Company Profile

Company Description:

Mission is central and of absolute importance at the Catalyst Schools.  All other things (curriculum, discipline, assessment, professional development, mentoring, coaching, external relation­ ships, board development, as well as hiring and supervising all staff, etc.) are rooted in the Catalyst understanding of mission.
 
Mission is the foundation of Catalyst culture.  Culture is the dynamic that gives the Catalyst schools their deep identity.  Culture is related to the practice of and inspiration underlying a tradition that began in France in 1680.  John Baptiste de La Salle organized the first community of teachers who organized and ran elementary schools, boarding schools, trade schools, and teacher training institutions in France.  These schools were known as The Christian Schools. The teachers in these schools took upon themselves the task of critically analyzing their practices, popularizing the best practices, and handing them on from generation to generation of teachers.
 
Some of these best practices included:  teaching in the vernacular rather than Latin, differentiation and scaffolding of instruction, grouping students according to ability, pairing students who had mastered content with those who needed help, a modified simultaneous method, teacher behaviors and class management, a philosophy of discipline, a focus on the student as a whole person (intellectual, emotional, and spiritual realities), and a methodology for running a school from morning to night.  Central to the culture and the best practices was a set of core values that included a strong, healthy, and appropriate between the teacher and each student.  It was the positive relationship of unconditional love and acceptance that was seen as the "sacred space" in which education -teaching and learning -took place.
 
In order for an administrator, a teacher or a staff member to successfully advance the Catalyst School, it is essential that he or she has appropriate degrees and certifications, demonstrate knowledge of classroom management and good educational practice including how to move students to excellent academic performance and success.  Beyond that any candidate must understand the connection of the school to its historic tradition, the depth of its mission and core values, and the role positive relationship and community building have and that they are seen as central to school culture and academic advancement.
 
Many of these things are expected of any candidate who applies.  Additional training will be pro­ vided as part of the hiring process through a series of courses to familiarize candidates with the tradition, core values, and essential elements of community and relationship building as central components of Catalyst school culture.

Values College Bound:  “The Power of Possibility”.  College Graduation and the pursuit of challenge with rigorous academics. Committed:  Putting the heart and mind in our work to get the best everyday. Meet 100% of the non-negotiables Take ownership of 95% Attendance Strong representation of school mission, vision and values.   :  We support each other through mutual respect and look for opportunities to serve. We keep in mind the limitations of our own experience, value and seek out each other’s expertise. We focus on what we can do to honor and celebrate the team. Generates enthusiasm among team members for accomplishing shared goals that elevates the team Creates a supportive learning environment Speak directly to teammates with concerns Asks for the input of group members and encourages the participation of all Gives credit and recognition to those who have contributed Demonstrates interest in helping others solve problems and accomplish work objectives Follows up on inquiries and requests from peers and co-workers Participates actively in accomplishing group goals, doing his or her share willingly Shares information and own expertise with others to enable them to accomplish group goals Works to develop consensus in pursuit of group goals Acknowledges and works through conflict in a productive way; shares concerns and differing opinions in a constructive, positive way Innovative:  We are creative, unique, and take calculated risks.  We have a pioneering spirit that is supportive and think outside of the box with ideas and solutions. Takes responsibility for more complex problems and maintains focus until a viable solution can be found. Encourages others to take “smart” risks; maintains an entrepreneurial spirit that breaks down barriers to promote new and creative ways to meet goals. Relentlessly challenges the status quo to ensure areas for improvement are identified and addressed Inspires others to develop and implement new ideas and ways to approach work that benefit the school and its stakeholders. Develops highly creative and effective solutions. Focuses on continuous improvement by exploring opportunities for enhancing, revising or modifying existing standards/methods and developing proposals for implementing changes. Is persistent in his/her analysis of issues and problems to find solutions that best serve the school. Accountable:   We support each other through mutual respect and follow a no-excuse culture. Accept and implement the established rules and consequences. Responds appropriately to scholar misbehavior with 100% of the time Manages instructional time to maximize Scholar achievement with bell-to-bell instruction. Sets, teaches, and reinforces school wide and classroom procedures. Punctual, present, prepared and participative in all meetings. (school, community and stakeholders)   Excellent:  We provide excellence through rigorous teaching and learning. We expect excellence from entire community. We produce excellence and college graduates. Service Excellence:  We provide the best service and achieve excellence every day Check E-mail at least 3 times daily and @ least once per weekend Respond to all emails and phone calls within two business days Maintains positive, long-term working relationships with teammates and parents Is responsive and regularly updates scholars’ needs and quickly adapts solutions with parents or teammates

Performance Skills: Data Driven:  Teachers design curriculum that is standards-aligned in a very collaborative process. Teachers develop rigorous learning experiences, provide differentiated instruction, and design and use ongoing embedded, formative, interim, and performance-based assessment to determine scholar mastery and accommodate the range of learning styles and specialized needs of scholars in the classroom.  Engage in ongoing assessment of scholars using multiple forms of assessment, uses a variety of learning tools, including technology, to enhance Scholar learning.   Design innovative learning experiences for scholars and provide relevant and valid qualitative and quantitative data on scholar growth over time that provides a focus for further instruction. Analyzes multiple sources of data to make instructional decisions Develops realistic and ambitious goals with scholars Designs differentiated instruction based on multiple sources of data Uses data tracking tools to monitor progress towards meeting goals Uses data to develop focused, instructional interventions Creates and/or obtains effective assessments Develops long-term plans Collects meaningful data Develops effective rubrics Establish Culture of High Expectations:  We have developed strong, achievement-oriented school culture. In order to maintain our achievement-oriented culture, all staff members need to remain constantly vigilant and relentless in upholding the expectations. Maintains high expectations for self, others, and scholars Develops and adheres to established rules and consequences Establishes positive rapport with scholars Responds appropriately to scholar misbehavior 100% of the time Manages instructional time with effective detailed planning Sets, teachers, and reinforces Teach Like A Champion techniques and procedures Fosters scholar motivation Creates a supportive learning environment Holds parents accountable to expectations Utilize Instructional Planning and Delivery:  We use backwards planning to plan and facilitate ever-expanding activities and experiences that set the stage for a year of continuous growth for all. Plans lesson to included preparation, instruction and application Plan lessons that are aligned to College Readiness Standards and Common Core that mirror rigor of ACT/PSAE, NWEA, ISAT and all other national standards based assessments Incorporates a variety of teaching methods, strategies, resources Incorporates effective pacing Incorporates effective flexible grouping Differentiates to meet individual Scholar needs Communicate Effectively:  We have our primary purpose and stakeholder audience in mind when we begin our communication.  We always effectively communicate from the perspective of the other person, including the emotions that might be involved with the message.  We engage everyone thorough a variety of methods such as:  phone calls, emails, face-to-face meetings, newsletters, and monthly conferences. Communicates accurate academic progress to parents and scholars Always give the “why” Produces written material that is understandable for all stakeholders. Keeps written material concise and relevant Writes in a manner that commands attention and achieves desired results. Is clear and articulate when speaking with an individual or before a group. Uses examples and paraphrasing in speech, as necessary, to clarify ideas and concepts Uses vocabulary appropriate to the audience Checks for understanding of the communication by asking open-ended questions that draw out the listener’s understanding Thinks through what is to be communicated and organizes thoughts and ideas effectively Demonstrates effective listening by providing feedback to the speaker in such a way that it is clear     Completion—“Zero Not an Option”:  We do what we say we’ll do and thoroughly complete required tasks in a timely manner.  We are thoughtful our plans to fulfill responsibilities and promises, are specific about the outcomes and own mistakes when we make them.  Takes the initiative to complete assignments early; consistently exceeds expectations regarding the timing of deliverables Provides accurate and consistent data Maintains a checklist, schedule, calendar, etc. to ensure that small details are not overlooked Provides information in a useable form and on a timely basis to others who need to act on it.