – Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, Morris High School in the Bronx, and Flushing High School in Queens were the other three. It was designed by the architect C.B.J Snyder and built between 1902 and 1904. The original building of brick and limestone is dominated by a large square turreted tower inspired by English medieval models. Additions were made to the building in 1922, 1925 and 1937. Curtis was designated a New York City Landmark on October 12, 1982. The gym and cafeteria wings were added at a later date to the original building's neo-Gothic architecture.
Academics
IB Scholarship Honors program with accelerated curriculum and advanced placement (AP) courses; magnet programs in Nursing, Medical Technology, ROTC, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Sports Administration, Business/Computer Institute, CoOp, Human and Legal Studies, Journalism Institute and School for International Services.
Extracurricular activities
CHS has 26 varsity and junior varsity teams, a Robotics Team, National Honor Society, Chess Club, Black and Hispanic Awareness Clubs, Moot Court, The Curtis Players, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Dance, Symphonic Band, The Curtis Log (newspaper), the Crosswinds (yearbook), Math Team, Criminal Law and Justice Mentoring Program, Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution Programs.
Sports
Curtis fields 26 varsity teams, including a swimming team, as well as golf, bowling, volleyball, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, fencing, baseball/softball, handball, tennis, track/cross country, lacrosse and football teams. In addition, Curtis club teams include boys' varsity and junior varsity, and girls' varsity Ultimate teams.
Student body
Curtis’ student body is quite diverse. 32.80% of the student body is White, 33.47% of the student body is African American, 27.11% of the student body is Hispanic or Latino, 6.28% of the student body is Asian and 0.33% Native American. [citation needed]
Enrollment
Curtis has a total enrollment of about 2,800 and is open to residents of New York City entering either ninth or tenth grade. Enrollment requirements vary depending on which of the 10 ‘’houses’’ the student is going to be enrolled. There are zoned programs where enrollment is based mostly on geography with Staten Island residents having priority over all other boroughs. Within Staten Island, geographical areas closer to the school have priority over all other areas of Staten Island. Most other programs rely either on the prospective student’s grades and city standardized tests or specialized enrollment tests.
Feeder patterns and admissions
All New York City students entering high school must apply to schools, as there are no zoning boundaries for high schools in New York City. Only special zoned programs have geographical restrictions whereby certain areas of Staten Island have priority over all of the rest of New York City.
Notable Alumni
- Lois Lowry, children's author, Newbery Medal winner twice
- Vincent Robert Capodanno, US Navy Chaplain, received the Medal of Honor
- Myron Clare, R&B and Reggae singer-songwriter
- Jeb Stuart Magruder, Watergate conspirator in the Nixon Administration
- Jack Hynes, member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
- James Jenkins, football player for the Washington Redskins
- Abel Kiviat, Olympic Silver medalist
- Steve Gregory, football Player for the San Diego Chargers
- Selita Ebanks, Victoria's Secret Model
- Bobby Thomson, retired Baseball Player for the New York Giants Famous for "The Shot Heard Round the World"
- Vernon Turner, former player for the Buffalo Bills
- Shemiah LeGrande, current player for the Detroit Lions
- James Clark, attorney, Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton LLP
Parental support
Parents collaborate with the school's administration and its staff through: monthly PTA meetings, PTA newsletters, School Leadership Team meetings, Gear-Up, Principal's Consultative Council, Health Fair, HIV Aids Team, the Football, Track, Robotics & Performing Arts Parents Clubs.
Community support
Partnership with O’Melveny & Myers Law Firm, Liberty Partnership Mentoring Program (CSI), Gear-Up, Discovery Institute (CSI), Federal Reserve Bank Mentoring Program, Brooklyn Polytechnic University Center for Youth in Engineering and Science, Curtis HS Career Connections, St. Vincent's, Seaview and S.I. University Hospitals and Global Ambassadors. Corporate: Infinity Broadcasting, MIX 102.7 FM, O’Melveny & Myers Law Firm Higher Education Institution: College of Staten Island, St. John’s University Cultural/Arts Organization: Snug Harbor Community Based Organization: NYCID, Liberty Partnership Hospital Outreach: Staten Island University Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Egger Nursing Home Financial Institution: Federal Reserve Bank Mentoring Program
Schoolwide awards and recognition
- 7-time PSAL Girl’s Bowling Championship
- 6-time PSAL Boy's Cross Country City Championship
- 4-time PSAL Boy's Football Championship
- 2-time PSAL Girl's Cross Country City Championship
- Boy's PSAL Indoor Track City Championship
- Boy's PSAL Bowling Championship
- Boy’s PSAL Golf City Championship
- Girl's PSAL Basketball "A" City Championship
- Girl's PSAL Golf City Championship