Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School: Where Love is at the Core of Learning
This is next in a series of profiles about the remarkable partner schools that are the pillars of The Neighborhood Bridge.
Catalyst Circle Rock (CCR) School is located in the heart of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, and the heart of the school lies in its staff and students. Ed Siderewicz, founder and director of External Relations says the charter school was born from a need in the community—and also a request from then-Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, who later became secretary of education in the Obama administration.
Siderewicz was successfully operating two San Miguel schools in the Austin and Back-of-the-Yards neighborhoods when Duncan asked him to open a charter school, bringing the Catholic-school ethos to the public-school arena. That ethic remains the core of CCR today: respect for the dignity of all persons, quality education, a sense of justice, and faith—in one another and in humanity. Today, CCR serves 520 kindergarten through eighth-grade students at its Washington Boulevard campus.
Principal Elizabeth Dunn was a founding member of the charter school when she came on board as a teacher in 2007. After working as a middle-school teacher with Teach for America (a nonprofit that recruits idealistic college grads to teach in schools around the country), Dunn discovered during her first year at CCR that this school was special. As principal for the past five years, she says that the community, staff, families, and most of all students are the reason she’s still here.
“I’ve been at CCR my entire adult career,” she says. “It’s like family, like home. I’m privileged to have long-term faculty and staff here. The school is very holistic. We value teaching minds and teaching hearts.”
At Catalyst, 93% of children qualify for free lunch, and Social Worker Kimberly Walton says the student population faces other issues. The neighborhood itself can be a challenge. Walton notes that the crime rate is high and “walking and even driving to school is a challenge for some of our students.”
The poverty level is also high, she says.
“Almost all of our students qualify for free breakfast and lunch. They don’t always have what they need, like the appropriate backpack or winter clothes.”
Some children face food insecurity, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, she is seeing more and more students who lack important coping and social skills.
That’s where the CCR staff and teachers come in.
“What do kids need?” Walton asks. “They need structure, consistency, and routine. A predictable environment makes them feel safe and gives them a sense of control.”
Walton strives to be a reliable presence in students’ lives. Working in-school allows her to focus on the whole child as she interacts with students, peers, teachers, and parents.
Assistant Principal Erika Whitehead points out that Walton’s holistic approach to the social and emotional needs of students is emblematic of the school culture as a whole.
“There’s a lot of pride in being a CCR scholar. They know they’ll be loved, they’ll be cared for, and if they get out of line, they’ll be corrected. There’s always room for growth, and they appreciate that.”
Beyond academics, Whitehead says, the CCR team focuses on character and morality, and it shows in the way students behave and look out for each other.
“Our older scholars show a lot of concern for our younger scholars,” she says, citing examples of students connecting with the younger ones, reading aloud to them, and even dressing up as the kindergartners’ favorite book characters at the school’s Sneaker Ball.
Whitehead also praises the way staff members work together.
“This is the hardest-working team I’ve ever been a part of,” she says, noting that it’s not unusual for staff to come in on Saturdays and Sundays.
LaQuesha Miller, manager of School Operations, says it’s easy to give your all to a school when the school feels like family. She has been at CCR since 2012 and she’s not alone in her lengthy tenure.
“So many kids start here in kindergarten and graduate in eighth grade,” she says. “Lots of kids and staff stay here long-term. It’s warm and inviting.”
While the purpose of school may be to learn, Miller says CCR is a place where they also have fun together. Through a partnership with Ravinia, students gain access to top-notch music instruction. They also take part in a wide array of extracurriculars, from dance and sports to scouting and arts & crafts.
Siderewicz adds that such partnerships help advance the mission of CCR.
“We work with community partners who support our students and staff,” he says. “This is an amazing mission. Extraordinary human beings are attracted to this.”
He points out that teachers and staff, who treat their work as a vocation not just a job, are making a difference. Teachers like Shantae Ware, who has been at CCR since 2010 and was also a school parent, agree that what they do matters.
“I grew up in Austin,” she says. “By reputation, Austin is a tough area. You never know what you may encounter. But once families get the feel of the school, it’s hard to tell you’re in Austin.
“It’s just home.”
Siderewicz says that is their aim for the charter school.
“At its bare essence, it’s about love. If you walk the halls and you talk to people, this is a loving place. Yes, it’s quality education and yes, it’s metrics, but at its core, it’s love.”
For more information about Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School, go to their website here.