DRAFT

The Frank McCourt High SchoolFrancis "Frank" McCourt (19 August 1930 - 19 July 2009) was ateacher andPulitzer Prize-winning author, best known for Angela’s Ashes.He taught English at McKee Career and Technical High School in Staten Island,Stuyvesant High Schoolin New York City and in the English department of theNew York City Technical Collegeof theCity University of New York. Frank McCourt strongly believed that all students could learn to write andthink creatively.

Mission statement:The Frank McCourt High School invites applications from a broad range of students with a desire to write – journalism, poetry, creative fiction, non-fiction,drama, science writing, biography, business documents, and/or graphic novels.All courses across the curriculum will be writing intensive and will encourageyouth to engage with various modes of written communication. The richcurriculum will include substantial writing in world languages (Spanish and/or French) as well as an exploration of the arts and literature of Spanish and Frenchspeaking countries. There will be writers in residence at the school andopportunities for students to be engaged in a variety of writing projects, both inEnglish and in other languages. Community-based organizations, such asSymphony Space, will be partners in furthering the curriculum.Admissions:The Frank McCourt High School is committed to total inclusion and to diversity byrace/ethnicity, social class, language background, and learning styles. Theschool is committed to both excellence and equity – which go hand in hand,creating a community of students, educators, and families who reflect the richdiversity of NYC and are eager to join and help create a vibrant, creative schoolenvironment. The Frank McCourt High School will offer a range of opportunitiesin English writing and literature for English Language Learners, as well as for students who have advanced knowledge of Spanish and/or French.The admissions process will be designed to cultivate a broad range of applicantswith a passion for writing. The Frank McCourt High School will be a screenedprogram, which means that students will be assessed based on: an interview, on-site writing sample, middle school transcripts, and test scores

The on-site writingactivity will be judged using a culturally sensitive rubric. No single criterion willautomatically exclude any student.