Catalyst Learning in Sparkle Font with colorful beginning spark

Where thinking becomes action

“You’re only given one spark...you mustn’t lose it.”-Robin Williams

An independent, small-group, full-day interdisciplinary microschool for students who want to improve their critical, creative, and connective thinking skills while learning the traditional subjects and beyond.

A Catalyst for Student Ownership of their Future

Visionary learners, no matter their age, want to take action to improve their world. To do so; they need to know how.

Catalyst-an agent that causes or accelerates a change, from catalysis, to modify, to speed up

Young Child holding up popsicle stick puppets
Logo of a colorful spark behind a beaker filled with early learning icons

Catalyst
Early Learning Lab

Lab-a place where learners safely experiment to gain understanding of the world, from the Latin laborare, to endevour, to work

Catalyst Early Learning Lab is ideal for
 
-EARLY LEARNERS AGES 6 WEEKS THROUGH FIRST GRADE
 
whose families wish for their students to grow into
 
-open-minded and accepting individuals
 
-ready to be catalysts for breaking down gender stereotypes
 
-reflective discovery-based learners
 
We focus on growing literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional skills and through active interdisciplinary learning and play with multicultural activities and languages.
 
Our early learning program focuses on finding common ground with others and all learners embracing their potential beyond stereotypes of girls, boys, or other identifiers.
Student carefully dissecting owl pellet

Catalyst Studio

Studio-a place where creators practice and improve their skills, from the Latin studere, to study, to strive

Catalyst Studio is ideal for
 
-STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-8 
 
who want to 
 
-challenge themselves and become young experts and leaders in their learning.
 
-grow their critical thinking skills while  engaging in arts and creative thinking.  
 
-safely experiment and share their unique perspective with an accepting group of multi-level students in an open-minded learning environment.
 
-strive to improve the world around them.
 
Students practice design thinking to learn and create solutions to issues they identify through interdisciplinary expeditions that teach educational content and skills. Students become experts in worldly topics culminating in presentations of their work to family and professionals the students can help through their designs.
 
Material aligns with grade level expectations while focusing on teaching creative and critical thinking skills aligned with gifted education protocols and expectations.
Culinary Student and Teacher
An icon featuring a hand writing. There is a colorful spark coming from the end of the pen.

Catalyst Pre-Professional Program

Program-A set of related activities with a particular long-term aim, from the Greek graphein, to write, and pro, for the public

Catalyst Pre-Professional Program is ideal for
 
-APPRENTICES IN GRADE 9-12
 
who want to
 
-study their grade-level expectations through the lens of their professional interests.
  
-experiment with different professional paths as well as become skilled in an area that interests them.
 
-engage with rigorous in-depth honors core learning with options for in-person and online learning.  
 
Rigorous core classes with professional context and pre-professional electives work together so graduates have the skills to enter a professional field, college, or both with possible college credit and work experience.
Students can participate in the full-day program taught through interdisciplinary units or students can take the courses they are interested in to suit their personal goals; aligned with research-driven grade-level appropriate expectations; with daily opportunities in the arts and active learning;
Students work in heterogenous groupings of different grades while focusing on grade-level material.  By learning from others, students grow together at their own rate.
We use curriculums that teach realistic math education and globally minded high-interest language arts curriculums for their connections to deeper thinking and global issues while remaining flexible to changing student needs.

We work to improve learner independence, ingenuity, and  intrepidness.   Students experiment with, practice, and improve their research, communication, and problem-solving strategies to empower them to help their community; whether school, local, or global.

We have an average student/teacher ratio of seven to one.

Our small size allows for greater student discourse with respect for diverse opinions.
We personalize material and activities to align with student interest while connecting topics to overarching conceptual understandings.  We adjust instruction to meet students where they are at and where they want to reach.
Students collaborate to improve their understanding and build communication skills while also building meaningful relationships with teachers.

Rigorous individualized education that gives students power to act with purpose to reach new heights.

I invite you to come join us,

Leigha Jonestock, Founder and Crew Leader
Catalyst Learning