The Catalyst school communities are excited to celebrate Black History Month throughout February! Some of the events scheduled include Black History Month assemblies, DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis at the Kehrein Center for the Arts, and more! Please find specific events and details below- we hope you will join us in celebration!

Events at Catalyst Circle Rock:

Black History Bowl-February 17, 2023 at  8:30am

Black History Month Assembly- February 23, 2023 at 1:00pm

 

Events at the Kehrein Center for the Arts at Catalyst Circle Rock:

DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis 

Through the voices of leading citizens, scholars, artists, politicians, and business leaders, DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis explores the history of Chicago's black community from 1779 to present day. Please join us at Catalyst Circle Rock’s Kehrein Center for the Arts on February 4, 2023 as moments of triumph and challenge are told and the unsung heroisms of everyday men and women are celebrated.

Composed by Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Co-Founder and Artistic Director Orbert Davis, the film's acclaimed score evokes specific periods in Chicago's history: the ragtime rhythms of the early 20^th  Century; the big-band swing of the 1930s and '40s; the jazz experiments of the Civil Rights era and more. Due to the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic’s dedication to removing barriers to the arts, tickets are only $1 and can be purchased here.

From Slavery to the White House

February 25, 2023 Kehrein Center for the Arts at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

(Special performance for Catalyst Circle Rock and surrounding schools February 24, 2023)

From Slavery to the White House takes you on an emotional roller coaster through decades of historical events. 

Group Rates Available.  Call (773) 499-8838 for more information.

 

Events at Catalyst Maria:

Multicultural Awareness Night- **Rescheduled from February 21 to April 18, 2023 4:30-6pm**

High School  Black History Month Assembly March 1, 2023 8-9:00 am

K-5^th Black History Month Assembly Feb 28, 2023 8:00-10:30 am

 

Andre Crews, a 2018 graduate of Catalyst Circle Rock and current Simeon scholar, was named the Public League Player of the Year by the Chicago Public League Football Coaches Association! Congratulations to Andre (#4 pictured below) and his family on this incredible achievement! You can read more in a Chicago Sun-Times article linked here.

Scholar musicians in the Sistema Ravinia Orchestra, one of Ravinia's *Reach* Teach* Play* education programs, presented their winter concert in the Kehrein Center for the Arts at Catalyst Circle Rock! This concert featured 3^rd-8^th grade musicians in a collaboration of four elementary schools in the Austin and Lawndale communities (Catalyst Circle Rock, George Rogers Elementary, Frazier I.B. Magnet, and Gregory Elementary). The musicians performed together in beginning and intermediate orchestras/wind ensembles and shared wonderful music and friendship on stage!

We warmly invite everyone in our community to join us at Sistema Ravinia Orchestra’s solo and ensemble recital on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 10:00am in the Kehrein Center for the Arts!

 

 

Catalyst Maria continues to grow their support of alumni in many ways, one of which is by increasing equity in accessing post-secondary education through the Alumni Persistence Fund. This fund helps to minimize the financial barriers that can prohibit post-secondary persistence. The CMHS Post-Secondary team has already allocated over $7,000 this year to fulfill 54 alums’ requests (last year they fulfilled 40 requests for a total of $8,200). These funds have helped alums with textbooks, tuition, train tickets to and from campus, clothes for induction ceremonies into various organizations, and many more areas of support. This unique opportunity for CMHS alumni is one of many ways the CMHS team strives to support our scholars, and we are beyond grateful for the generous donations of Catalyst Board member Terry Toth and his wife Monica for making this support a reality. To support the Alumni Persistence Fund, please visit our website linked here.

The Catalyst Board of Directors will hold a meeting December 8, 2022 from 3:30-5:15 pm. The agenda and meeting information are below. All Catalyst Board meetings are open to the public, with a public comment portion during the time below.

If you have questions, please contact Catalyst's Director of Administration Michael Kasang at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Location:

Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School

5608 W. Washington Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60644

*3:30-3:40 Welcome: Larry Williams, Chair and Mr. Gordon Hannon, CEO

• Review of agenda
• Review and vote for approval of September 26, 2022 Board of Directors meeting minutes; November 29, 2022 Parent, Family, Community Committee meeting minutes; December 1, 2022 Academic Committee meeting minutes; December 5, 2022 Finance Committee meeting minutes
• Vote to renew term of Board member Yuan-Ying Hsu for three years
• Request to seek approval of Catalyst Maria parent Mitze Moore at March 6, 2023 Board meeting

*3:40-3:50 - Public comment (limited to 2 minutes per speaker)

*3:50-4:10 - Academic Committee: Dr. Catherine Burns

• Update on school academic progress and plans
• Update on Catalyst Circle Rock and Catalyst Maria ISS/OSS suspension data and IEP completion rates

*4:10-4:20 - Finance and Strategic Issues Committee: Ms. Ying-Yuan Hsu

• FY23 update
• What Lasallian legacy means for community engagement: three staff members’ experience with the Blackfeet and Heuther Conference
• General update of how Catalyst Schools engages and impacts the Chicago Lawn, Austin, and wider Chicago communities in which our two campuses are embedded

*4:20-5:20 – Parent, Family, Community Engagement Committee:

*Adjournment