On December 21, the 1^st annual Austin Community Christmas Concert will bring together hundreds from the Austin neighborhood to celebrate the power of music, partnership, and community through a performance by Rachel Washington. The 1^st annual Austin Community Christmas Concert is part of a series of concerts and events at the KCA to engage a diverse group of Austin community members through the performing arts.  To register for this free Christmas Concert event, visit the ticketing website linked here.

We are honored to announce that Catalyst Maria teacher and head soccer coach Jose Burgos has been named the national winner of the Champion Coach Recognition Program - an awards program to recognize coaches putting positive coaching values into action within their teams and their communities. 

Mr. Burgos was selected from 300 coach nominees from 29 different states in 25 different sports who embody the values promoted by TrueSport - sportsmanship, character-building and life skills, and clean and healthy performance.

Mr. Burgos joined Catalyst Maria as Head Soccer Coach and Spanish teacher in 2018. He was recognized for creating a strong supportive team community within the school and within the community-at-large to provide physical and psychological safety for his athletes. Born in Chile, Burgos emphasizes the idea of soccer as "family" and "community" rather than just a game. He organized the first-ever Catalyst Futsal Cup for 6-8 graders to begin broadening the impact and opportunities that soccer can provide for the youth in the community.

On Tuesday, December 10, Mr. Burgos was presented with the award and was recognized in front of student-athletes, school staff, fellow coaches and his family (including his father who flew from Chile to share the moment with his son!). 

A Chicago community leader, Joel Farran, nominated Burgos. "Coach Jose's love of soccer is matched only by his love for people and helping people find and become their best selves," stated Farran. "Spend any time with Jose and you will experience his energy and passion to be infectious. The community, the school, the sport, and most importantly the youth are fortunate to have Coach Jose on their side."

Congratulations Mr. Burgos and thank you for all that you do to embody the Catalyst's mission of Teaching Minds and Touching Hearts!

Check out an interview with Catalyst Circle Rock Dean of Scholars Jason Kent on the Junior Sheriff’s program at CCR on the Elevate Chicago blog (linked through the image below)!

We are honored to announce that Catalyst Circle Rock Principal Elizabeth Jamison-Dunn was a finalist for an INCS 2019 Charter Excellence Award!  Each year, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) recognizes an exceptional principal, teacher, student, and advocate, and Ms. Jamison-Dunn was selected as one of three finalists among a record 90 nominees!  A founding member of Catalyst Circle Rock in 2007 and the school's principal since 2015, we are inspired by Ms. Jamison-Dunn on a daily basis!

For the entire month of December, Catalyst Circle Rock will have a unique challenge that we are issuing to help increase our attendance percentage. Everyday that our school hits the goal of 96% attendance, the entire school will be able to dress down the next day. So if we hit our goal on Tuesday, then we can all dress down Wednesday, and so on. Ms. Jamison-Dunn will announce it to the scholars over the PA system, and let parents know on Dojo and via text if the next day will be a dress down. My hope is that we are dressed down all month. Help us meet our goal parents!!! Send scholars to school EVERYDAY!!!